The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-17
MRS. RIGGS SEEKS
TO CLEAR HUSBAND.
WOULD PUT BURDEN or PROOF
ON THE ELLIsoNs.
Widow Of the Man Who Killed Himself
When Arrested Consults Detective
and Now a Theory Is Advanced
Which Views Riggs as Innocent of
the Actual Murder.

aNathan M. Riggs did not murder
Mile Ellison in her room at the Ma
tional hotel last Tuesday afternoon. An
unknown, smoothfaced man did the
deed.
This is the theory to which the
widow Of the railway conductor clings
and upon which it is expected. she will
the authorities in the safe deposit
vault. T.
It is known that Mrs. Riggs has
consulted a lawyer and that private
detective is working on her case. 1t
is also known that there have been
some startling developments that tend
to prove the widow 8 theory.
The hambermaid and two other Ma
tional hotel employees who saw the
and who is supposed to have been
registered at the hotel under the name
of M. ]. Wilson, are said to have failed
to identify, the pictures shown them as
those Of Riggs. However, no explana-
ton Of the Riggs cipher letter, in
which he directed Mile Ellison to
register as Mrs. NJ. J. Wilson has been
advanced. ...
The Riggs defense will attempt to
seen, about the hotel, entering: and
leaving Miss Ellison $ room, tallies to
startling degree with that of q man
who walked up Second avenue almost
Immediately after the murder Is be.
lieved to have been committed. This
alleged fact will be presented: d.
At Fourth street and Second avenue
he met Nathan N. Riggs and gave mn n
the s We tnn5 hs ssFr sspa ssf WI" S
meeting was at 2:l5 pm. on Tuesday
and they will try to bring as wit
nesses three persons who knew Riggs
but are unacquainted with the large
smoothfaced man who brought the con
ductor the grip. The witnesses are one
man and two women. The man lives ii
St. Paul and is said to be ready, tt
testify as to the meeting, the time
and the circumstances.
theory that this man with the grir
did the brutal killing and hastened. di
rectly to Fourth street with the plum
der, which was then taken to thu
safety deposit vault by Riggs himself
They argue that even if Riggs was al
accomplish and possibly planned thu
murder, he was too clever a man tt
register at the National hotel and b.
seen going in and out Of that public
place where he was, 50 well known
They contend, however, that if the,
can prove that Riggs did not actually
strike the fatal blows, it will be up t,
the Ellisons to prove that he was al
accomplish or had anything to do witt
the murder, and in this way Mrs. Rigg
will have good fighting chance t.
secure the money left in the vault b.
her husband.
The police scout the idea that Rigg
had an accomplice, but there will b
every possible investigation made, an
the chances for new and startling de
velopments are good. A description o
the man who is said to have taken tn
grip to Riggs is alleged to be in tn
possession Of the private detective, VIII
Is bending every energy to find add
tlonal proof, 80
Miss Elnson's Estate. 5:ss ss3&sS Il
Elm Ellison, father of Mile Ellison
the woman murdered in the Nations
hotel, yesterday afternoon fled pet
ton in the probate court for his ow
appointment as administrator of tn
estate of the murdered girl. The PEI
sonal property of the murdered girl
valued at $1,000. She left no ret
estate. If Mrs. N. NJ. Riggs intends
make contest for the money found
her husband IS safety deposit box, sh
will probably oppose Mr.. Ellison 8 pet
ton, the hearing upon which is set Fl
Aug. 10, at 10 am % ~.