Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-17
Survivor of Chicago Hotel
Mystery Attends Inquest
Over Body.
AN AFFINITY BLAMED
Husband Says Both Agreed to
Suicide After Woman Con-
fesSed Loving Another.

Chicago, H., Oct. 17.-William c.
Ellis this afternoon confessed that he
murdered his wife. He said she was
the most virtuous woman" in the
world, and that he must have been
crazed over his health and business
troubles.
Chicago. Oct. 17.-William c. Ellis,
wealthy leather manufacturer of
Cincinnati, Ohio, who was found with
three bullet wounds in his throat in
the body of his slain wife. is recover
ing, and, according to the police, may
be charged with murder. Ellis was
able to leave his bed today and taken
to the inquest in an automobile.
At least one of the three bullets
found in the body of Mrs. Ellis could
not have been inflicted by herself ac-
| cording to the coroner's physician.
Ellis last night made a detailed
both had agreed to die after she con-
! fessed to -haYing. beel unfaithful to
| him. In each case Ellis insisted that
his wife had killed herself and that
he tried to follow her action.
HUSBANDS STORIES CONFLICT.
Several discrepancies in his state
ments caused the police to doubt the
I ctYic or
will present evidence at the inquest
to show that a murder was committed.
and that it was premeditated. Two
! letters which Ellis wrote early We'd
nesday evening before he and his wife
attended theatre will be sufficient
evidence, the police say, to hold him
on the charge of murder.
my wife killed herself, but / failed
to carry out my part of the suicide
pact" said Ellis at the Iroquois
Memorial hospital. after we had
agreed to end it all my wife went to
the bathroom and then returned. She
took a 32-calibre revolver out of her
suitcase and shot herself once in the
heart. Then she toppled over the
bed. She moaned for while and
then reached in my pocket, took out
my penknife and drew II across her
throat. She fell this time in my arms
81 took the revolver from her and
? fired into my breast. ! then picked
up the same knife and cut my throat
and left wrist. Believing that death
my arms and hugged and kissed her
until her body became cold. Then [
: tainted away. That was about mid
night.
NAMES CANADIAN "AFFINITY."
when daylight broke | regained
consciousness. / removed my blood
stained underwear and put on my
wife's wrapper and started to leave
the room for help, but was too weak.
| tainted away again"
? Ellis said Fred Caldwell, dry
goods merchant of Brantford, Ontario,
Canada, was the man with whom Mrs.
Ellis was infatuated and whom she
:. was to meet. He said he followed
: her from Cincinnati last Monday and
= that after locating her in Chicago she
admitted she loved Caldwell.
ulb SLdltiHcul IduStI OdpLdlu I1di-
pin OF the detective bureau to wire
the chief constable of Brantford ask
; ing for information concerning the
whereabouts OF Caldwell. A reply
i stated that Caldwell was now In
Brantford and had not been outside
that city for several months.
= Another bit of evidence which
, causes Detective Halpin TO believe
. there is another man in the case IL
) telegram which was found among
J Mrs. Ellis possessions, and which
/ reads:
t What shall do? Can stay week
: When will you come? Address Audi
torium. Monday"
l The three bullet holes in Mrs. Ell
( lis breast and one in her head, TO
, gether with the severe cash across her
: throat appears to satisfy the police
' that the wounds we're not selffnfiicted,
. The police said it would be impossible
\ for a woman to shoot herself four
4 times and then have sufficient strength
. TO cut her throat
Il FOUR WOUNDS. Not ONE.
3 Furthermore, Eufs' statement thai
she shot herself only once conflicts
!. with the finding OF four bullet wounde
0 Ellis said he shot himself once The
/ revolver had five empty cartridrs
shells in It when it was found.