Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-11-18
LAST WEEK AFTER
HAVING CONFESSED CRIME TO
WIFE OF MURDERED MANN
FATUATED WITH WOMAN.
HE LOVED TODD'S WIFE
Heroic Woman Braves the Scorn of
the Town People to Assist in the
Apprehension of Her Husbands
Murderer.

HOQUIAM, Nov. 1S.-Many per-
sons in Hoquiam are jubilant over.
the suicide of Ralph w. Steele in his
cell in the Moniesano JAZZ, where he
was placed last week for killing
Frank Todd, on the strength OF a |
confession wrung from him by his |
victims wife when she encouraged
his advances. This self-execution /
came as surprise to many, who
believed the hardened criminal had
the nerve to go through trial for
murder
! Steele is the second man to kill
himself over the same tragedy in the
Montesano Jail, as Albert Strong
! took his own life September 81 in
the Identical cell where Steele hang
ed himself with a rope made of his
bedding. Strong claimed to have
killed Todd and was arrested on his
own word. Subsequently, while in
solitary confinement, he took his life
in an unguarded moment. 1t was
never believed that Strong had killed
Todd.
A last letter written by Steele to
Mrs. Ethel Todd was found under
the carpet in his room. The letter
J goes at great length in declaring
Steele's love for Mrs. Todd and says
that life without her would be
empty 1t is also reported that had
, not Mrs Todd become suspicious that
Steele had designs upon her money
she would have gone with him.
II A portion of Steele's letter reads:
Nov | want to say here and now
for all time that will never, never
give you up and live. If ever the
time comes that make up my mind
that / must give you up, then life
1 will be very short. l love you to
L madness, to insanity.
Il suppose can't help 1t. love
/ you just the same, with all the heart
and soul that is in me. | know
have said and written some awful
mean things to you, but the truth is
I love you so, | want you so much
that when I get to worrying about
| you it drives me mad"
Il That Steele was contemplating
suicide when Marshal McKenney
sent his clothing to Portland, shortly
after the murder, has been confirmed
by his attorney, w. H. Abel Abe
refused further to conduct the cast
for Steele, and Steele then decided
to kill himself, as his case seemed
homepelss.
Attorney Abel said that Franz
Todd was first chloroformed, ther
dragged out into the woodshed anC
there foully murdered, and that tn,
murderer was not alone.
Steeles Story to Be Told.
This crime was one of the mos
fiendish in the history of this vicini
ty, and still further damaging testi
mony is expected in the near future
Attorney Abel spent two hours yes
terday with the murdered, and say
that Steele's tale was of such a ma
ture as to unnerve even an expert
enced criminal lawyer Abel says h,
1 ho no
future in Steele's behalf
| The story of Todd having beef
drugged and dragged out for slaugh
ter is hardly borne out ry circum
| stances, as the closet coor in tn
| woodshed was spatte:cd with blood
| and from the position of Todd's re
| mains blood could never have reach
l ed those places if Todd has beer
Il drugged before the murder, as bloor
| would not have squirted to such al
extent
| The opinion still held here is tina
/ Todd was struck as he left an out
house and then deliberately heater
to death by steele's heavy revolver
II Mrs. Todd will not grant an inter
/ view. She makes the statement tina
the case has been so confusingly re
ported that she thinks she had bette
remain silent.
L A further feature of the case cam
last night in the arrest Of ma
u
named Van Dyne for threatening tn
life of Marshal Mckinney The ma
is quoted by witnesses as sa%ing:
I The next time some one takes