Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-02-29
The Eoy Murderer.

the two oldest Of Riley's children, the
boy William, aged sixteen, and the girl
of thirteen. The youngest child. aged
nine, was left at Adrian. in charge of
Constable l.. S. Roberts. No inquest
vas deemed necessary and DR.. Warran
made q post 'mortem. lie found that
death was caused by q gumshot wound.
the bullet or slug having entered the
head on the left side, taking off about
half an inch of the upper part of the
ear, ranging thence directly across and
upward passing out about the middle
of the partial bone on the right side.
The children have all confessed. and all
agree now in the singularly remarkable
statement that they had long been
making preparations for the deed, and
that the hole in the stack was prepared
about two weeks before it was used.
The boy says that on the morning of
Feb, 2nd he got up, went out to the
stable, found some cattle loose, and
came in to inform his father, who bid
him go. back and secure them. He
went back, but could not secure them:
returning to the house, and was lust
about ready to fire at his father in bed
through aloopholelong before prepared,
when his sister an down aud he de-
sisted till they both went out to the
barn, when he, again put himself in po-
sition with his gun. His father for
some reason turned his head on the pill
low, presenting a fair mark, when the
boy pulled, and the father lay uncon-
scious, living about thirty minutes.
The sisters, suspecting what had taken
place when they heard the gun, remark
ed that the work was done. They let
the body remain in bed all day, and
Just after dark, not being able to get it
out through the door and storm box,
they put it through the bedroom win
dow to a sled. The oldest boy and girl
pulled it out to the stack, preceded by
the youngest, and set it up by the stack.
The boy went on top, got a rope to the
feet, the two youngest pushed and he
pulled till they got the body up, when
they dropped it into the hole, covered
it and left. They then removed all
traces of blood, washing the stained
.lotnss and changing the beds, destroy
!ng part O. one and. putting the other
~ v. t,C;Ia Of q ~n+l 49,. NOD o-J ,o ,,.ll
were all precautions taken and all in
iulrles answered by these three chill
lren that, had the boy destroyed the
buffalo oyercoat his father usually
wore, It is doubtful whether any sus-
pieion of foul play would have been en-
5~ertained; but some neighbors' suspi-
cions were aroused by the fact of the
coat being left in the house. The only
ceason assigned is that the father was
marsh to the boy. and but a little less SC
TO the girls, and they were fearful that
ne would marry again, and they would
be further abused and homeless. Once
before the attempt was maleby poison
but failed. The boy pounded up Il slug
II lead to fit the shot gun used. The
children Snow &c sorrow or feeling fol
The dead.
Scotland Citizen: One Of the mem.
bers of the north Dakota delegation at
Washington is titled and named 'Rev
DR.. Thompson" In an Interview with
5he president this Thompson with q d
d. is reported as having said that il
traVelln about the. territory organic
ing churches he found that GOV. Ord.
way had tbe respect and confidence OF
the best people. We doubt very much
whether Rev. DR.. Thompson, in his
church Organizing capacity, ever tray
2led beyond the precincts of the town
OF Bismarck, where according to the
testimony OF Jud LaAfoure, the best
people are those who can drink the
most whisky and play the stiGtest game
OF poker, aud where, if reports are cor
rect, the reverend doctor had q warm
HiSo h4ti'ti tiiC NIi ClliGN IlACIt CI LIt
select capital commission ring and was
thereby invested with information
which enabled HIM to purchase and sell
Bismarck property at the proper time
to add lhateriallyt 0 his worldly wealth.
II his statements 0 the president are
correctly reported, then he is a charac-
terless scamp who N 1t would be base
l~lattory 60 call q liiT, and a lifting COM
panion and %apologist for jobbing jun
DO. Thompson may steal the livery of
heaven to serve tn edeyil in, but hemill
have to DO his Pre- selytsng outside Of
Dakota,
4 Baltimore disI atch Of the 18th III
timo has the following: Aladies' mass.
meeting in the interest of the ohsery-
ance Of the centennial of American
Methodism WAS held to-day at the
First N. Z. Church Rev. DR.. GOucler.
Who spoke, said the time he'd come TO
found al institution FOR the higher ed
FIl