The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-04-10
WEIRD LOVE AFFAIR;
GIRLS SOUL MATES
COULD NOT BEAR PARTING AND
PLANNED DOUBLE KILLING
IN CROWDED CAFE.
PUT PISTOLS TO EACH OTHERS
HEADS AND PULLED TRIGGERS

Shots in Quick Succession Pierced
Merry Hum of the Place. Request
to Be Buried Together Unheeded
Were Socially Prominent.
A peculiar story of a mystic love-
was given the world few days ago
when Margaret Spalding and Ethel
Stanton pressed revoIvers against
each others heads in a Portsmouth
ON. H. cafe, pulled the triggers and
fell dead. They were "affinities'
and preferred death to separation.
The odd and all-consuming love
that sprung up between the two girls
was born when they first met last
fall. Miss Spalding, daughter OF a
manufacturer in Newton, Mass, was
teacher of physical culture at a pri-
vate school in the Back Bay district
of Boston. Miss Stanton, daugh-
ter of j. L. Stanton of Los Angeles,
and stepdaughter of T. A. Snyder, an
Ohio multi-millionaire, was student
at the same school, Both girls were
highly educated and handsome, the
teacher being % years old and the
wealthy student, IS.
Girls Were Tnseparable.
Quickly the friendship of the two
girls ripened into a love that made
them inseparable They were con-
stantly together and each grieved
when not in the presence of the
other. The school authorities con-
sidered it only a school friendship,
but close friends saw more and did
their best to put an end to this
"mystic love" affair. Their efforts
were in vain and only Increased the
peculiar affection between the two.
Then came their hour Of separa-
ton. The bloom had left the cheeks
Of Miss Stanton and her health,
never rugged, was failing. This the
school authorities noticed, and,
thinking that the fresh air would do
her good they arranged for her to
go to Dana Hall school. in Wellesley.
Shortly after the wealthy young stu
dent had left, friends began to notice
a change in Miss Spalding. She be-
came morose and said that she was
grieving over the departure of her
friend.
Then Came the Tragedy.
Unable longer to stand the strain
of being without each others com
pany the two girls went together to
Portsmouth and immediately engaged
a room in hotel. After remaining
in the room all night and until af
ternoon of the following day they
went to a cafe, where they ate a
late supper. During the evening they
remained in one of the booths of the
cafe, each drinking five cups of black
coffee while they talked earnestly in
an undertone.
Then, just before midnight, when
the theater crowds were filling the
cafe, when glasses were juggling,
eyes were sparkling and smiling lips
were keeping up a steady drone, two
shots fired in quick succession pierced
the merry hum of the place. Wait
exs found Ethel Stanton lying across
the table, one hand clutching a re-
volver and the other flower vase.
Peggy" Spalding's body had slipped
to the floor. A note lying on the
table solved the mystery:
We have experienced perfect
love for each other and cannot
bear the thought of separation.
So we end it all. Bury us together.
PEGGY AND ETHEL.
The last request of the two girls
went unheeded Relatives claimed
the bodies, Miss Stanton being buried
in Cincinnati and her "soul-mates CO.
ing to the grave in Newton, Mass.