Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-01
CARvfS UP WIFE
AND BURIES Her
NOME MAN IS ACCUSED OF
CHASTITY MURDER
Declares She Committed Suicide and
Told Him to seerete Her
Remains-Fusband
WeiI-to.Do
sy AssocIa.ed d Press.

BY Associated Press.
SEATTLE, Aug. 31.-Charged with
the murder Of his young wife. whose
body he buried in the basement Of his
cabin at Nome, disinterring 1t in the
spring. when he cut it in three parts
Grated 1t, and later cremated 1t, Lee HI
tombstone, a well-to-do mining man OF
Nome was arrested in Seattle today.
Johnstone admits hoving dismembered
the body and of later having burned II
but steadfastly persists that his wife
committed suicide and In a. note re-
uuested a secret burial and gave him
all her property.
The facts surrounding the crime date
back over three years, when tombstone
married Belle Gilchrist of Butte, Mont
In the spring OF 1905 he took her &C
Nome. On October she mysteriously
disappeared from Nome. Johnstone said
she had left for SeattlR.
Relatives in Butte and Mrs. A. M
Hedges, a sister, living at Port Blake
ley, Wash, received letters recently
from Nome, purporting to be dictated
by Mrs. Johnstone to a cousin, Fred.
SAID Wife Was Well
Johnstone came out from Nome on
three different occasions, and each time
told relatives In Butte. 1t is charged,
that his wife was well and happy In
Nome. and having her power of at
torney he had come to Butte to dispose
of the property and get the money.
The suspicious of the relatives were
aroused a year ago, and last June
Joseph Warren, special agent for the
department of justice, district OF Nome,
was detailed on the case, together with
George r. Grigsby, district attorney OF
Nome Warren came to Seattle anu
had all mail from Johnstone to his
wife's relatives intercepted.
Later Warren learned that Johnstone
was in Seattle living at 1902 Fourth ave-
nue. with g. woman named Cora Tascn,
who today admitted that she bad mar
ried Johnstone in Omaha in 1902.
Passes Off as Wife
The Tasch woman, it Is alleged, had a
few months ago gone before notary
and sworn that she was Belle Gilchrist,
the wife of Johnstone, and signed 9
revocation of a power OF attorney 49,
sued by Johnstone's wife to him shortly
after their marriage in order that a
new power OF attorney might be given
him investing him with absolute con-
troll of her property.
r. q. Smith, broker of Butte, who
had been investing money for Mrs
Johnstone while the latter was In
Nome was apprised of the latest move
of tombstone by Warren, and was told
to hold off. .t
Today, after warrant had been is
sued for Johnstones arrest and requisf-
tion papers had been served on the
governor of Washington. detectives who
had been working on the case with
Warren went to the Johnstone house
on Fourth avenue and when Johnstone
came out arrested him. He admitted 2
great deal at the station, but would no'
abandon the statement that his wife
committed suicide. He will be taken
back to Nome in a few days,
Statement by Accused
In a statement rohnstone said:
'It was just about dusk on q cold
evening in October. 1905, / was goins
down to an old we'll near our cabin for
some water. My wife was standing IN
the doorway and smiled at me- telling
me fo hurry back as supper was about
due. I told her I would, and arrived
on my return trip In about i've min
utes. What met my gaze when ! re-
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