Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-06-05

murder of two innocent women n the
attempt and almost successful muruer
OF their escort. The story is without
a parallel in Northern New YORK.
For several months George Allen, a
private in the Ninth United States regi-
ment stationed there had been keeping
ompan with Miss Mary DAILY, and
they were to have been married wneh
Aliens term of service was ended. One
of Miss Days particular friends was
Mrs. Wilbur Crouch, an estimable lady,
against whom there has not been even
a breath Of suspicion Of any kind. mrs
Crouch unfortunately married Wiipur
Crouch several years ago.. He abused
her and made life so unpleasant for ner
and her two small children that she Cd
| tanned a limited divorce from him IN
July. 1895, since which she had fol-
lowed the tailoring business with SO
much success that she was able to Duild
her a coy little home. Ever since the
divorce was granted Crouch annoyed
her in all sorts of ways and even went
so far as to make threats.
The other evening Allen hired a team
L - go
at the livery stable to take Miss DAILY,
his intended, and Mrs. Crouch out into
the country several miles to the home
of Mrs. Crouch's mother. While they
were there Allen stated that he was
afraid from what he heard that Crouch
was intending to do some OF them
harm. Nothing much wal thought or
it, however, and after spending a few
hours pleasantly the party started to
return about ~ o'clock. This was the
last time Mrs. Crouch and Miss Daily
were seen alive.
Between 2 and 8 o'clock the next
morning the man in charge OF the sta
BILE where the rig belonged was aroused
by the approach of the team. and was
astonished when he saw that the
horses were without a driver. A little
closer investigation disclosed the fact
that in the bottom of the carriage lay
the Iifeless remains of Mrs. Crouch and
Miss DAILY, with their clothes torn and
besmeared with blood. The ~astounded
liyeryman sounded the alarm, and in
half an hours time nearly every maj
in the village had responded. The doc
tors discovered that the unfortunate
women had been shot in several places
and thai they had been dead but z
short time.
About the same time George Aller
crawled into the yard of the barracks
and was discovered by n of the
guards on duty. He had been l~iterall,
riddled with bullets, his clothes were
dripping wet from blood and water, yet
strange to say, he was alive. The sur
geon of the post was aroused. and t.
him Allen told the story as best h
could. This was in effect that Wilbu
Crouch had murdered the women an
tried to murder him. Crouch suppose'
he had finished him (Allen) and thel
threw him into a creek near the bar
racks, which the road leading int
town crosses. From this creek Allie
crawled, and, after much effort, reache
the barracks.
When the bodies of Mrs. Crouch an
Miss DAILY were first discovered the VII
lage people at nee jumped to the cor
ciusion that Allen was the murders
though none could even suggest a reai
O0dDl6 ulOllyC. <io LILO WhOA =
Allen was then unknown to them,
did look as if Allen was guilty of
great crime. But when the facts abot
Aliens condition became known an
, his dying statement was disclosed, pull
! lie opinion shifted to Wilbur Crouch.
: Crouch took his meals at n of n
! hotels and slept at a little house on
3 back street, which he occupied alon
A little after daylight an officer pr
2 ceeded to Crouch's house, and, aft
9 some little trouble, aroused him an
took him into custody. He manifesto
great surprise when told what had hal
pened, and at once stated that he su
pected Allen. AS soon after arrest
! possible he was taken to Watertov
and lodged in Jail. 1t was feared tn
If he was allowed to remain longer
the village there would be an uprisir
s . -z