The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-02-15
Grim Riddle of Fatal Embrace in
Which Grace closer and Chas.
Twigg Were Found Battles
Every Theory of Suicide or
Murder.


efforts of local detectives and hired
Pinkertons only make more battling
the famous Elosser poison tragedy,
discovered on the afternoon of De-
cember 81 when a hysterical mother
found her daughter Grace and the
daughters fiance, Charles Twigg, seat
ed side by side on the couch in the
parlor-dead of cyanide of potassium.
But there was no evidence of sui
eide
No evidence OF murder and suicide.
No evidence of a double murder.
No explanation at all.
They were simply seated there side
by side, his arm around her should
ers lovingly, Tor the next day was to
be their wedding day.
The inscrut Bile conundrum of their
death has become famous among Am
erican criminal mysteries Some have
sought in the history of the court
ship of these young people some mo-
tive that might explain the poison
ing But that history is an open
book, though there are certain unus-
ual features.
Man of Mystery
IWISS Was All dlITdCllNe man VINO
had fought himself up from poverty
to affiuence, at keyser, w. Va, few
miles from Cumberland. There he
owned a large peach orchard and the
principal store. He was worth from
$4,000 to $4,000. Travelling men
who sold" him say that at times he
was murose. Several years ago his
first wife died. He suffered spells
of deep depression. Then the melan-
cholia left him, but he always i'm
pressed the travellers as man OF
mystery.
The father of the three Elosse.
girls, Grace, Carrie and May, keepa
a grocery store in South Cumberland
He is a man of thrift. His face
somewhat resembles that of Rookie
teller. He is a devout Methodist. The
family is religious. The girls, espec-
tally May a school teacher, are ac-
tive in church work.
Grace, now dead, and Carrie, hat
both been married, but May, aged 20.
a handsome girl, was as yet unwon.
Grace's marriage had been unnappy,
ending in a scene at a mountain hotel
near Cumberland. Another woman
divorce and resumed her maiden
name. Carries marriage was happy.
During county fair week, last Octo-
Der, Twigg went to Cumberland. met
Grace and May, and drove them to
the races. This is an unusual point,
for the Elossers. being Methodists
frown upon horse racing.
Twigg thereafter was frequent
caller, and often took the two girls
out in his automobile. Suspicious
minds recall that Twigg at the start
paid the greater attention to May
The likelier thing is that he paid
them equal attention, but by Novem
Der he was commonly known as
Grace's accepted sutton.
Mother Open Letters
The mother Is sweet-taceu ma
tronly woman. She accepted Twige
as Grace's fiance. But now comes
another unusual point Mrs. Elosser
testified at the inquest that she fire.
quently steamed open Twlggs letters
to Grace and read them, sealing them
up again afterwards. This was ner
matter-of-fact explanation of how sne
knew Twiggs attentions were All
they should be
The three girls were always chums
But these seems to have been sort
of loneliness between Grace and May
Mrs. Elosser told of several spats.
usually arising from some trivial
thing, and ending in a kiss and a hug
Yet here comes another unusual
point.
May did not give Grace a Christ
mas present this year. She explained
that some friend sent Grace an iden-
teal present and May was ashamed
to show the one she had bought.
The wedding was set for the after
noon of January /. The pastor was
engaged The announcements were
being engraved. Grace was deep In
hounces and lingerie with her dress
maker.
1t was like Twlgg's mysterious as
position to say nothing of his APP
preaching marriage at home. Perhap,
he was ashamed to explain in advance
a second marriage after his display
of grief at his first wife's death. But
he made every preparation for the
wedding, confding to a close friend
that he was the happiest man in the
world" and took the noon accom-
mediation" to Cumberland December
81 There he bought the wedding
ring, making sure that it could be
exchanged if it didn't nj
He telephoned, then took car to
the Elosser house. Grace was at din
per with the family when the call
came. She came back from the tele-
phone enthused with happiness. she
didn't expect her lover so soon.
CHARLES coming out" she said
"He has something important 10 tell
me-"
The something important prov
ed to be the wedding ring. He led
the blushing girl before her family TO
show them how the ring wabbled on
her slim finger. He would take II
back Immediately and get smaller
one.
Twiggs DID NOT secure a MAJ
rage license. But there is nothing t.
indicate that he i'd not intend to get
one after he had disposed of the
ring matter.
Presently the young man led his
bride-elect into the parlor. The
mother cautioned Grace not to spene
too long billing and cooling" De-
cause the dressmaker was waiting.
Finds Them Dead
Half all hour later she went tc
warn Grace that the moments were
f1ying. There was a strange silence