A YOUNG GIRL MURDERED BY A CONJURER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6823, 29 September 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

A YOUNG GIRL MURDERED BY A CONJURER.

A despatch in an American pap'-r dated Dillon (M. J.'.) August 11 says:—Ou Wednesday Professor C. A. Lewis,"known in Eastern Montana from having traveled through that section as a sleight-of-hand performer, was arrested and charged with the commission of a terrible orims near this city. A young lady, known on the bills as "Eva," travelled with him and assisted him in his performances. She was about fourteen years of age. He claimed she was his daughter. They arrived in Dillou two weeks ago. coming in their own w:igon and team, They went into camp about two miles below this city. About 4.30 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon Lewis was <*een by aoine carpenters, who were working near b3', carrying the young girl toward a bridge which crosses the river near where their camp was. The unusual spectacle aroused their suspicious that something was wrong, and upon going to the spot were horrilied to Had tlie lifeless body of tiie girl, with th 9 whole top of her head blown olf. They took Lewis into custody aud carried the body back to the wagon, where they found a shotgun with one barrel discharged and inside of the wagon the cover was spattered with blood and brains. Wbeu first arrested Lewis acted ' crazy and talked inccssmtly m almost incoherent language, the drift of which seemed to that Eva wanted to die and be au angel and now she had her wish. A coroner's inquest was held and a verdios returned that the gir! came to lier death by a. gunshot-wound iuflictad by A. C. Lewie was taken to view tiie corp.se. Ho seemed terribly affected aud for tiie first time since his arrest threw off his appearnnoe ot insmity. fle broke out into a frenzied appeal to the dead Rirl to spiak and cay that he did not commit the terrible deed. He says she discharged the gun herself; that it was lyiiig ou a truuk, in getting some article out of which shoacxidently discharged it killing herself instautly ; that heaving the report he rushed to the wagon and received the body ia liis arms The thought then flashed across his mind thit he would be suspected oft-h-i murder and his firat impulse was to "conceal the body. He then took it and started towards the river, whon the c.rpeiitera came upon him and took him into custody. Up'>r. searching the effects of Lewis t!ie girl's le.ttera w<jre found, which proi'e that she was not his daughter, but a Miss Eva Clark of Cnicago, whom ha had engaged to travel with him. She was highly accomplished and a fine musician. There is strong talk of lynching the prisoner but no attempt has been made to do ao. The gaol ia strongly guarded.