The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-05-29
Former Brakeman on Northwestern
Up Against Serious Charge.
HIS WIFE WAS A WASeCA GIRL
Story From Spokane Which lntImatss
Strongly That . Conspiracy Mad
Been Organized.

The Spokesman REVIEW or late
date gave quite a long account of an
attempted murder at Elk Washington,
by Harry Montgomery, formerly well
known brakeman on the Chicago &
Northwestern road, and about four
years ago was married to Miss Mary
Hughes of Waseca. The couple after
wards moved to Minot, n. d., where
they lived for some time
According to the Spokane paper,
Montgomery with his wife and children
one of them three years old, the 9th
Ell one hardly a year moved to Elk
last February, and went to live with
his brother, Z. T. Montgomery, who
condcted hotel in that city and who
is also charged with being implicated
in the crime.
Shot at Woman.
The alleged crime was committed on
the ninth of May l, when Mrs. May
North, who had been mistress of the
hotel for several years was 'mysteri-
Ously shot through the window of her
room in the Montgomery hotel. The
shot took effect in her left temple,
ranging downward At first is was
thought that she had no hope of re-
covery, her condition being so weak
that it was decided that no operation
to remove the bullet would be posi-
bic. However later reports are to the
effect that she was gaining strength
and that her chances for ultimate re-
covery are better. Several clues were
discovered shortly afterwards which led
the authorities to believe that H. NJ.
Montgomery was implicated in the
crime and link by link, a chain of
evidence of the strongest kind was be-
ing formed which pointed toward his
guilt
Maintained His Innocence.
However Montgomery firmly main
tanned his innocence for several days
and not until his young wife and chill
dren went to his cell and urged him
to tell the truth did he evince the
slightest sign of weakness. Mrs. Mont
gomery is quoted as making very
pathetic appeal to her husband to tell
the truth, saying, Harry for my sake
and our little ones, | want you to tell
the truth and if you are guilty of
this thing to make a clean breast of
it. You know that you have told the
officers that you We're in our rooms
upstairs with me and the children on
the night that the murder of Mrs.
North was attempted and you know
that is not the truth. You know that
you came up afterwards, and warned
me to tell everybody that you were
with me when the pistol shots were
heard. That is not true, Harry, and
you know it is not. You have tried
to deceive the officers perhaps but do
not deceive me. Tell the truth" While
the wife was making her plea Mont
gomery collapsed and told the story
of the fiendish plot which he said
himself and brother Matched against
the woman whom his brother wanted
out of the way.
Plot Was Suggested.
According to Harry's story the plot
was first suggested to him by his bro
ther a few weeks after he moved his
family to Elk. 1T appears that the
brother and Mrs. North had been liv-
ing together for a number of years,
and that he was anxious to get her
out of the way as he said she was
dangerous obstacle to his plans. When
he first approached Harry on the subject
the latter refused to have anything
to edo with the plot, but later the
brother, who is very rich, offered to
make Harry Independently wealthy if
he assisted him to carry out his plans.