The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-08

kill him. and / guess he did
Mrs Murdoch tried to shield Mer
kle ali she could. She sai4 she
thought the blow was struck III self
defense, but she admitted that Merkle
must have gone outdoors 10 get the
axe. and that 1t was probable Hard
ing was lying on the he'd when he was
struck. n
Just why Mrs. Murdoch decided to
tell her story is More or less OF
mystery Mrs. &syno. wko had cared
for the woman at the mission. went to
see her yesterday afternoon and she
unhosomed. County Officer Hayes
and Mrs Ryno compared notes, and
the evidence agreed, so it was decided
to strike while the iron was hot.
I When the party reached her call
early this morning Mrs Murdoch was
asleep. Mrs Ryno awoke her and she
readily consented to tell the real story
of the tragedy again. When it was
over she Lac back on her pillow and
! sighed with relief.
II Just want to say one thing more.
fshe added, 1T must have been done
!
/ didn't see it, but | think 1t must have
/ been that way
] You thleNing. Icing woman of the
devil" wrote the husband two years
ago. aud In the bttterest terms he
proceeded to call her to task for I'M
/ falthfulness. telling her that he had
/ prayed for his revenge and knew It
would come
Calls Down Curse on Her.
/ II Murdoch had known in advance
| Of the staying OF Harding and her
arrest for murder he could not have
more accurately pictured the misfor-
tunes that We're in store for her.
| God Will bring YOU troubles upon
troubles for your sinful ways" ran the
warning of the grief-crezed husband
Z May he curse You. May he bring
you bad luck, You will lose every
thing you have before long. and when
God Is through with you. remem Der
my curse, and that my prayers have
been answered"
| on the heels OF the promise that
sdock told the woman repeatedly that
/ he would be revenged. and that he was
watching for "A chance.
While the police were hunting for
: the HUSBAND and preparing to pillow
! up the grounds around the house in a
! search Tor more bodies, Mrs. Murdoch
/ sat ~ersnrty IN fer ceif IN the County
! jail. chatting quietly with other pris~
oners and apparently not In the least
worried. Merkle was nervous and III
| at ease. He seemed worried. and grew
sullen when questions We're asked
Offers Wife a Chance
In letter discovered at the Ma
sons Creek house YESTERDAY dated
September 30 but not more than a
year old. Judging from the appeara nee
@sss. *sH scs f.9 fffs u|lYf
a chance to give up Harding and her
other friends and come back to him
Many ei'letdeus Wore Found in ths
Cottage.
In one Of the letters of Otto r
Groebei. thu wife hunter from Della
| ware. Ohio, he tells Mrs. Murdoch that
he has almost enough money saved ur
! to establish "A bakery. and asks her IL
Norfolk would be n good place for It,
A postscript to another OF his letters
said
| How would ,eu like for me to Hive
in Norfolk near you? Or would you
rather come up here39
OF the score Of photographs OF men
ranging from bearless youths to grey
haired grandfatherS, most OF them bore
no signature. Like many Of the let,
tiers, they were signed with initial.
only. and they bore names OF almost
las many cities as there were pictures
| "Wili be with sou soor. was scrib.
bled, across photo OF a middle a gee
man from Cincinnati.