The state herald., 1904-04-15
AWFUL MURDER
CONFESSION OF A. D. eALeRAlTH
Bodies Of Murdered Wife and Child
Found In Lonely Cabin
In Russell GuIch,

Denver, April 10.-Azel d. Galbraith,
who was arrested Friday for forgery,
was discovered last night to have mur-
dered his wife and nine-year-old son,
Donald, on or about last March 9th,
and to have left their bodies in the
lonely cabin at Russell Gulch, where
the murder was committed. With the
announcement of Galbraith's arrest
friends living in Russell Gulch insti-
tuted a search and discovered the
bodies in bed, where they had lain a
month. Galbraith had removed all
suspicion by stating that his family
had gone to Boston.
Galbraith made complete confess
sion of the murder to Chief of Police
Armstrong and Detective Captain
Connor last night. Smoking a cigar
ette and some times smiling, he related
the awful details without a tremor
The only thing about which the po-
lice are undecided is Galbraiths mo-
tive. Galbraith evidently had intended
to take his own life after the murder
of his wife and child. but, as Chief
Armstrong told him, he lacked the
nerve"
1t is thought by the police that the
whole motive for Galbraith's crime lay
In his infatuation for Mrs. Lottie Rus
sell of Is Twenty-Becond avenue. He
denies this and claims that his motive
was the financial straits into which he
had brought himself by gambling,
drinking and following women. Mrs.
Lottie Russell was arrested last night
and after an interview with Chief
Armstrong and Captain Connor she
was locked up to be held until tho ar
rival of Sheriff Thomas Cody of Gil
pin county. She is not thought to have
known anything of the murder.
Did you kill your wife and boy?"
asked Captain Connor of Galbraith.
81 did" replied Galbraith. Il killed
my wife and boy early in the morning.
| shot my wife through the head while
she was talking to me. We were in bed
at the time and she never moved af-
terward.
Then | went to the door of the
house and called the boy down and
coaXed him to get in bed beside me,
after had covered up his mothers
head, and when he turned his head TO
look out of the window | shot him
through the head,
Then dressed and got on quartz
wagon. | drank all the whisky In the
house before | loft. | rode on the
quartz wagon TO Idaho Springs and
stayed there two or three days drink
ing. | came to Denver March llth."
Galbraith's murder of his wife and
child is regarded as one Of the most
cold-blooded crimes ever committed.
Galbraith admitted that he had been
planning the double murder for nearly
Il month before he committed II. II
was reported in Denver last night that
Indignation was at white heat in Gil
pin county anil II is thought tnat II Gal
,bTaith is taken back there az any time
soon an attempt will be mace 20 lynch
him.
Galbraith and his wife had known
each other from childhood. They were
schoolmates and had always been con-
sidered a devoted couple.
He probably will be held in the city
jail In Denver for an Indefinite time.
Both Galbraith and his wife were
reared in and around Fort Collins.
where they were very well known.
Many relatives live there. Sheriff John
A, Crogs Of Fort Collins came to Den
yer last night as an agent of Gai-
bralth's sister to toe what could be done
to have him cleared OF the forgery
charge.
With the utmost composure Gal
hrnith related the details Of his crime
lie told how he had shot his wife and
Eon and afterward picked the bullets
out OF the bedo!othInE and carried
them In his pocket for several days
About April 1t he returned TO the cab.
In. where he took ont all tho furniture
except the bed on which lay the
bodies OF his wife and boy. and hauled
II away to fell IT,
II was early In the morning that Gal
brailh. lying beside Ms wife. shot her
7 heir nine year-old hoy, Donald. had
dressed and gone out on the side OF the
hill 10 play. After killing tho mother
Galbralth went TO the door and called
the boy down to him lie covered up
the form OF his wife and persuaded the
child 10 lie down on the bed beside him
Then when the boy turned his head TO
look out Of the window, he shot him,
too.
After the murder Galbraith wanted
10 get away from the scene Of his crime
and went 10 Idaho sprlng7. lie re-
Taincd In Idaho Springs drinking. for
three days. and came to Denver on
March iith. going to the Brown Palace
hotel. He said last night that he had
rot drawn a sober breath since killing
his wife until he became sober after his
nrrest Friday afternoon by Detectives
Carberry and Sanders When he was
arrested Galbraith had In his pocket
tho revolver with which an had killed
his wife and boy. but be maze 30 effort
TO use H.