The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-04
MURDERED BY A STRANGER.
4 WOMAN or THE TOWN FOND
DEAD IN HER HOUSE.
Revolving and Mysterious Crime
Committed IT skagway. the vic-
tim Being = HaIatto Woman. at
One Time . Resident of Seattle.

skAGwAY. May =. via Port Town
sand, June 3-There raxne 20 light IN this
city yesterday murder which n all It's
revolving details sud the mystery that
surrounds ls rivals the most atrocsans
work OF s-Jack the Stranger" Al 1
O'Clock in the afternoon. n her house On
one OF the busiest ,horoughfarss os the
town, TIE body OF Ftsa -. Wilson, Il Inu-
laSto woman OF the town. was found bound
aand and foot and neck. dead upol her
bed. without a particle OF evidence as 10
when ard by whom the deed had been
committed. The discovery was first made
through the inst-umenfaiiry Of Gus Beck
er. a iaboring man who did the chores for
the woman about the house. Deputy
Marshal Taylor took charge OF the prem
lses. A review OF the place showed how
and why the devfEsh deed had been per-
pe;rateG, but gave no clue as to the i9en-
tity Of the perpetrator. The rffied con-
tents OF her trunk and wardrobe were
scattered promiscssonsy about the room,
while in the adjoining room upon the bed
lay the body OF the murdered woman.
The woman's hat and coat hung behind
the door, apparently In their accustomed
place. Her shoes were upon the floor by
the stove, and otherwise she was clad in
a gown that may have been worn for
the street or the house. The bed was not
turned down. and the body lay dlagoaally
across ii upon the Counterpart Around
the neck u pillow case had been drawn
tightly and tied with the ends thrust Into
tina mouth for gag. Around this. and
covering the eyes and nose. a lace curtain
torn from the window had been wrapped.
Another pillow slip had bound the wrists
together behind her back, but one hand
had been released IN the death struggle
The legs above the ankles were bound Sc
curely with a sheet knotted hard and fast.
against which no amount OF struggling
could avail. Over fhe head and face
feather pillow was pressed hard down,
and death had evidently come by strangu-
Iatioa and smother.ng.
Nothing OF the scanty furnishings OF the
front room where the tragedy occurred
was disturbed. The trunk, IN which the
girl evidently kept her money. which stood
against the partition wall In the back
room, Immediately back of her bed.
seemed to be thA only thing molested.
This was a large Saratoga with double
lock. Thesiatter had been pried of with
an ak that stood IN the corner near by.
as was evidenced by the condition Of the
blade. The contents. including clothing.
Old letters and papers. were strewn about
the floor and upon an adjacent bed. 4
pair OF gold bracelets and a small gold
watch were left. but her money IL there
had been any. was taken. A loaded re-
volver was found sticking from a rubber
tie else OF value was 10 be found. From
letters, receipts and bills from trades peo-
pie it vas learned that during the past
few years Miss Wilson had lived at va
rous times In Victoria II. c., Seattle.
Portland, San Francisco and Port Town
send She came to Skagway some time
last October from Victoria. and has since
resided in the cabin where she was killed.
She was small Of stature and perhaps 30
years OF age. She bore the reputation of
being a quiet sort OF her kind and not
given tc drink.
An autopsy was determined upon. and
by the condition of the lungs it was de-
terinfned definitely that death resulted
from strangu.ation. The body was turned
over 10 an undertaken, and the inquest
adjourned till Tuesday morning at
o'clock. when such evidence as is obtain
able will be heard in an effort to fix the
crime
There Is some ground for believing that
man named Black may have been i'm
p,icated in the murder. IL was at first
reported that he had sailed for Seattle on
the CITY of Seattle, but this proves 10 have
been an error. 1t Is now supposed that
hs is at Wrangel-