The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-17
DULUTH POLICE TRY
To SOLVE MYSTERY
Wealthy Lumberman Found
Shot to Death in Basement
of His Home.

DULUTH, Mimi, Aug. 16.-Every eff
fort is being made by the police to un-
ravel the mystery of the death yester-
day of John McAlpine, the wealthy
lumberman who was found shot to death
in the basement of his home in the
fashionable east end district.
The police are trying TO determine
whether murder was committed. The
wound in Mr.. McAlpine's head is about
an inch above the ear and little to
the back, 1t is not such wound as
would ordinarily be caused in suicide,
declare the police, and the lack OF pow
der marks indicates that the shot was
not fired from point close to the head,
The developments in the investiga-
ton thus far have not supported the
theory of suicide, according to the po'
lice. They can find no motive for SELF
destruction in Mr. McAlplne,s business
affairs. his condition Of health or his
state of mind
Revolver Is Found.
The authorities declare they are at
shooting had occurred until the body
had been removed from the basement of
the home. The revolver, .4S-callber
automatic, was found under the base
ment steps, according TO the police
On the determination of the question
of suicide will rest the payment OF
$4,000 in accident money held by Mr.
McAlpine. Policies amounting TO $780,
600 are straioht life policies and are not
contestIble.
furnace room in the McAlpine home is
such that il would have been impossible
to shoot Mr.. McAlpine from the only
window. according to the police.
Theory of Family.
The McAlpines have a small dog
and according to Margaret Bergen, the
| maid, the animal made q great deal OF
| noise about ! 80 O'Clock. The family
| believes that some one attempted to en-
| ter the basement window and WAS about
to crawl through the opening, when the
dropping OF flower pot from the win
dow ledge awoke the dog, which SLEPT
near the furnace. The barking OF the
J dog, they believe, scared the intruder
away.
The polio, claim, on the other hand
that cobwebs across the window hat
not been broken.
When Deputy Coroner McAuliff came
| to the McAlpine home about 8 'clocl
On the morning Of tho death, in answe
to the family's call, he was not told
he says, that a revolver had been founC
beside Mr. McAlpine.'s body, He. wa
told, he says, that the head Of tn
household had died of heart trouble.
1t was only when Chief Troyer al
rived that any information was give,
out about weapon, the deputy corone
declares.
Wife Says Suicide.
According to the police, Mrs. job
McAlpine today turned abruptly fror
the murder or accident theories and de
clared her husband had committed SUI
eide. In explanation Of the incident
on the morning of the finding Of tn
e.45 a. m. she awoke. The house wa
| brilliantly lighted. The cards were o
J the table, where her husband had bee
PLAYING solitaire, waiting for his stel
I SON. Dale McAlpine, and Dale's witt
to return
Finding that her husband was not j
the bedroom, Mrs. McAlpine went OF
into the corridor. From there she sa'
II that the downstairs rooms were hghte'
She called her husband 8 name, br
there was no answer She then sun
moned her son, Dale. He followe
through the lower floor rooms to th
basement door. which the mother an
son found open. No shot or other di
turbanco had been heard, according
Mrs. McAlpine.
II According TO the story told Chic
Troyer, young Mr.. McAlpine found b
: stepfather lying face downward nef