Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-11-14

y detail the murder Of her husband b.
X u n II n II n II n u Il II y, y, !, n
Herbert Norman, alias Ralph w,
Steele, was arrested Monday night q,
Hoquiam for the murder OF Frank Todd
the well-kuown woodsman, who was
cruelty slain in his own woodshed on the
night Of August 81, 1907. From the mo.
ment the murder was reported Steele
was suspected and placed under surveil.
lance.
The murder of Todd attracted wide.
spread attention as one of the most mys.
terious crimes ever committed in this
county. That Todd was killed by some
one acquainted with the surroundings
and his habits was the theory of the
officials. and for two months prominent
detectives worked on the case, but the
perpetrator left no clue. Recently the
local police force Of Hoquiem publicly ex.
onerated Steele for the purpose of throw
ing him off bis guard, and what he las
betrayed to cause his arrest is not known.
1t is alleged that the person who at
tempted to murder Marshal McKenney
Sunday morning after sending him de-
coy telephone call, and shooting at him
from ambush, was Steele. The revolver
found on his person was 38-caliber and
the shells were loaded with black pow
der. Nothing concerning the evidence
secured by the police force could be
learned except that Marshal McKenney
said to q reporter:
"Steele is arr ested for murder and we
have enough evidence to hang him. The
evidence is conclusive and there has
been no mistake made"
Steele was formerly y lodger at the
Todd home. and was madly infatuated
with Mrs. Todd. and had been driven
from the house by the murdered man at
the point of gun. Since the release of
Steele Mrs. Todd has been working with
Marshal McKenney to entrap the sus.
pect, and is said to have secured his ad.
mission to the crime, saying it was done
out OF love for her.
Marshal McKenney, after being closet
ed with Mrs. Todd and Prosecuting At.
torney Boner for five hours Tuesday
made the following statement:
"Mrs. Todd has undergone a most
terrible ordeal and has done so under my
instructions. She has met Norman by
appointment and has carried out in de.
tail everything asked of her. Words
cannot describe the terror aud awfulness
OF her position, for in communicating
with Norman she realized the position it
placed her in with those who knew of it,
and that means the general public, for
it was common talk. Could the public
know the exact circumstances of this
case their sympathy would 20 out to her.
1t is one thing to have a strong suspicion
of mans guilt and another to get con.
elusive evidence
eat the time Of the murder Mrs. Todd
did not know who killed her husband,
and after Norman confessed to her, still
more evidence was necessary, and to get
this required many days and nights OF
planning and watching with Mrs. Todd
doing all in her power to place in my
hands the necessary evidence"
Too much credit cannot be given Mar.
shall McKenney for his brilliant work in
this case. At his request, Mrs. Todd
nerved herself to make appointments and
meet the slayer Of her husband. pretend
ing an acquiescence to his love-making
until che wrung from him a confession
Of the crime and his life history, McKen.
ney always being an unseen witness at
those meetings.
The prosecution claims to have sufi.
cient testimony to send Steele to the
gallows, but are properly reticent about
its nature, 80 much so that no prelimin.
ary examination was held in the Justices
court, bus the accused was taken to the
county Jail yesterday, and an information
charging him with murder will be filed
direct in the superior court, and the trial
may take place at the jury term of court
in December.