Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-10-07
C0NRATH MAN
MURDERED
Ernest French | s Found w 18th Bullet
Hole Through His Body.-Left
Home Sunday

Hole Through His Body.-Left
| Home Sunday
For two days nearly 100 men of the
towns of Grant, Grow and Marshall,
south of this city, hunted in vain for
Ernest French, aged 20, who left his
home a mile south of Conrath Sunday
morning to go in search of bee tree.
| Wednesday morning his dead body was
found only mile and half south from
his home, with bullet wound in his
side.
Sheriff, McNally was Immediately
notified and in company with Justice
R. S. Reeves, District Attorney A. N.
Andersen. Undertaken Fred Ingle and
E. M. Worden, went to the scene of
the tragedy in the latter's automobile.
A coroner's jury was empanelled con-
sisting of Robt. Prouty, Henry Davis,
Chas. Conrath, H. E. Moore, r. r.
Johnson and E. nj. Worden, Justice
Reeves acting as coroner.
An autopsy was performed by DR.. L.
M. Landmark, which disclosed the fact
that the fatal wound was caused by
bullet from 1920 rifle, the street
jacket of which was found in the body.
The bullet had entered the left side
and came out on the right side having
fractured the backbone. producing in
slant death. On the neck and chest
were marks of cork heel shoes, deep
enough to have brought the blood had
they been inflicted within five minutes
after death, indicating that the murder
err had jumped upon the body with his
feet some little time after the fatal
shot had taken effect. Powder marks
were upon the flesh showing that the
shot had been fired at very close range.
Several witnesses were examined.
Chas. Bunker, living about quarter
of a mile from where the body was
found said that he had heard a shot
and yell about noon on Sunday, but,
as it was no uncommon occurrence,
thought nothing of it.
John M. French, father of the muir
dered man, who lives in house on the
same place, testified that two strangers
with guns stopped at his house during
Sunday forenoon, going on south.
Cody French, a brother of the de-
ceased. who lives with his parents, had
started out with his brother Sunday
morning, but had returned about noon.
He had recently returned from the hos
pital at Chippewa Falls, where he had
undergone an operation, and was too
weak to continue the tramp through
the woods.
When the brothers left home Ernest
carried 20 rifle, which was found
with the body, but which had not been
fired. Cody did not have gun.
Ernest French was a thrifty indus
trious young man, well known in this
community, having lived here for sew
eral years. He married Flora M. Dun
ahee, daughter of John M. Dunahee,
of this city, Apr. 16, 1908. They have
no children. Ernest put in much of his
time hunting, fishing and trapping, but
had been working this summer for the
Conrath Brothers. He had carried
some life insurance, but had recently
allowed it TO lapse.
The verdict of the jury was, "That
uSCSdSeu Cdiue W HIo uSaCH Ny oho1
from some person unknown, with in
tent to kill.
Funeral services will be conducted at
the home Friday by Rev. j. E. Watson
and interment will be made in River
side cemetery.
Sheriff McNally has offered reward
of 5000 for the arrest and coviction of
the murderer.
A Cutting ARRAY