The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15
MRS. RIGGS WILL
. FIGHT TO RETAIN
STRONG BOX CASH
Widow of Mile Ellison's
Murderer Declares Faith
in His Innocence.
Asserts Her Confidence in
Ability to Prove Right
to Money.
Ayers Most of the Money
Had Been on Deposit
for Years.
Unflinching, She Faces the
World, Tho Aged Visibly
by Ordeal. !.
q
Ripps' Fatal Mistake and
Riggs Fatal Mistake and
First Key to Solution
of Mystery.


tragic death, Mrs. N. M. Riggs yester- !
day afternoon heroically declared her
faith in his innocence to be mistaken.
Unfinchingly she faced the future, as
serted her right to the propesty he had
left, and insisted that she would fight
to the end to maintain that right.
It was sad homecoming for the
wife of the murderer and the suicide
when she entered the family residence
at 3405 Pillsbury avenue about 4 pm.
yesterday. It was a dramatic and pa
thetic. moment when she crossed that
desolate threshold, and the horror Of
it all must have shaken even the sto-
ical patience Of the woman who has
passed thru succession of ordeals since
Wednesday afternoon, when she first
heard of Riggs arrest on a charge
Of robbing and numbering Miss Mile
Ellison in her room at the National ho-
tel.
Shows Effect Of Strain.
The effect Of the extreme strain was
apparent when Mrs. Riggs came to the
door in response to the summons Of
Journal reporter. Her face bore an
expression Of indescribable WEAKNESS.
The drawn lines about her mouth and
eyes showed sorrow and suffering, and
her face seemed that Of much older
woman than of the one who calmly
heard the news of the last act of the
tragedy at Elroy Wednesday night.
Self-control was still dominant. how
ever, and altho Mrs. Riggs could not
entirely conceal the quaver of her voice.
her self-control was otherwise complete
and she was possessed of quiet
strength and dignity that made strong
appeal.
Florence, the 17-year-old daughter.
was busying herself about the kitchen.
A friend or relative of Mrs. Riggs re-
NAMED near the door, but inside the
house, and a sweetfaced little girl
played on the floor, all unconscious
of the shadow that had fallen on the
lives of the people she loved.
81 have been home only a short time.
Ny plans have not been made and l
have nothing to say was Mrs. Riggs
plea when the reporter had made known
the purpose of his call. She moved
hack into the house and started to
close the door.
Claims Right to Money.
edo YOU wish to make any statement
in regard to what you propose to do
about the money found in the safety
deposit VAULT" she was asked.
tThat money is mine. | think we
will have no trouble in proving that.
and shall use every legitimate right
to retain it, And Mrs. Riggs opened
wider the door, asserting her claim to
the money.
nThen YOU will retain an attorney
and fight for the possession of that
moneyso
81 certainly shall. -
uHave you retained lawyerf"
emo; but I have one in view"
"Did you know how much money
there was in the vault2'
s'I knew there was between $4,000
and $4,000, large part of which had
been there for seven or eight years"
s'Did your husband give you the box
key when he went to see you Wednes-
day afternoon on the farm near Ell
royi"
"About that key" said Mrs. Riggs.
ct would gladly have sent the authori-
ties the key to Mr.. Riggs safety de-
post vault box if I had understood
what key they wanted, and / intended
bringing it to them just as soon as I
could. Now I have said more than
intended
ttBut you were asked for that keyf"
81 didn t understand what key. /
knew the money was mine and was per-
fectly willing that the authorities
should see everything in that box.
ttThen you had faith in your hus-
band Is innocencef"
81 had, and have now. / cannot be-
lieve my husband guilty of the awful
crime with which he is charged. said
Mrs. Riggs, as she signifed that she
Il 4 n II L =