The Detroit times., 1908-08-19
WOMAN is SLAIN;
POSSE SEARCHES
FOR HUSBAND
MYSTERY IN BEAVER TWP. TRAc.
G. EDY-MAN RETURNED AFTER
20 YEARS TO FIND WIFE WITH
ANOTHER.

NEWAYGo, Mich. Aug. ls.-K
posse and bloodhounds are trailing
through the swamps OF Beaver town
ship. trying 10 run down the murderer
OF the woman who was known as Mrs.
John Conley and wso yesterday was
stabbed TO death in her home as she
was preparing the morning meal.
John Marion Ward. to whom the
woman was married % years ago and
from whom she never had secured
divorce. was with her a few mindtes
before her body was found by her son,
ehastest@oIf- his ge tHtnzfrnrn The -fie!ds.z
The authorities are unable to locate
Ward and suspicion points to him as
the slayer, they say.
John Comey. with whom the woman
had been living as housekeeper since
the third year after her husband had
deserted her and who was found at
the house on the arrival OF the off,
GERS, Is under surveillance. He ex-
planned that he had heard of the MUIR
der and hurried back to the house.
Ills story corroborates that OF the
woman's son. whose real name is
Ward. although he has been known
as Conley. 1t was three months after
the birth Of this son that Ward van
ished and became known as a wife,
deserter.
No Strong Motive Known.
There Is apparently no strong mo-
tive for the crime and no one wit
messed the struggle between the wom-
an and her slayer. She had evidently
been overpowered while she was un.
suspecting. Her left lung had been
pierced four times by thin.bladed
knife and the instrument had thrice
been driven into her abdomen and
once into -her-ieft- side few inches
below the armpit.
When Ward fled the house. he lefs
his hat and coat. And i'm his gar
ment, officers assert, they found evil
dence which leads them to believe
that Ward, in his long absence, had
remarked.
In one OF the pockets was a letter.
addressed to My dear husband" and
signed, Your loving wife. Ella
Ward" The letter was dated, Jack
sonville. Fla. Nov. g. 1905. The dead
woman had never visited Jacksonville
| and moreover her given name was
Minnie.
The Sons Story.
Charley Conley told the officers the
| following story:
About six months ago. Mr.. Conley
left -fafai-feF4he fEst-time- that
can remember He went to Grand
Rapids and Nashville and then to Can
ada for a visit. While he was away.
learned that my real father was in
Grand Rapids. | went there and met
him.
II wish you would come and visit
us | told him. He said he would
come. We came home Aug. 9. While
! he was there Mr.. Conley came back
from his trip to Canada. Mr.. Conley
and my father seemed friendly. They
both stayed here until yesterday
I wtretf MMH-GeH4ey- went away again
| This morning. my father and | got
| up about o'clock. We went TO the
bee hives TO get some honey. After
We had gathered it, my father wenc
back to the house. while ! went TO the
1 field to bring in the horses. When
came back to the house, my mother
was dead on the floor. | could not
find my father and then / ran to- q
neighbors house and called for help"
Mrs. Conleys maiden name was
Minnie Kirschner. She lived with her
parents near Hesperia until she was
married to John Marion Ward. The
couple removed TO Whitehall immedi-
ately after the wedding.
Ward is about 55 years old. The
wife was 40 years old. They had
known each other from childhood
Having been reared on adjacent farms
in Beaver township. a mile from where
the woman met her death.
The Conley farm Is in remote part
OF this county, several miles from any
railroad.