The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-03-16
STARTllN N e w n O X Y
EVOLVED AT BOONE FOR MISS
NELSON'S DEATH.
Government Offic ials Take Hand and
Are Now investigating the
Merits Of the Case.

:
sherman Dye and not his wife sent the
box of poisoned candy that caused the !
death of Miss Rena Nelson at Pierre. |
:. D., is the growing belief in officia
circles here The federal authorities
are investigating the case, since Gov
ernor Cummins refused to grant requi- |
sition papers for Mrs. Dyes prOsecu
ton in South Dakota. and it is likely
they will prosecute for violating the
postal laws
only sent the candy. but surrounded the
ict with circumstances that would di-
rect suspicion to his wife. and thus
free himself from her: in this event. it
is believed. he had no intention of kill
ing the girl. but merely wanted to
! make her sick enough to result in a
serious charge against his wife.
This new theory is based upon Dyes
conduct and circumstances that can
the theory of Mrs. Dyes guilt.
Address on the Candy.
ON Saturday, Feb. -. Miss Nelson
received the box of bon bons through
| the mail. AT the same time she re-
reived threatening letter which she
| thought was written by the same wo-
| man who, she said. threatened her once
| before. Mrs Dye. In spite of the fact
that the candy was received Feb. -.
| The address was written on an ell
| velope pasted upon the box. which en-
! velOpe bore Boone. Iowa. Jan. %
stamp. and an address, Miss Rena
Nelson Pierre. s. D.. Personal" The
| Handwriting of this address. Miss Nell
her aunt here the day after she re-
ceived the candy. was the same as that
; in the accompanying letter.
| The most important question in the
case has been simmered down to this:
| Why was an envelope mailed from
| Boone. Jan. %. pasted on the box of
candy received Feb -. and to whom
! WAS this envelope returned so that it
| could have been pasted on the box?
| Mrs. Dyes Letter Returned.
| Mrs. Dye admits she wrote a letter
To Miss Nelson Jan. 4. telling her she
l INT oVfar. ,x-itt
wife. She also says she knows this
! 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.
II so. was 1t returned to Boone as was
ITS predecessor and if so. would not
this explain the fact that an enyalope
mailed at Boone. Jan. %. was pasted
on the box of candy received in Pierre.
Feb. -? Pierre postal authorities say
the box came to 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 JAM.
:" stamp could not have been a mis-
take by the Boone office.
Conduct of Dye Significant.
| IN inns 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 ms wife of sending the poison
Ell candy. he said: My God. can this
be true?" but asked not one question
| concerning the details of the accusa
ton. When his Wife was arrested he
broke down completely and cried
making statements which the officials
refuse to make public.
10 further complicate the mystery
1t is learned that the box of candy was
not mailed at Boone The Boone nost-
office canceling stamps all have wave
lines The stamp on this package had
4 flag of straight lines.
Knew He Was Married.
1t IS stated here that Miss Nelson
knew that Dye was a married man
Mrs. Dye was an invalid. near death
the year preceding Miss Nelson's de-
partuge fer Pierre, and physicians fl
naIIy prohibited Dye frosl going into
her room. because she saw in his face
| something was wrong and it worried
! her. Miss Nelson returned here for a
visit last August, and vas out with
! Dye several times.
Holds His Wife GuiItIess.
| mere IS no one in Boone who be-
lieves Mrs Dye guilty. apparently
Her reputation is NOT spotted She has