The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-07-20
Also Lawyer Who Will right
the Ellison Contention.
lob PLANNED By ANOTHER MAN
Minneapolis Police, However, Scout
Theory That Anyone Else Com
mitted the Horrible Deed.

Minneapolis, July lS.-"Nathan Nj,
Riggs did not murder Mile Ellison III
her room at the National hotel last
Tuesday afternoon. An unknown,
smoothfaced man did the deed"
This is the theory to which the window
of the railway conductor clings and up
on which it is expected she will base
her claim to the money found by the
authorities. in the safe deposit Vault.
1t is known that Mrs. Riggs has con-
suited lawyer and that private de-
tective is working on her case. 1t Is
also known that there have been some
startling developments that tend to
prove the widows theory.
The chambermaid and two other Ma
tional hotel employees who saw the man
believed to have done the murder and
who is supposed to have been register
ed at the hotel under the name of NJ.
j. 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
show that the description of the man
seen about the hotel, entering and leav
ing Miss Ellison's room, tallies to a
startling degree with that of man who
walked up Second avenue almost imme-
diately after the murder is believed to
have been committed. This alleged fact
will be presented:
At Fourth street and Second avenue
he met Nathan NJ. Riggs and gave him
the grip that he carried, after which
the two Immediately separated This
meeting was at 2:l5 p. m. on Tuesday
and will try to bring as witnesses three
persons who knew Riggs but are unac-
quainted with the large, smoothfaced
man who brought the conductor the
grip. The witnesses are one man and
two women. The man lives in st. Paul
and is said to be ready to testify as to
the meeting, the time and the circum-
stances.
Mrs Riggs friends have evolved the
theory that this man with the grip did
the burial killing and fastened directly
to Fourth street with the plumber
which was then taken to the safety de-
post vault by Riggs himself. They ar
que that even if Riggs was an accom-
plice and possibly planned the murder,
he was too clever man to register at
the National hotel and be seen GOING in
and out of that public place where he
was so well known. They contend. how
ever, that if they can prove that Riggs
did not actually strike the fatal blow
it will be up to the Ellisons to prove
that he was an accomplice or had any
thing to do with the murder and in this
way Mrs. Riggs will have a good fight
ing chance to secure the money left i'm
the vault by her husband
The police scout the idea that Riggs
had an accomplice, but there will be ev-
cry possible investigation made. and the
changes for new and startling develop
ments are good. A description of the
man who is said to have taken the grin
to Riggs is alleged to be in the posses
sion of the private detective, who is
bending every energy to find additional
proof.
Elm Ellison. father of Mile Ellison
the woman murdered in the National
hotel, yesterday afternoon filed a petit
ton in the probate court for his own
appointment as administrator of the es-
tate OF the murdered girl The person
al property OF the murdered girl is cal
ued at So, 100. She left no real estate
If Mrs. n. M. Riggs intends to make a
contest for the money found in her hus-
bands safety deposit box, she will prob
ably oppose Mr.. Ellison's petition. the
hearing upon which is set for Aug. H.
at 10 a. IN.
More Evidence Against Riggs.
From three widely divergent sources
the Minneapolis police department. with
in the past twenty four hours has come
into possession of evidence that seems
to point more strongly than ever to
Nathan NJ. Riggs, the Elroy (Wis.) sui
eide, as the murderer of Mile Ellison
of Ellsworth, Wis. The police are still
On the lookout for additional informa-