The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1911-07-13
TIGHTEN NET ON
MURDER SUSPECT
Man Held for Murder OF Young
Couple Makes Contradictory
Statements.

u
I Couple Makes Contradictory
Statements.
+ RAINIER. Wash. July 1s-DId
me same degenerate criminal who
slaughtered William HIN. his wife
and two children with an az In
Portland on June s, send Archie
Coble and his IS-year-oid wife To
death by the same means Monday
niRht7
Sheriff CASTOR OF Thursfon conn
" mas arrested Arthur Pierce. and
ne may be accused OF the murder
OF the Coolies. He had a quarrel
with the young wife, IL is said. and
had vowed vengeance. Pierce n
rather half-witted aud Mrs. CobIe
had teascd him.
$1,000 Reward Offered.
With a $1,000 reward. offered
half BY Thurston county and half
by the state. for the capture OF tho
murderer. Sheriff CASTOR and hin
men are securing the county for
evidence against Pierce.
Before / heard OF Pierce In con-
nection with the murder" said
Castor today. "the people In Te-
nino told me that he had bean
acting strangely all day. thought
his mind, always weak, had been
affeced BY hearing about the mur-
der.
contradicts Himself.
On hearing more from Rainier
hat Mrs. Coble had taunted him
the night before the killing, ] ar
rested Pierce and cross-examined
him. He contradicted himself con-
stantly. first saying that be was
not In Rainier. then that he was.
When | asked him outright II
he killed the couple, he looked 1t
met shrewdly and said. Well. nj
did. you can't prove it,"
But the authorities are looking
Tor another man. who worked I'm =
mill here. and who disappeared
Tuesday--fhe day the bodies OF the
murdered couple were found. He
didn't even call for the wages due
him.
The Hin Murder
William Hill lived at Ardenwald-
a small station six miles out OF
Portland. On the morning OF June
woman neighbor dropped into
the Hill home. but could find no
one about. She stepped into the
bedroom of the home and was hor-
rified TO find the bodies OF the man
and wife and their two small chill
dren. The four had been murdered
as they slept A heavy az. with
which the murders had been ac-
complished. lay on the floor beside
the bed OF the children.
The unknown slayer had first
struck the man and wife a swift.
fierce blow on the head. Then
the children were murdered In q
like fashion.
The Crime at Rainier
Archie and Nettie Cobie wero
killed In like manner. The heavy
double bitted ak with which the
bloody crime was accomplished lay
beside the bodies OF the victims.
One blow on the top OF the head
had finished Coble. He died with
out awaking. The noise OF the
blow probably awakened the wife.
But a swift, fierce blow from the
ax-on top of the head--brought
death as suddenly as Il had over
taken her sleeping husband. She
had time to crouch a little lower
into the bed-clothing-then the
bloodthirsty fiend above her struck.
Nettie Coble probably had Just
time enough to see her murderer
when the blow was struck.
Then the slayer pulled the coun-
terpane over the bodies and left
the house.
The awful crimes were the work
of a criminal degenerate A re-
ward OF $500 has been placed ON
the head of the slayer by Thurston
county commissioners and this will
probably be increased to $1,000 to-
day.
Woman Finds Bodies.
The bodies OF the Cobles were
found Tuesday morning by Mrs.
William McNett. Mrs. McNett
was the aunt of Mrs. Coble. Both
were about the same age and were
"chums."
1t was Mrs. McNett who first
noticed that the Cobles were not
about their house as usual on
Tuesday morning. The McNett
family were next-door neighbors. =
Il wonder where Archie and Metz
tie are today?" remarked Mrs. McS
Nett to Olga West. who was visit
ing her. Let's go over and see."
We went In the back way"
says Mrs. McNett. opening tha
kitchen door and calling. There
was no answer. and had feel
ing that something was wrong.
We went through into the next
room, which was dining and bed
room combined The curtains were
drawn. We could see the bed in
the corner apparently undisturbed.
as If no one had slept there.
was scared didn't know what
about, but was awfuliy fright
ened.