The Minneapolis journal., 1906-07-12
MURDERER A SUICIDE
Nathan M Riggs Shoots Himself Dead
in an Elroy Hotel. II


In an Elroy Hotel. = =
Nathan M. Riggs has paid the death
penalty for the brutal murder Of Miss
Millie Ellison in her room at the Ma
tional hotel about $3.50 pm. last Tues
Retribution came swiftly and surely at
his own hands when he blew out his
brains at kElroy, Wis. shortly after !
am. today. Riggs last earthly act was
q complete confession" OF his guilt. It
clears up the National hotel murder
mystery and 1t will save Hennepin
county much expense and her officials
much trouble.
This last act Of the Riggs Ellison
half hour before the arrival Of the train
carrying Detectives Howard and Pas
solt, Assistant County Attorney Bern
hagen and several newspaper men from
Minneapolis, all intent upon the return
Of the accused murderer to the scene
of his crime. The train was forty min
utes late. Had 1t been on time the
suicide might have been prevented.
Direct Blame for Suicide.
Direct blame for the suicide of the
murderer falls irrevocably upon the
blind loyalty Of the people Of Elroy to
the murderer, and thence upon Deputy
Marshal Warren Searles Of Eiroy, who
was ranking police officer Of the town,
and who had charge and control of the
prisoner. .s.a
Explicit orders given him by tele-
graph and telephone by Superintendent
Of Police Doyle and County Attorney
AL. J. Smith, were UNDECIDED by the mar
shall, who gave the prisoner every op-
portunity to make his escape or com
ho oh lot
course. When the Elroy authorities, at
10 am. yesterday, received telegraphic
orders TO- arrest and hold Riggs, they
treated the matter as joke and made
no move until they had called up Super
lntendent Doyle over the long distance
telephone. The chief then told Searles
the whole story, insisted that Riggs was
guilty Of q heinous murder, that he was
q; dangerous man and would commit
suicide or escape upon the slightest
chance. The deputy marshal was in
struoted to search the prisoner careful
ly, to take everything, away from him
the closest guard. These orders were
repeated in another telephone converse:
tion little later, and were emphasized
by County Attorney Smith.
The Long Delay.
DESPITE these instructions Riggs was
not arrested until nearly ! pm. and
then was not locked up. He was al
lowed to go where he pleased-to the
country, to his rooms and finally to the
toilet room in the hotel-wlth Deputy
He was searched by Justice G.. Phillips
and Deputy Marshal Searles-hoT
minutely, is not known-but was al
| lowed to keep his money and valuables
which he afterwards disposed Of in
some way not known to the authorities
| UThe conduct Of the authorities at
| Elroy is one of the most fragrant cases
Of incompetency, carelessness, or some
thing worse, that ever came to my no
| And his sentiments are echoed by the
police force and hundreds Of other peo.
| To add q touch Of humor to the Sc,
riousness Of their fatal mistakes, the
Elroy officials today demanded pay fo1
their work in arresting and holdlne
Riggs. Their demand was listened te
by Assistant County Attorney, Bern
hagen and Detective Howard, who W With Il
we're referred to the Minneapolis chief
J Of police and the county attorney
{ After this incident Mr.. Howard gave
vent to some vigorous expressions OF
opinion concerning the colossal nerve
Of some people, and the 1est of the Min
neapolis squad applauded vigorously.
| Last Act In Tragedy.
The final act of the murderer was
planned and executed with the same
! consummate skill and unfinching nerve
that marked the murder Of Millie Eli
son, and with even quicker results
Altho under arrest for murder, and sup
posed to be guarded, Riggs secured {
i revolver from his room, and retiring t.
a toilet room in the railroad hotel, sud
/ denly closed the door, and, placing th'
automatic Lugert revolver to his right
i temple, blew out his brains.
i Deputy Constable Warren Searle,