The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-08-19
WOMAN IS SLAIN;
POSSE SEARCHES
FOR HUSBAND
MYSTERY IN BEAVER TWP. TRAo-
EDY-MAN RETURNED AFTER
20 YEARS TO FIND WIFE WITH
ANOTHER.

NEwAYGO. Mich. Aug IA
<, posse and bloodhounds are trailing
through the swamps of Beaver town
4 ship, trying TO run down the murderer
of the woman who was known as Mrs.
I joni Conley and who YESTERDAY was
stabbed TO death in her home as she
was preparing the morning meal.
,hn Marion Ward. 10 whom the
ewUman was married % years ago and
from whom she never had sec red a
tcivorce. was with her a few minutes
before her body was found by her son,
1.-The authorities are unable 10 locate
kWard and suspicion points 10 him as
3the slayer, they say.
" John Conley. with whom the woman
had been living as housekeeper since
f4he third year after her husband had
adeserted her and who was found al
,f1he house on the arrival OF the OH
bcers. is under surveillance He eX-
plained that he had heard OF (he muir
3er and hurried back to the house
Qfis story oorroborates that Of the
&woman's son, whose real name Is
EWard. although he has been known
Vas Con]aY. It was three months after
Ethe birth OF this son that Ward van
u1shsd and became known as Wife
fdsserter.
No Strong Motive Known.
There is apparently no strong mo
3c1ve for the crime and no one wit
messed the struggle between the WON
IN and her slayer She had evidently
Nbeen overpowered while she was un
xeuspecting Her left lung had been
Rpferced four times by thin-bladed
Hknife and the instrument had thrice
Sbeen driven into her abdomen and
4once into her left side few inches
below the armpit.
I When Ward fed the house. he lief.
his hat and coat And in his gar
fment, officers assert. they found evi-
sdence which leads them TO believe
that Ward, in his long absence. had
aremarried.
In one of the pockets was 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 the farm for the first time that
can remember. He went TO Grand
Rapids and Nashville and then to Can
ada for visit. While he was away.
+ learned that y-Feal father WAS in
Grand Rapids. | went there and met
him.
81 wish you would come and visit
u.s. | told him. He said he would
come. We came home Aug. 3. While
ne was there Mr.. Conley came back
from his trip to Canada. Mr.. Conley
and my father seemed friendly They
both stayed here until yesterday
when Mr.. Conley went away again.
This morning, my father and | got
sup about o'clock. We went TO the
kbee hives to get some honey. After
eve had gathered il, my father went
back TO the house while went to the
neld 10 bring in the horses. When |
came back to the house my mother
WAS dead on the floor. could not
6nd my father and then | ran to a
SNeighbors house and called for help"
Mrs. Conley's maiden name was
minnie Kirschner. She lived with her
Apareuts near Hesperia until she was
mAried to John Marion Ward The
houple removed to Whitehall immedi
lately after the wedding
Ward is about 55 years old. The
twife was 49 years old. They had
KNOWN each other from childhood
@having been reared on adjacent farms
Nm Beaver township, mile from where
s1he woman met her death.
I The Conley farm is in remote part
IDf this county. several miles from any
trailroad.