Family Killed By Negro
April 5, 1902
Summary
A black servant kills his employer and her two children, after suspecting that she called a warrant to arrest him for secretly stealing some of her money.
Transcription
Mrs. Furbush and Two Daughters Shot in Their Home.
Called Child To Her Death
William Lane Planned to Murder Mother and Children, Rob the House and Disappear--Confessed Crime When Arrested.
Philadelphia, April 2.-- Fearing that he would be arrested for theft, William H. Lane, a colored butler, shot and killed his employer, Mrs. Ella J Furbush; her 12-year old daughter Madeline, and probably mortally wounded another daughter, Eloise aged 7 years, at their home, 652 North Fifteenth street, shortly before noon yesterday.
The murder was one of the most cold-blooded that has been committed in this city for some time. Lane had been her butler since Christmas, and besides him she had another colored servant, a woman named Agnes. Recently Mrs. Furbush had been missing small amounts of money, and finally she informed the police, who began an investigation, which was still in progress when yesterday’s tragedy was enacted. Suspicion fell on Lane, and a warrant was sworn out for his arrest. According to Lane’s confession, he saw Mrs. Furbush on Monday night counting a large roll of bills. Knowing where she kept the money, he bided his time, and at an opportune moment late in the evening, he stole $70. Expecting that the theft would be placed on him and that Mrs. Furbush would have him arrested, Lane planned to murder the mother and her children, rob the house and disappear.
At 11 o’clock he went to the third floor and found Mrs. Furbush in one of the middle rooms. He instantly shot her, once in the breast and then through the heart. She died instantly. Eloise, who was in another room, on hearing the noise, ran in to see what was the matter, and as she entered Lane shot her in the abdomen. She fell, and he thought he had also killed her. Without even attracting the attention of the other servant, who was ironing in the outkitchen, Lane went to the front door and called in Madeline, who was skating on roller skates on the sidewalk. He told her that her mother wanted her on the third floor, and without the slightest suspicion of the tragedy that was being enacted, and that she was going to her death, Madeline climbed the stairs, without first removing her skates. She went into a room adjoining that in which her mother lay dead. Lane followed her, and as she cheerily called her mother, the negro shot her through the heart, killing her instantly.
Lane in his confession says that he then proceeded to rob the house. He quickly found $130, two watches and a pocket book, and while he was searching for the jewelry he was interrupted by the arrival of two special policemen, who had a warrant for his arrest on the charge of larceny. They asked to see Mrs. Furbush, and Lane showed them to the sitting room on the second floor and said he would call his mistress. Recognizing one of the men as one officer, Lane hastily donned his over cont and escaped by the rear of the house. All was quiet in the house, and the policemen hearing a moan started an investigation, and on the third floor of the hallway found little Eloise. To the policeman she said: “William shot my mother and my sister, and tried to kill me.”
Lane was attracted to the Pennsylvania Railroad station at Camden where he was recognized by one of the policemen he had admitted to the house. The officer hustled him onto a ferryboat and out of the jurisdiction of the state of New Jersey and took him to the City Hall.
Later Lane was taken to the hospital where Eloise identified him, saying: “He is William Lane, the man who killed my mother and sister, and tried to kill me.You know you did, William.” In his presence her statement was taken, and Lane put the seal of accuracy to it by saying: “Everything the child has said is true.”
Lane is the son of a preacher, who lives in Bridgeton, and has served a term in the Mount Holly, N.J. jail, and has been confined in the Huntingdon (Pa.) Reformatory.
There seems to be a mystery regarding the domestic life of Mrs. Furbush. In the neighborhood where she lived she was variously known as Mrs. Furbush and Mrs. Fisher. The woman, who was 42 years of age, was well supplied with money, owned the fine house she lived in, had her own horses and carriages, and lived a life of ease. As a result of an investigation, Coroner Dugan is endeavoring to secure the attendance at the inquest of Charles A. Furbush, a wealthy manufacturer of milling machinery, of this city.
Called Child To Her Death
William Lane Planned to Murder Mother and Children, Rob the House and Disappear--Confessed Crime When Arrested.
Philadelphia, April 2.-- Fearing that he would be arrested for theft, William H. Lane, a colored butler, shot and killed his employer, Mrs. Ella J Furbush; her 12-year old daughter Madeline, and probably mortally wounded another daughter, Eloise aged 7 years, at their home, 652 North Fifteenth street, shortly before noon yesterday.
The murder was one of the most cold-blooded that has been committed in this city for some time. Lane had been her butler since Christmas, and besides him she had another colored servant, a woman named Agnes. Recently Mrs. Furbush had been missing small amounts of money, and finally she informed the police, who began an investigation, which was still in progress when yesterday’s tragedy was enacted. Suspicion fell on Lane, and a warrant was sworn out for his arrest. According to Lane’s confession, he saw Mrs. Furbush on Monday night counting a large roll of bills. Knowing where she kept the money, he bided his time, and at an opportune moment late in the evening, he stole $70. Expecting that the theft would be placed on him and that Mrs. Furbush would have him arrested, Lane planned to murder the mother and her children, rob the house and disappear.
At 11 o’clock he went to the third floor and found Mrs. Furbush in one of the middle rooms. He instantly shot her, once in the breast and then through the heart. She died instantly. Eloise, who was in another room, on hearing the noise, ran in to see what was the matter, and as she entered Lane shot her in the abdomen. She fell, and he thought he had also killed her. Without even attracting the attention of the other servant, who was ironing in the outkitchen, Lane went to the front door and called in Madeline, who was skating on roller skates on the sidewalk. He told her that her mother wanted her on the third floor, and without the slightest suspicion of the tragedy that was being enacted, and that she was going to her death, Madeline climbed the stairs, without first removing her skates. She went into a room adjoining that in which her mother lay dead. Lane followed her, and as she cheerily called her mother, the negro shot her through the heart, killing her instantly.
Lane in his confession says that he then proceeded to rob the house. He quickly found $130, two watches and a pocket book, and while he was searching for the jewelry he was interrupted by the arrival of two special policemen, who had a warrant for his arrest on the charge of larceny. They asked to see Mrs. Furbush, and Lane showed them to the sitting room on the second floor and said he would call his mistress. Recognizing one of the men as one officer, Lane hastily donned his over cont and escaped by the rear of the house. All was quiet in the house, and the policemen hearing a moan started an investigation, and on the third floor of the hallway found little Eloise. To the policeman she said: “William shot my mother and my sister, and tried to kill me.”
Lane was attracted to the Pennsylvania Railroad station at Camden where he was recognized by one of the policemen he had admitted to the house. The officer hustled him onto a ferryboat and out of the jurisdiction of the state of New Jersey and took him to the City Hall.
Later Lane was taken to the hospital where Eloise identified him, saying: “He is William Lane, the man who killed my mother and sister, and tried to kill me.You know you did, William.” In his presence her statement was taken, and Lane put the seal of accuracy to it by saying: “Everything the child has said is true.”
Lane is the son of a preacher, who lives in Bridgeton, and has served a term in the Mount Holly, N.J. jail, and has been confined in the Huntingdon (Pa.) Reformatory.
There seems to be a mystery regarding the domestic life of Mrs. Furbush. In the neighborhood where she lived she was variously known as Mrs. Furbush and Mrs. Fisher. The woman, who was 42 years of age, was well supplied with money, owned the fine house she lived in, had her own horses and carriages, and lived a life of ease. As a result of an investigation, Coroner Dugan is endeavoring to secure the attendance at the inquest of Charles A. Furbush, a wealthy manufacturer of milling machinery, of this city.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Brooke Royer
Citation
“Family Killed By Negro,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 12, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/270.