Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-21
WOuldSave Murderer
of Actress
Neglected Woman Drives Mall Wagon
and Writes Endearing Letters
to convet-Love Con-
quers All
Special to The Herald.

wives who have taken back TO tnelT
hearts the husbands who have deserted
them; wives who have stood drunken
ness, abuse, starvation, neglect and
even wives who have forgiven hus-
bands who have tortured and abused
their children.
All this and more has Mrs. George L.
Blodgett forgiven Her husband muir
dered Alice Minthorn, vaudeville ac-
tress, because he was infatuated with
her. He is now under sentence OF
death.
The past is overlooked. The deserted
wife Is working tooth and nall to raise
the money necessary for an appeal for
the murderer.
Is there another woman in the world
who would do this? Is there any
woman anywhere who could bring her
self to save the man who had left her
penniless for love of another woman,
only to kill the other woman in fit
of anger?
Well, Mrs Blodgett is doing it, and
gladly, too. She will be perfectly happy
IL only she succeeds. And she feels
sure of success.
Captivated by Actress
The Blodgetts were a happy family
in KaIispell when one day Alice Min
thorn appeared at the theater there
Blodgett chanced to hear her. He was
captivated. What was the hard-work-
ing, faded mother of his children be-
side this glittering fairy behind the
footlights? Her face was so pink and
white, her chatter so entertaining, her
figure so 1.-THE and shapely Poor Mrs.
Blodgett, with her wan features, her
toil-worn hands, her saddened eyes and
her homely attire, could stand no COM
parison with her.
Blodgett had money then, the saw
ings of years. He sought an introduce
ton to the gay little actress and he
got it. After the first little supper
when the play was done Alice Min
thorne found it out too. And she was
willing to permit him to spend it, heed
less of the little family that needed 1t
so much more,
Completely infatuated, the man left
Kalispell when Alice Minthorn did. He
followed her to Spokane. There he
lavished upon her the money he and
his wife had saved by years of the
hardest work. Finally, by the time they
arrived in Portland, Ore, the mans
money had gone-there were times
when he had lavished hundreds on the
young woman in the course of a single
evening. He had just barely enough to
follow her there.
But Alice Minthorns professed love
for Blodgett fled at precisely the same
moment that Blodgett's money frittered
out. He found her cold. He tried again,
but was spurned. Worked up to a fury
by the woman he had fondly imagined
loved him, the woman upon whom he
had spent his last dollar, he made up
his mind to have revenge.
The next morning he secured admit
tance to the actress room. She was i'll
in bed. She smiled coquettishly at him
from under the coverlets. For an an
swer he drew huge pistol and when
the echoes of the shots had died away
Alice Minthorn had paid the penalty.
You have made your bed and you
must lie in itl'
That is what 999, 999 women out of
1000, 900 would have said. But not Mrs.
Blodgett. She came to him even before
he sent for her. She told the man who
had deserted her, insulted her and cast
an eternal stigma on her name that she
would stand by him till the end.
Two months later the trial began.
What little money Mrs. Blodgett had
left was used for the defense of her
husband. But it aVailed nothing. The
trial lasted five days. The jury was
out but five minutes. Even Blodgett
himself seemed glad that it was over
so soon. Blodgett stood up in the dock.
Guilt of murder in the first degree"
said the foreman.
"Gentlemen," said Blodgett, facing
them. 81 thank you for this verdict. And
I'll die like a man." he added, as he
strobe from the room with his KEEPER
you bet will"
In his cell hung a picture of the wo-
man he had murdered. He seemed as
if he wanted even then to join her in
death.
The case looked hopeless.
That is, to all save Mrs. Blodgett. She
had spent her last cent. She went back
home to raise more. One month after
the death decree she had ii. The money
was enough to take the murderer's des-
perate hope to the supreme court of
Oregon. She got another lawyer, who
went deeply into the case, and the ap-
peal is still pending before the court.
Not one moments idleness has the
poor woman enjoyed during all these
weary months of waiting. If the SUI
preme court of Oregon refuses a retrial
there is still the supreme court of the
United States. More money will be
needed.
Faithful to Her Husband
Hampered by a family of young chill
dren, by i'll health and a thousand wor-
ries, she works, works works. She
drives tWenty-fiVe-mile rural mai
route regularly over mountain roads
anu lIIOuBn DllLtI NtdlitIs CIl6 WOEks
as a chambermaid i'm a Kalispell hotel
She sells shawls which Blodgett make,
in his cell. Every penny is hoardeC
against the day when, perhaps, they
will have to take the case to the cour
at Washington. If not-then perhaps
it will be a nest egg ON which to star
a new life-she hopes!
Whenever there is even the briefes
respite from her work there is the let
ter 70 be written to the husband in the
Multnomah county Jail. These letter.
tell best Of all the sufferings Of a wo.
mans heart and the beauty of her soul
One, for instance:
George. do forgive you for all the
wrong you ever did me- for you have
suffered enough for all now. / hope
and pray you will soon be with us, and
then we will be so happy
will make a stake and come to Port
land yet maybe i'm the near future, for
my poor heart aches and longs worse
for you every day. 1 have spent many
q sad hour the last six months-I tel
you, dear no one knows how 1 have
suffered. / have tried 10 be so brave
but 1t has been a hard fight. But III
win I'll never give nm now TIL / gei