Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-07-20
WAS JEKYLL AND HYDE"
SLAYER OF ELLSWORTH WOMAN
DESCRIBED BY POLICE.
Authorities Say He courted Another
Woman in Minneapolis-Real
Mystery Sealed Up.

MINNEAPOLIS. Mimi. July 13.-
Especial. With Mile Ellison as the
murdered victim and Nalnau Riggs. her
alleged slayer, suicide, with the seal
of death on the sect back of the girls
registering under an assumed name, and
with deaths seal. too, on the secret of
many Of the murderer's movement. the
National hotel tragedy has resolved it
self into mystery of two $1,000 bills.
The funeral of Miss Ellison was held
in Ellsworth, Wis, Yesterday. The
money she had has not been found.
If ever there was Il Jekyll and Hyde
IN real life. Nathan Riggs was the man.
says Police Superintendent Doyle.
He led Il double life for ten years.
and the wonder is he was able to keep
it up as long as he did. While he was
known III Minneapolis as church mem
Der, model husband and father. and
a respected citizen, he was recognized
along the line as Il bad egg.
After the crime at the National hotel
had been committed Riggs went out on
his train to Elroy, the same cheerful, ac-
conmOdating conductor as ever, appar-
emily. At the time of his arrest in Elroy
he seemed grievcd and shocked that he
should be under suspicion.
Within Il few blocks from the home
of his wife and daughter lived Miss
Grace A. MERCER. 321O Nicollct avenue,
whom Riggs regularly visited. lie rep
resented himself as unmarried and made
love to her He finally was engaged to
be married to her and the wedding day
was set. In the meantime she dlscoy-
cred that Riggs was married and the
engagement was broken off. Miss Mer-
cier had considerable money. She com
menced suit against him but because OF
his threats the action dropped on July
2, 1902
Sheriff Searles is blamed by the Min
neapolis police for the lax watch put
over the prisoner. who was given every
opportunity to commit suicide. Before
blowing his brains out he wrote six let
tiers on a typewriter. These letters are
now. in the possession OF Elroy JuStlce
of the peace. The letters were written
in Riggs room, while his custodian,
Searles, sat III another room reading Il
ma gaZine.
The letter Riggs wrote to his wife
was made public at the inquest ycstcr-
day 1t is as follows:
Dear wife: l am writing you letter,
perhaps my last letter Whatever | am
accused of l am innocent OF. / know
have done some things that were not right,
but my love has been for you, ana because
of my action l have tried to be brave ana
face all.
HUDSON, Wis, July Especial. /
Conductor Riggs crime at Minneapolis
recalls the disappearance of a costly dia-
mond belonging to Sheriff Harris, WHO
was murdered on Conductor Riggs tram
two years ago. The sheriff wore a beau
tiful diamond ring when shot. and that
ring disappeared during the excitement.
Later the ring was returned 10 MIS-
Harris by Riggs, but in place of the
precious stone was a worthless paste Gla-
mond. it was alleged. No action WAS be
gun against Riggs.
Find Victims Body.
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, July ID
Special The last mystery i'll cOnnec-
ton with the National hotel murder was
explained today, when the safety, deposit
box of n. NJ. Riggs was drilled and
opened under orders from the county
attorney. In it We're found the two
$1,000 bills which Miss Ellison was
known T. have drawn from the National
Bank of Commerce on une day she was
slain by Riggs. The bills We're identi-
fed by the teller who had paid them
out.
In addition to the money was q gold
ring which Riggs had torn from the I'M
conscious body of his victim and a watch
which she is known to have worn.
Inasmuch as Riggs was last seen NJ
the safety deposit vaults at l:f0 p. m.
on the day of the murder, it is now Ger
tain that he hurried there after having
given Miss Ellison her death blow.
Thence he proceeded to his house, where
he spent part of the afternoon. coming
down town in time to take out his train
for Elroy, Wis, where he was arrested
and committed suicide.
HUDSON, Wis. July 13.--[ Special
r. w. Clark of this city announces
that the SO found on the person OF Con
ductor Nathan NJ. Riggs at Elroy, en-
! closed in an envelope addressed TO MI.
Clark, vas WAS in payment OF the premium :.l,
| carried by Mr.. Riggs. Mr.. Clark, who
was paymaster Of the Omaha road
twelve years ago, and who is now in
the insurance business here, insured
| Riggs and the SO should have been