The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-11
LURED TO HER DEATH j.,
Mile Ellison's Tragic End Like Gath
crime G1ng's.

In many respects the National hotel
tragedy resembles the Infamous doing
to death of Catherine Cling by Harry
Hayward in Minneapolis years ago. In
both Instances the victim was bust
ness woman who had attained success
and was eager to push on to- still great
or fortune. Each woman seems to have
trusted the man who was all the while
planning the safest and surest way to
put her out Of the way and profit by
her death. And in each instance the
murderer adopted means marked by
particularly fiendish ingenuity, leading
the woman on as a business adviser,
Turing her to the place chosen as suit
able for the murder.
Till the identity Of Wilson with the
railroad man is absolutely established,
the parallel between the two murder
cases can not be traced in fine detail,
but the police now believe that the
rallroader was the man who registered
at the National hotel as Wilson and on
that theory are looking for him.
AS man of the world and above all
railroad man-an occupation which
would give him distinction in a town
like Ellsworth-the man seems to have
been attentive to Miss Ellison for sew
young woman, the daughter Of a respec-
table farmer near Ellsworth, and while
she did not have the "swell' trade Of
the little town, she enjoyed large pat
ronage from her friends in the country
round about. A year or so ago she sold
out large interest in her shop and
since that time she had been looking
around for chance to get into bust
ness on a larger and more profitable
visited Bradshaw Bros wholesale mil
linery store in Minneapolis and dis
cussed reopening a shop in some place
where there was a good opportunity.
She had been a customer of the firm for
many years and naturally went to them
for such consultation. as they were in
touch with the situation over large
territory.
Her Business Confidant.
On this visit she was accompanied by
a man who in every way answers the
description Of the man known as Will
son. He seemed to be familiar with her
situation both as to her ambition and
the extent of her capital
The supposition is that, knowing she
had sold out her business, "Wilson -
wormed his way into her confidence and
learned exactly what he could gain
When she left Ellsworth for the fatal
trip, it was ostensibly for the purpose
of coming to the twin cities to find
where she could establish business to
good advantage.
Yesterday morning she called again
at Bradshaw Bros. She was alone.
After discussing business possibili-
ties for time she sal she had draft
she wanted to cash and member Of the
firm Endorsed it for her. ~. 80
In the meantime, WILSON, seems
| to have been busy around the town pre-
pairing for the end. It has been ascer.
| tanned that he went to w. K. Morri.
son g, where he bought cheap claw
hammer, and carried it away wrapped
in paper. He went to the store Of the
Dillin Drug company ,and. bought a six
that he wanted it for cooking on a
anxious to know if there was any mark
upon the bottle which would indicate
| where it had come from. With this
crude equipment for taking human life
and destroying the evidence of the
crime, he contrived to- meet Miss ELI
son before she entered the Nations e
Bank Of Commerce to have her draft
cashed. He wanted to, be sure thai
she had tho money he was after. Il
was paid to her-$2, 741.27-in two
$1,000 notes and some Of smaller demon
| nation. -
From the time the draft was cashei
| to the discovery Of Miss Ellison. dyins
in agony, the movements Of the two ar
not fully known. Shortly before tn
death chamber was broken into. maj
answering the description Of Wilson il
every particular was seen standing il
a toilet room just across the hall from
her apartment. It appeared that h
had Just lodged in there to escape Oh
servation when he was seen by cham
| hnrmaid, -. - - :. L ~ AZ. -