Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1900-01-25
FOUND DEAD.
Mother and Child Find Death
Together. A Shocking
Tragedy.


day evening by report brought In by
messenger that the bodies Of Mrs. l.au
RI A. Kelsey and her nine-inonths.ol,
babe had been fonnd dead In a larg
spring on Dave RusselI,s ranch about
miles northwest Of town.
Justlce Of the Peace q. l.. Neaie, act
Ing aa coroner, At once empaneled u jur'
and vent out TO the scene Of the TRACED,
arriving at the ranch at about 0.30 p. M
The inry was composed Of the following
gentlemeni j. II. Clark, X. J. Palmer
II. q. Jordan, J. A. Kiser, Wiley Millcl
and =. A. Pattison. DIR. s. X. Lima ais,
accompanied the party. When the cor
oner and his party arrived at tile ra mel
the bodies were still lying where the,
had been taken from the water. The,
were removed TO the house and an In
vestigation was commence
Mr and Mrs. Russell were the onl,
witnesses examined, at that time, theil
testimony, given in brief, being substan
TALLY as follows;
Mrs. Kelsey was Mrs. RusselI's sister
Her maiden name was Vaughn and her
father resides At Athena. She was mar.
ried In June, '98, but was separated
from her husband. She was lS years
old last August. She came TO Rulselps
about year ago and her baby was born
there last April. She also had child
three years old which il with her pa
rents at Athena. She was In the habit
Of taking the baby out in the sunshine
for awhile each day when the weather
was fine and when she took the child
and went out at about o'clock that ai-
ternoon, nothing was thought Of II by
either OF the Witnesses who were both In
the house at the time, nor did they mo-
tice anything unusual in her manner.
Both witnesses testified that there had
been no trouble Of any kind between
either Of them and the deceased and
neither Of them gave any opinion as TO q
probable cause that might have led to
snicide. After the examination Of these
witnesses was concluded DR.. Luna was
called upon TO make an examination Of
the bodies and In doing 60 u Was found
thata chiid's diaper was tied tightly
around the woman's neck which, with
other indications, pointed 70 strangula-
ton. No marks Of violence could be
Iound on the child and II being evident
that death In lie case was caused by
the Jury returned the follow
Ing verdict:
1--WE, the coroner's jury, empaneled TO
ascertain the cause OF the death Of Cecil
Kelsey, hnd that he came TO his death at
David RusseIl's ranch, In Gillian conn
~, Oregon, on Friday, January 10 1900,
By drowning"
The inquest on the body Of Mrs. Kel-
sey was then continued until the follow.
ing day when the bodies were removed TO
lown and 81 autopsy Of the body Of the
mother was performed by Drs. Luna
and Hogan which resulted in the fact
being established by their testimony,
That death was caused primarially by
strangulation and secondarially by
That 10 TO say that the
cloth around the woman's neck wae
tight enough to cause death in itself but
not so tight but that very little water
entered her lungs after che was in the
spring, which may have hastened death.
Mr.. and Mrs. Russell we're both recall
ID and VIM. Welsh, nephew OF Mr..
Russell was also examined. The only
thing developed vas that Welsh was At
Rusaell'a place Friday iorenooni that
after he left Mrs. kelsey spoke to Mrs..
Russell about going 10 dance which
was to be given la the neighborhoOd
that evening; that Mrs. Russell told her
ahe should not 60 where she was not
wanted and that her sister replied that
It was all right to go for Welsh had i'm
vIted her and asked her TO go. This
took place, according TO
Mrs, Russell's testimony. shortly before
her sister left the house for the last time
Welsh. when placed on the stand, de-
MED this story; said he was at the
ranch bat had no conversation whatever
with deceased; did not mention the
dance or hear ID mentioned while there,
Welsh was not very willing witness
and II there. was anyone who knew any
thing Of : probable cause which might
lead tothe tragedy they did not make 1t
known TO the jury.
The verdict iollows:
"We the coroner's jury empaneled TO
investigate the cause OF the death OF Mre
Laura A. Kelsey return the following as
our verdict;
THAT deceased came TO her death at
David Russell's raoch, In Gillian county
Oregon, on Friday, January 10, 1900.
THAT the cause Of death was strangu-
la.ion, primarially, and secondarislly,
from drowning.
"That We have been unable to deter
mine whether her death was caused by
her own act or by that OF some person