St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-01
THE ALDRIDGE MYSTERY.
Price, Accused OF the Outrage, Anx-
ious for N Trial.

Special TO the Globe.
NATION, ILL.,. Feb. 2S.-On the night
of Feb. - Miss Georgia Aldridge was
found in an insensible condition hanging to
the limb of a cherry tree in her fathers
yard. Had an arrest been made that night
the person arrested would have been sum-
marily lynched. The finding of note on
the table in the room occupied by Miss Aid
ridge. in which there were expressions of
eXultation over requited revenge against
the Aldridge family caused strong suspi-
cions against w. y. Price. an old resi-
dent of Windsor, and at present
member of the city council, who was
known and declared enemy of the
Aldridges; but this being entirely of a cir
cumstantial nature, no one was bold enough
to make an arrest, although q reward of
81, 900 had been offered, and Price was
present when the council offered $500 of
the amount. Suspicion was also directed
against several others, but, on being traced,
were found to be unsupported. The theory
of attempted suicide likewise fell to the
ground. On Saturday afternoon William
NJ. Baldwin. detective of Macoupin
county, caused Price to be arrested on the
charge OF being guilty of
THE HEINoUs OUTRAGE.
He was taken before Judge l.. S. Bald
win and gave bond in the sum of $4,000,
with Jack Clawson, w. III. Storm and John
FORMER as suretieS. to appear for prelim
mary examination on Monday. Judge An
thony Thornton, who defended the &C
cused In the Emma Bond case, has been re-
tanned to assist the states attorney, w. G.
Kelley, in the prosecution, and ii. j. Ham
lin of Shelbyville will appear for the de-
fenSe- The examination will be held in the
Universalist church. The prosecution has
already subpenaed seventy-five witnesses.
The grounds on which Price was arrested
are contradictory statements on the part of
himself. wife and children; the murderOus
threats he has made against DR.. Aldridge
and his son and daughter, at one time re-
marking while clearing his revolver: Il
will get even with them inside of a year;
yes, less than six months" On the Satur-
day following the tragedy, Mrs. Price. the
wife of the accused. who went into hysteri-
cal commissions at the time Miss Aldridge
screamed, sent her son TO DIR. Aldridge
with message stating that she must see
him before night. While the detective
read the
DISGUSTING LETTER
found, at his request and without objection,
Price copied it with the same ink and pen
used in writing the original. The re-
semblance was so great that the detective
says he desires no better evidence TO secure
a conviction. The words "Aldrldge' and
mighty nigh" were misspelled in the
original and he made identically the same
errors. He wrote wrote slowly and with
much hesitancy, but general similarity
extends through the entire documents.
Had Baldwin delayed an hour later the
arrest would have been made by the Anti
Horse Thief association. Price took his ar
rest very coolly. laughs and jokes about It,
protests his innocence. aud seems really
pleased at the prospect of being relieved
from the mental strain which he has been
undergoing during the past fifteen days, as
he has been under the ban of suspicion
since that fatal night. This afternoon a
reporter was granted permission to visit
Miss Aldridge, under promise that she
would not be interviewed. She is yet i'm a
very feeble condition, is not able to walk
without assistance, and passes the greater
portion OF the time in an invalid's chair,
but hopes are entertained of her ultimate
recovery. Her handsome face is pale, and
indicates Enthusiastically the pain she has
suffered.