Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-12

NEW THEORY EVOLVED
Boone Correspondent to Minneapolis
Paper Says Officials Believe That
Mrs. Dyes Husband Might Have
Sent the Poisoned candy-Dye to
Leave Boone.
to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Boone, March 12.-The Dye poison
ing case continues to be the principal
topic of conversation here. It is report
ed on good authority today that the
Dye family will remove from Boone.
Mr.. Dye has been relieved from his po-
sition with the railroad company and
Will seek employment elsewhere. His
family will follow as soon as conven-
lent.
There were no developments in the
case today, although there is an un-
dercurrent that indicates some action In
the near future 1t is not likely, how
ever, that anything will be done until
the legislature shall remedy the defect
in the extraditon law as pointed out
by Governor Cummins. 1t Is believed
the legislature will take action on this
matter the first of next week
A great deal of comment was caus-
ed here today by dispatch sent out
from Boone to the Minneapolis Journal
and published in that paper in which
the startling theory is evolved that the
husband of Mrs. Dye may have sent the
poisoned candy. The dispatch stated
this was the growing belief in official
circles. It has been known here that
persons had suggested such theory,
but that such a belief had been express
ed by officials is denied nor are the
OFFICIALS here working on any cleWs In
that direction. 1t is only fair to Mr.,
Dye TO state that Prosecuting Attorney
Canoe stated to your correspondent to-
day that he had authorized 10 cores
pondent to say Boone officials believ-
ed Mr.. Pye guilty of sending poison
and as far as he knew no action was
being taken by Boone authorities, as 1t
is a case for the Dakota officers.
The following is the dispatch printed
In the Minneapolis Journal:
Boone, March 12.-That Sherman
DYE and not his wife sent the box
of poisoned candy that caused the
death of Miss Rena Nelson, at Pierre
S. D., is the growing belief in official
circles here The federal authorities
are investigating the case, since GOV
ernor Cummins refused to grant requi /
sition papers for Mrs. Dyes prose
cution in South Dakota, and it is likely
thew will prosecute for violating the
postal laws.
It is the new theory that Dye not
only sent the candy. but surrounded
the act with circumstances that would
direct suspicion to his wife and thus
free himself from her: In this event, II
is believed, he had no intention of kill
ing the girl, but merely wanted to
make her sick enough to result in
serious charge against his wife.
This new theory is based upon Dyes
conduct and circumstances that cam
not be explained in accordance with
the theory of Mrs. Dyes guilt.
On Saturday Feb. q. Miss Nelson
received the box of bon bons thru the
mail. At the same time she received
a threatening letter which she though;
was written by the same woman who
she said, threatened her once befora
Mrs. Dye. In spite of the fact that the
candy was received February q, tbs
address was written on an envelope
pasted upon the box, which envelope
bore a Boone, Iowa, January % stamp
and an address, Miss Rena Nelson
Pierre, S. D.. Personal The hand
writing of this address, Miss Nelson
declared in a letter written to hel
aunt here, the day after she received
the candy, was the same as that in the
accompanying threatening letter.
The most important question in the
case has been simmered down to this:
Why was an envelope mailed from
Boone. January %, pasted on the box
of candy received February q and to
whom was this envelope returned SO
that it could have been pasted on the
box?
Mrs. Dye admits she wrote a letter
10 Miss Nelson January 4, telling her
she was interfering with husband and
wife. She also says she knows tn: :
letter was returned to Boone. AT
Pierre it is stated that an anonymous
threatening letter was received by Miss
Nelson about the last of January, and
she believed it was written by Mrs
Dye. Was such a letter written, and,
If so was it returned to Boone
as was it's predecessor and +
so, would not this explain the fact
that an envelope mailed al Boone.
January 2s, was pasted on the box OF
candy received in Pierre, February q
Pierre postal authorities say the box
came into that office in the mail 1t
was not, then, mailed there by Miss
Nelson Fourth class matter is not
stamped by the postoffice, so the Jan :
uary 90 stamp could not have been
mistake by the Boone office.
In this connection the conduct of
Dye when first appraised of the charge
at Pierre, is significant When first
told OF the fact that Miss Nelson ac-
cused his wife of sending the poisoned
candy, he said: MY .od, can this
be true?" but asked not one ques-
ton concerning the details Of the ac-
cusation. When his wife was arrested,
ne broke down completely. and crleo,
making statements which the officials
refuse to make public.
TO further co,nplicate the mystery