Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-11
Mrs. II. johnson, of Detroit
Murdered and Body Burned
i'm Minneapolis
POLICE HAVE cLEw TO CRIME
of the Remnants of the
Body Shows the Woman Was Struck
on the Temple With Hammer,
Which Probably Ended Her Life
Was Killed While Sleeping.

Minneapolis, Mimi, July 1t.-At the
National hotel in this city middle
aged woman, supposed to be Mrs. H.
Johnson, of Detroit, Mich yesterday
had her skull crushed with hammer
was tied to a couch, her garments and
body saturated with wood alcohol
which was ignited, and the upper part
of the womans body burned to a crisp.
The murder, the police suspect, was
committed by Nj. p. Wilson, another
guest at the hotel, who registered from
Milwaukee. He has not been appre-
hended.
The police believe the murder was
planned deliberately before either man
or woman came 10 Minneapolis. But
for the prompt action of the employees
in breaking into the room in which the
woman met her death the hotel would
have been destroyed by fire, which had
spread to the tapestries and furnish
ings.
Buys a Hammer to Stay.
Upon VI TIE DOGy IL WAS
found the woman was struck on the
temple with a new hammer purchased
by the slayer, who was seen by a
chambermaid to enter the room twenty
minutes before the woman was found
burning to death. The chambsrmaid
says this man was Wilson.
The woman, who was of unusual
beauty, came to- the hotel Monday
morning and was assigned to room
on the second floor. A few hours later
Wilson arrived and was given a room
on the third floor directly above the
woman's. So far as is known the cou-
pie did not meet until the crime was
committed.
The discovery was made by Albert
Boardman, check clerk, who saw smoke
coming out of the window Of the wom
ans room. Calling assistance he rush
ed upstairs. broke in the door, and, al
tho greeted by sheet of flames, rush
ed into the room, where the woman had
fallen from the couch to her hands AMI
knees. Her body was enveloped in
flames and she was unconscious. Near
her on the floor lay hammer covered
with blood and hair.
The couch, which was smeared with
blood, was on fire. On the dresser was
a large bottle, which had been filled
with wood alcohol and was empty. The
womans body and clothing had been
thoroughly soaked with the alcohol be-
fore it lighted The woman's right
temple and the side of the face was
crushed. Indications were that
she had been asleep on the couch.
Makes Death Certain.
AT the city hospital the doctors said
death would have been caused by the
burned.
At 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon
chamber maid on the third floor saw
the man, who she declares was Wilson,
running up from the second floor She
saw him run down the hall and enter
room 81 on the third floor, which was
the room he occupied. Ten minutes
later she saw the man leave the room
hurriedly, carrying two large grips. In
less than ten minutes after this the
fire was discovered and the woman
found dead.
There is no evidence of a struggle in
the room and Chief of Police Doyle
declares it was a cold blooded murder,
which was followed by a dastardly at
tempt on the part of the murderer to
cover UP evidences of the crime by
setting fire to the hotel, as the room
was mass Of flames when the door
was broken open. There was no panic.
Slain as She Lay Asleep.
The woman had evidently been sleep
ing face upwards and it was while tax
ing a nap that the assassin crept in
and struck her
The slayer then poured alcohol ON
her, using nearly quart. He tied her
to the couch, ard then applied light
ed match Flames soon loosened the
bonds and the half cremated woman
rolled off the couch on her hands and
knees.
The entire detective and police force
Is searching Minneapolis and st. Paul
for Wilson, who was seen to leave the
hotel shortly after the killing. 1t is
known that he purchased ticket for
at the Milwaukee station, a
block distant from the hotel. between 4
and o'clock in the afternoon.
The police are working on the theory
that the woman had incurred her slay-
ar's hatred long before coming to the
hotel and that he followed her to kill
her.
The woman slept at the hotel last
night as her ped was found disarrang-
ID this morning.