The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-05-20

AAk q A6A vi
ment by the information being
brought over from the south side tina
a murder and suicide had just taken
place.
The information at first vas sc
meagre and the details so incom-
plete that the statement could hardly
be believed. 1t was an atrocious
crime that was committed and one
that for the kind has not been paral-
leled in the state-at least not in
recent years.
Suspended from a rafter in a
small attic bedroom of. a small house
with a piece of cloth tied around her
neck Miss Edith Gray was found
dead with a bullet hole through her
head. Lying on the bed within a
few feet was w. G. Gray, dead and
with a bullet hole through the back
of his head just behind the ear. That
was the grucsome sight which met
the gaze of Chief of Police Cunning
ham when he heard the two shots
fred and some time later went in
to the house.
What Lead to the Crime.
And what lead up to such a fear
full catastrophe as was enacted in
that small and evidently unhappy
home?
Some five or six years ago w. G.
Gray. his sister and three small chill
dren drove into Mitchell, coming
from Duluth, from which place they
made the entire trip by wagon. They
found a habitation on the south side,
where they have lived ever since.
The children have grown up under
the most unholy influences. One OF
TIE girls is 16 years, the boy is is
years and a young girl is about nine
years, of age. They were living
out a somewhat %pracarious existence.
Several years ago the oldest girl help
ed to make the living for the house
hold by selling popcorn on the streets
and al the trains, and became quite
we'll known by the persons who saw
her OF the streets u good deal.
The brother and sister have made
their home together and living in a
state which some time ago aroused
the suspicious of the neighbors that
they We're committing the crime of
incest. This has been going on with
on interference, until just recently
the complaints of tue neighbors be-
came more serious, and there seemed
to be a suspicion between the brother
and sister, Judging from the event
of Tuesday, that their secret was be-
coming known outside of their own
household.
Information was finally laid be-
fore the States Attorney Herbert and
Sheriff Plotner. The officers we're
nonplussed owe the really embarras-
sing situation, but on Tuesday after
noon they determined to make a
thorough investigation OF the COM
plant which had ben filed.
Refused Admission to House.
The two officials made the trip over
to the south side in the automobile
Of the sheriff and on arriving at the
house they found Gray in the rear OF
the house blowing with a team OF
horses. When Gray saw the officials
approach he stopped his horses and
leaving them where they were started
for the house. The officers requested
that they be permitted to have a
talk with his sister. Gray knew what
was up Immediately and he refused
to permit the officers to enter the
house. They argued the question
with him for a short time, when
States Attorney Herbert Informed
Gray that If he refused to let them
go in he would secure a warrant for
their arrest.
Gray was still obdurate and en-
phatic in his name of refusal to let
q ot1cers &c into the house. Under
Lnose circumstances the officers felt
the that there was certainly a great
need for them TO do their duty. Sher-
IL Plotner and States Attorney Her.
bert returned to the city to procure
the warrant for their arrest on the
charge of incest. While the states
attorney was preparing the warrant
Sheriff Plotner secured Chief of Po-
hee Cunningham and took him over
TO the residence for the purpose of
watching Gray and his sister to see
that they did not make their escape.