St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-04-04
TWAS FOUL MURDER.
The Tragedy in Which Young
Spaulding's Blood Was
Shed.
Murdered by a Friend, Robbed
and Thrown Into the
Canal.
Young Whalen, His Compan-
ion. Suspected as the
Murderer.
The Singular Circumstances
Which Led to Finding the
Body.


the clerk of the Windsor hotel, who
was found dead under such suspicious
circumstances at Portage, Wis, Satur-
day morning, was brought to this city
on the 2:4O Milwaukee train yesterday,
and IS now lying at the undertaking es-
tablishment of Mccarthy & Donnelly.
The mystery surrounding the death has
been completely cleared up. Spaulding
was cruelty and brutality murdered by
the man whom he took to be his friend.
No more fiendish and cowardly crime
was ever committed, and should the
red-handed assassin be unprecedented, as
he will in all likelihood, the services Of
Judge Lynch may be required to satiate
the wrath of the people. which has
been raised to a high pitch. A few
weeks ago, when the Power of the
Press" company was playing at the
Metropolitan, young Spaulding, with
some other of his comrades, went upon
the stage i'll the capacity of supernu-
meraries. They were paid a nominal
sum for their histrionic labors. but, like
most young men, felt amply compen-
stated in witnessing the show.
1t was while thus engaged that
Mr.. Spaulding became acquainted
with man named Whalen,
who appeared to be hail-felloW-well-
met sort of a chap, and the two became
quite intimate during their stage expe-
rienee. Whalen also acted AS ''suDe."
After the company'S engagement was
finished the two boys were frequently
0O6 n1rpnf IV
fast friends. Shortly after this Spaul-
ding conceived the notion of going to
Chicago to visit some relatives there,
and Informed his father of his ipten-
tions. The father gave the lad $25 with
which to purchase some necessarieS,
and babe him good by, telling him to
take care of himself. 1t now transplres
that Spaulding did not make the trip
alone. His friend Whalen went along;
and, not only that, but SDaulding paid
his fare. At Portage, it is presumed,
Whalen induced his companion to
leave the train, under what preteXt
1t is not known. but for the
evidently preconceiyed purpose of
foully numbering him. A few hours
later man was found beastly drunk
near the canal, and near him large
quantity OF blood. AS the blood marks
extended to the edge of the dock, the
police at once suspected that murder
had been committed, and their suspi-
eiOnS were fully confirmed, for upon
dragging the stream the body OF a
young man was brought to the surface.
1t was that of Spaulding, and a fearful
sight it presented. The head was bat
tered into shapeless mass. the lnstru-
ment of death being a coupling pin,
which was found near the scene of the
murder. The pin was covered with
clotted blood and hair. The ground
was torn up in the vicinity, showing
that desperate struggle had ensued.
and that the young man had made an
heroic fight tor his life, but against
weighty odds. The drunken man was
at once arrested, it being at first Sup
posed that ne was the murderer, bat it
afterwards traEspired that the conduct
or of the down train, on which Spauld
ing and Whalen were, had put tue man
off at Portage, and, by chance, no
doubt, he had aimlessly wandered down
near the canal, where he fell asleep.
An examination of Spaulding'S body
showed that it had been completely
stripped of all yaluables. including his
watch, coat and shoes. Robbery had
therefore furnished the motive for the
robbery. A tag on the inside of the
coat collar bore the names of 'PeaSe
Bros, St. Paul" and &c. IL. Spauld
ing.' A dispatch was at once sent
to PeaSe Bros, the talorS here, as no
one at Portage was able to identify the
stranger. Mr.. PeaSe at once communi-
Gated the sad intelligence to the father
of the victim, who was terribly shocked
upon hearing the awful news. He took
the first train to Portage, and there
learned the facts surrounding his sons
death, as here narrated.
There is no doubt about Whalen be-
ing the murderer. He was seen with
Spaulding at the union depot in this
city prior to taking the train, and he
was also seen to leave the train at Port
age in company with Spaulding. Some
time after the murder he was seen on
the streets of Portage carrying pair of
shoes under his arm, the shoes which,
no doubt, he had stolen from his victim
kilograms have been sent out in every
direction from Portage with descriptions
of Whalen, and there is every reason to
believe that the murderer will be cap
tured before many days.
Young Spalding had worked at the
Aberdeen fer time, and was known to
be very quiet. unassumIng ard gentle
manly. he had host of friends, who
will be grieved to learn of his sorrow
full death.
Since writing the above it has been
learned that the murderer Whalen was
member of the Power Of the Press"
company in a minor role, and that he
had been discharged while the company
was playing here. After his discharge
he stayed around town and "blowed in"
what little money he had earned. Find
ing himself strapped, he determined to
strike out for Chicago, and informed
number of his friends that he intended
to beat his way down. as he was dead
broke. At this crisis he probably met
Spaulding, and learning that he had
little money, by some specious plea in
dueed him to go to Chicago. What fol-
lowed has already been described.
Write or wire Frank L. Tedford, mem
Der Duluth Stock Exchange. what iron
i,,o 40 Y,nn