The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1908-01-03
JANEsvILLE HAS A MYSTERY.
Body of Mrs. Clayton, Clairvoyant, Found
H In Rock River.

Was Murder or Suicide the Cause of Death?
The finding of the body of Mrs. Made
line Clayton, the Chicago clairvoyant,
who has been missing since Nov. 18th
last, partly immersed in the river back
of the Jail on Friday last, has puzzled
the police of both GAINESVILLE and Chica-
go to arrive at any satisfactory cause Of
her death.
Clayton and Madeline Odell, which
was the girls name before her marriage,
eloped to st. Joe Mich, year ago last
February and were married without the
knowledge of the girls father or mother.
There were frequent quarrels between
Clayton and his wife, but the man said
after her disappearance that all their
little difficulties had been patched up
and that he was on the best Of terms
with his wife,
Early last November. on account of a
disagreement with her husband Mrs.
Clayton went to GAINESVILLE alone from
Beloit where she had been for two weeks
at the Savoy hotel. Clayton followed
her and found her staying at the home
of Mrs. Sarah Jackman, friend. On
the night she was last seen alive, Clay
ton took his wife to dinner at restau-
rant. At $50 o'clock she was seen by
Mrs. Jackman standing on the porch.
Ten minutes later when Mrs. Jackman
looked for her, Mrs. Clayton was not
there. At $50 o'clock Clayton called at
the house and asked for his wife. He
was told she had gone away without say
ing any thing about her intentions.
When she had not returned by mid
night, searching party was organized,
and hunt was made for the missing
woman. The next day, and for many
days following, the police of GAINESVILLE
searched everywhere, but not trace of
her was found.
Identification was made by articles of
jewelry found on the body and clinched
by the wedding ring. The ring was
marked "F. to NJ" and is the ring Clay.
ton gave to his wife at the time. OF their
marriage. A watch found in her cloth
ing was formerly the property OF Clay
toms dead mother, which he gave her
also at the time of their marriage.
Frederick Clayton, husband OF the
dead woman, arrived in GAINESVILLE Sat
urday evening. He told straightfor-
ward story from the night that he last
saw his wife up to the present time,
stating he had looked for her day and
night and had spent all his money in the
search, as we'll as being obliged to pawn
his jewelry. &
He also admitted that his wife once |
tried to take her own life by taking car |
bolic acid, but this was before they were !
married. 2 M
whether or not my wife killed her
self or that she was made away with by |
some unknown person is more than lam |
able to tell IL know of no reason why |
she should take her life, as we were both |
happy and there never was any excuse |
for such crime on her part" ~ .
AT the inquest conducted on Monday, |
little evidence was obtained that would !
indicat that Clayton knew by what |
means his wife came to her DEATH Drs. |
Edden and Gibson both testified that |
the one lung removed at the autopsy !
contained no water, nor did the stomach !
contain poison, as near as they could tell |
from q hastye examinations. Both physi- |
clans said that they believed that the |
woman came to her death through other |
means than suicide
Chief Appleby swore that from the |
position of the cody when found it would |
be impossible that she drifted down to |
the sand bar where the rats ate the flesh |
from her face.
The absence of her hat and purse !
thought to contain both money and a |
possible reason for murder in letter |
she received recently, greatly retard the |
work of solving the mystery. ea
The inquest was adjourned until Fri |
day to- allow thorough examination of
the victims stomach, liver and kidneys
by Prof Smith of Beloit college.