The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1910-12-30

Desiring concealment more thah
her own life, Mrs. Viola Kelley gave
birth to a child between l and 2
O'Clock Friday morning in the yard
of the Fletcher home in the north
part of town, strangled it with
string torn from the blanket about
her head and threw the little dead
body into the vault of an outbuild-
ing. The crazed mother was alone
and unattended. She had nothing to
lie upon but the frozen ground; moth
ing above her but the naked limbs
of an apple tree; no protection from
the bitter winter night save a few
garments hastily thrown over her
nightdress.
She was arrested Wednesday upon
confession of the crime and is con-
fined in the women's department OF
the county Jail A direct information
charging her with murder in the first
degree will be filed in district court
today or tomorrow. e.e-.t..s
Crime Disclosed Christmas.
The body of the child was found
shortly before noon Christmas day
by John Ritchie, who chanced to be
sauntering about the yard of the F'let-
cher home. which is on his farm. He
reported the discovery to Harry Lord,
who went to see Ritchie, and the two
consulted as to the disposition of the
body. They first thought of covering
it up where it lay, but finally dug
grave in a buggy shed, wrapped up
the body, and buried it underground.
Mr.. Ritchie. however, felt that his
duty did not end here. The next day
he reported the discovery to County
Attorney McCulloch. Coroner I<el-
logg of Stevensville was apprised by
telephone, but, unable to appear, JUS
tice Whaley acted in his place A
Jury was summoned Tuesday and,
with the authorities, went to the Flet-
cher home and made a thorough ex-
animation of the premises. An au-
topsy by Dr. R. L. Owens of the ex-
humed body disclosed that the baby
was a fully developed male child, was
alive when born, had breathed and had
been strangled. The jury thereupon re-
turned verdict to the effect that the
child had met death by "strangulation
at the hands of an unknown person"
The jury was composed of R. H.
Smithey, Al Biddiscombe, P. J. Shan
non, Tom Milburn, Levi Swayze and
John S. Treece.
Mrs. Kelley Suspected.
The authorities Investigated. but
were at loss to place the guilt, until
Lord and Ritchie, brothers-in-law OF
Mrs. Kelley, confided that they sus-
pected her. They hesitated to tell OF
their previous suspicious, they said
because they disliked to accuse any,
one unjustly, especially member OF
their own families. On Wednesday
the county attorney sent for Ritchie
and again consulted him. Ritchie ad-
vised that Mrs. Kelley be subjected
to an examination by physicians. AS
Hitchie went himself to see Mrs. KeIIe.
and confront her with the crime. She
confessed readily to the crime a.
was taken into custody by She. II
Ward.
A Terrible Experience.
The terrible experience through
which Mrs. Kelley passed showed re
markable powers of endurance, boil
" of physical suffering and mental an
guish. On the night the child wa
born she retired to her bed in th
Fletcher home in her accustomed way
: About / o'clock the following morning
upon feeling pains, she left the hous
and went out into the yard to pas
through the awful ordeal She -dresse
hurriedly and scantily. Over her hea
and shoulders she threw part Of blan
ket which she was accustomed to Us
as q headshawl, and it was from thi
she tore the string to strangle tn
babe. She was In the cold night al
more thea an hour. ai'uet- gas
That day. Friday. she remained
bed, pleading illness of an ordinar
nature. Saturday and Sunday sh
spent at the Lord home, helping prt
pare q Christmas dinner for famil
reunion Sunday. During the time sh
: was distressed by the illness Of he
three-year-old child. Monday she d
. large family washing. trra 4.
A Destitute Widow.
Nys. Kelly Is q widow. Her hu.