El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-05
SPRADLING'S DEATH

May Occasion a Legal SCrap.-A
Hint That the MCKinstrey Girl
May Produce a Contract Mar
riage Certificate.-She Is Elated
Over Her pdramour' s Death.
Special Correspondence Of the HERALD.
ENGLE, N. Mex, Sept. 3.-The
estate of Jack Spradling, the wealthy
near Fairview by bunch of COW boys.
is in tangls mass. The cattle man
has virtually been a recluse for the
past fifteen years, and having been
possessed of a retiring disposition and
nature, little Is known of his former
history or relatives.
When the stOckman met his death
in q sensational and dramatic mann er,
it was noised about the gossipy little
scrimmage.would resultlover the dis
position of the dead mans property
holdings.
From present indications these idle
talks of country people seem to be
feasible and are developing now into
actual facts. 1t has been limited that
possibly athe McKinstrey girl, who
ugureo 81 PTouinSnUly III Cue enOOV
heirs 'ri i viii There sarpf bs . .Ss
by producing a contract marriage GER
tificate. If such an event should occur
1t is said the woman will be entitled to
one-half the community property as
the wife of the deceased rancher. This
move on the part of Nellie McKinstrey
does not seem probable, however, as it
is known the woman and Spradling
g., g..
vious to the killing, and on the other
hand if secret marriage had been
contaminated, the fact would have
certainly leaked out ere this.
A person who does not wish his
name divulged for obvious reasons ar
rived here today by stage from the
scene of the recent tragedy and was in
with the wounded woman
this morning.
pressed for the McKinstrey woman at
Fairview and other surrounding
said the latest arrival to your
land she told me her.
self in fendish glee as she lay prop
ped up in her pillows that she is elat-
ed over the fact that Spreading ia
dead.
Indeed, the woman folks have not |
called on the wounded woman to offer |
on the contrary much indignation is |
heaped on the ex-actress at her bold |
ness and effrontery in mingling and |
affiliatipg among the better class of in |
1abitants in the community |
previous to the sensational escapade |
hat brought SO much unnecessary and |
scandal to the heretofore |
oeacable mineral region.
1.-THE woman is absolutely without
ri
lave been a sorry plight had not F. W.
Winston, postmaster at Fairview. come
o her rescue and assisted her in fin
ncisl way. Winston appears to have in
crested himself in the case to consi-
cradle degree. He engaged the SER
ices of a man to look after Spradling's
anch and is letting out money to de-
ray the living expenses of the Nc
,instrey woman, guaranteeing
Their necessities in connection
nth the case. Mrs. Nc
Iinstrey was for while dOmiciled
q Mrs. Mayors Hotel at Fairwiew,
ut as the injured woman was pen
Hess and there was no compensation
q sight for her lodgings, Mrs. Mayer
threatened to eject the former footlight
avorite. Winston, however, su bsequent-
? Strengthened the matter out. The
|
and who is rapidly recover
ng from her wound has been telling
he few friends she has that it is her
Intention when she sufficiently reco-
ers from her illness to bring suit
gainst the Spradling estate for dam
ges.
"Why should she be entitled to one
emit of the cattlemans money when
be alone is RESPONSE BILE for his untimely
nd dramatic taking off. 1t is absurd.
Winston evidently believes some
schnicality will arise whereby she
nay receive portion otherwise.
81 do not think he would have volun-
arily interested himself in the wo-
lan's behalf as he is known as
nrewd fuancier and is possessed of
luch business tact. Perhaps the con- !
act marriage certificate talked about
rged him on in the matter. It is now
known fact that Nellie McKinstrey's
usband has been dead but eight I
onths, yet the young woman has
cen corresponding with Spradling for '
lie past five years. 1
"The coroner's jury exonerated the
arty of cowboys that shot Spradling
ead, contending that the men did the O
ling in self defense and in line F
duty. It is said that the f
lad cattle and ranch owner has 6