The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1897-12-25
PARTICULARS OF MRS.
CLUTE'S MURDER.
Mr.. clute Interviewed.

The particulars ofthe murder OF Mrs.
E. r, Clute. which we mentioned in
our last issue, are most shocking In
their details. The deed was done in a
fiat into which she was intending to
move the next day and where she was
experimenting the laying of some new
carpets. About 5 O'Clock p. Nj. Mrs.
Leon Legg and her invalid father who
occupied the lower fiat were startled by
screams from above and Mrs. Legg
rushed upstairs in time to see the MUIR
derer disappear through a doorway
and afterwards out of the side entrance
into the alley. She was not able to get
help in time to apprehend him and he
made good his escape.
When aid arrived, Mrs. Clute's body
was found lying in a pool of blood in
the kitchen, with a broom and dust
pan by her side. Her face and skull
were fearfully smashed and the weapon,
a coupling pin, was found covered with
blood behind a door. A motive for the
crime was discovered at the autopsy,
when the fact was revealed that the
murderer had assaulted his victim.
The police went to work Immediately
on the case and were close on the heels
of the suspected party. when he APP
peared at police headquarters the next
morning to tell what he knew. This
was Albert Hotf, Il carpet layer, who
admitted that he was in the house just
before the murder and told an improb-
able story about a strange coming in
shortly before he left. He was locked
up and since has been identified by Mrs.
Legg as the man whom she saw. The
evidence against him is almost conclu-
sive and his only chance of acquittal
rests on his ability to account for every
minute of his time on the fatal after
noon.
This sad affair is of peculiar interest
to the people of this section where Mr..
and Mrs. Clute had many friends who
knew them in Pioche and Eureka. Mr..
Clute : o travelling for the Price
Bakirg Powder Co. and was at Winnie
mucot when he received the news of
his e's murder. He WAS overcome
wit grief but after ~regaiuing partial
composure, made the following state
ment to Il Silver State reporter:
1--WE were devoted to each other, "
he said, land therefore led Il decidedly
happy life. Only to-day (taking a let
ter from his pocket [ received a mis-
sive from my wife telling me that she
never enjoyed better health than at
present, and how she counted the hours
until our reunion on Christmas eve,
when she would surprise me with the
coSlest little house we had ever occu-
pied.
Il cannot account for her untimely
fate. other than that she was murdered
for her money and jewelry, as she was
always provided with sufficient funds
and always drew my salary from the
firm that employees me.
"She was of a somewhat reserved ma
ture, not easily forming an intimate
acquaintanceship with anyone.
II always cautioned her to be wary,
as she was forced to be alone so much,
and to that end / distinctly remember
that years ago, E1c1 we lived in
Phoebe, in this State, I taught her how
to effectively Use a pistol, without
which, to the best of my knowledge,
she has not been since.
This whole sad affair m so sud-
denly upon ME that | can only say this,
that it is the most cruel blow / have
ever received during all my life and
whose effects, I doubt, time will aver
be able to heal"