ELOPEMENT, MARRIAGE AND MURDER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2245, 5 October 1889, Page 2

ELOPEMENT, MARRIAGE AND MURDER

A tragedy occorred io a suburb of San Francisco, which It as romantic ss it-is horrible. Miai Ev* Atkins waa betrothed to Mr Raymond Bleroe, an Englishman and v writer on fiuuauolal end other tab* joots. On Monday, August 5;h # the (redding was to have takeu pliioa at the home of Miss Atkins, whosa mother is a wealthy lady, and wall. known. In Ban Franoleoo aooleiy. On Sunday Kva obtained permission to pass the ulg!.t vt itb ooe of the bridesmaids. Instead the joined Mr Nell Hobb» f »n Intimate friend of her betrothed, and his grojinsm»n to be. Thu pair prooeeded to Sacramento, whero they ware married. In a few days they returned to • oabarb of Ban Franolxoo, where youog ' Bleroe was ragtag like a madman oTer the treaohery of which he was the victim. Pale and haggard he nought the mother ef his falttueaa sweetheart, and ahe deeply aympaibUed with hla griaf, "My poor boy," abe exoUlmod, "try and go to aleep." Ho answered, "I have not slept for fooc nlghta." Bbc conducted him to a chamber and olosed the door. Soon after the elopera entered the houao and Kva w»i bitterly upbraided by her mother for her hear tines conduct, Silently Bierea atole down the stairs, and appeared before the terror stricken in* mates of tbe pacloar. Ie one baud he held extended a large ravy revolver. For a moment there waa a complete silence thea Biaroo hiesad the wads " Yon are a happy wedded ooaple ar > you not V Nell Hobbe took m the altmt'o i at a gJenc, and like all California;. o, ho was armed, »nd he knew, how to one hi? weapon Qalok as a fl»Bh ho pulled ont a revolver bat the fiugur of his qaondnm friend was on the trigger, ani tho report of a ploto 1 . followed, flobbii returned shot for shot, bat hie pistol contained one lo«u charge. He fled fiom the room for more cartridges Bleroe, woanded *ud bieedlog, locked the door. Then ha turned to the fainting bride, and Bezlog her m his arms, paaelonately k^aaed nor pal id lips, Ho then bold her at arm's length, and mournfully exclaiming, " How could yon do so V ho placid tho muzz'e of anothti revolver to her temple aod fired. Ab her appirently Ufeleoa form s»nk on the floor, hoc maddoned huab«nd broke opeu the door and again oommenoed to "pump lead," ab the O*llfoinlan phrase b«a it, into Bioroe's body. Tbe latter oi oed with Hobba with manlaoal fury, and a savage struggle omued. Bloroo grew weak from loss of blood, and Hobbs beat h?m farloualy on the head and faoo with the handle of tho pistol nnt'.l ho fell fainting on the oarpet. The victor deliberately fired another shot at the prostrate muD, and then carried hla youag wife to an adjaoont oiumber. While tbe surgeon waa Investigating the nature of the w< unds of Nell and Eva, Bleroe reoovered oonsoloDßnosa, a^d draygod bimaelf apstalra to the bedroom, Seourlng a bottle of chloroform, he poured, the oonteata on his handkarohlef, spread it over bis faoe, lay down on his baok, and, plaoing tbe piatol at his head, blew bia brains out. His body was found to be riddled with bqllets. Hobbs was shot m several places, and It was soon aioertalnod that two wounds were mortal qnea. He gradually sank, ani died on Saturday. Tbe wounded girl, however, is recovering.