The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-03-01
LAID PLANS FOR CRIME
Seattle Police Arrest Man and Woman
on Charge of Conspiracy.

At Seattle Saturday T. S
penton. a waiter in a First -avenue
restaurant, and Mrs. Adolph Michael
son. wife of a machinist, have been ar
rested by the police and lodged in
jail. They are accused by the officers
with forming a conspiracy to murder
Adolph Michaelson, the husband of the
woman.
With these arrests the police believe
they have solved the mystery sur
rounding the murderOus assault made
on Michaelon at his home last Sun
day night According to the officers,
Penton and Mrs. Michaelson have for
a long time been on intimate terms.
The officers say that they have evil
dence to show that Mrs. MichaelsOn.
Michaelson was to be murdered, and
they were to be married after Mrs.
a $4,000 life insurance policy held by
her husband. The police do not say
that either of the two accused persons
was to commit the murder, but they
believe Il man now unknown was to do
it.
The attempt to carry out the alleg-
ed plot was made last Sunday night.
MichaelSOn had been attending church
services. When he returned home. he
entered through the front door. Just
as he stepped inside, ana was prepar-
ing to turn on an electric light in the
hail. he was struck Il blow on the head
by a blunt instrument that felIeu nm
to the floor.
Instantly ne thought that there was
a house-hreaker in the hall who in
tended to rob him and loot the house.
Michaelson feigned death, believing it
would be safer than to put up a fight.
After he had been knocked down, the
assalant drew Il knife and pulleu pacK
his arm to strike the defenseless man
in the head with it. Michaelson then
saw that he must fight. He jumped to
his feet and grappled With his as
saiIant. 1t was dark, and he could
not see the mans face. In the SCuftie
the thug broke away from Michaelson,
pulled open the door and made his es
cape. In the darkness the injured
man was unable TO follow him.
Michaelson reported the matter to the
police, and an investigation was start
ed. He thought all along that a rob-
Der had assaulted him.
Since then the police have learned
that Mrs. Michaelson was not at home
when the encounter occurred. She
told her husband that she would spend
the evening at a neighbours. However,
it is learned that she was not at that
neighbor's house on the night in ques-
tion. Then she says she was at church,
but no one has been found who saw her
there. The strongest point in the case
is that Mrs. Michaelson declares that
she was not III the house for four days
prior to the assault. Yet in the hall
way was her umbrella. and on the floor
a pool of water that had run from the
umbrella. showing that it had been in
that position for but a short time.
Then. again, the police have found
that Penton was in the neighborhood
of the Michaelson home at least Is
minutes after the assault occurred.
He claims that he worked at the res
taurant that night. Evidence of fell
low employees discredit his statement
The police believe Michaelsons assail-
snt was furnished key to the house
Taking il all in all, the police say
they have a strong chain of circum-
Stantial evidence that they believe will
convict Penton and the woman. Some
letters appear in the case touching the
plot to kill. These the police refuse
for the present to make public.