The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1915-03-19
Double Murder
George w. Carlaw IT SissetOn Kills
Wife and Daughter and Runs
Away


Wife and Daughter and Runs
Away
A horrible crime was perpe-
trated at Sisseton last Saturday
morning, the discovery Of which
was not made until the following
d,y. when Mrs. George w. Car
law and her Is year old daughter
Francis were found murdered in
their home, the circumstances
pointing to the husband and ia.
ther as the slayer. The latter
was the manager of the Dakota
Central telephone company at
Sis >eton, a position he had held
for nine ye,rs, and was highly
respected in the community.
With no family or business
trouble known it is generally be
lieved that the man became in
sane before com mittng the
double murder.
The murder is thought to have
occurred shortly before 1910 Sat
VI uu3 iIOl ililS. lOI dOOuC llIio
time. neighbors saw CarlaW leav-
ing the house through a Gel ar
door. He had small bundle
under his arm, which looked as
though it contained clothing.
After leaving the house he
went 70 the barn, hitched up his
team aud left the premises
Later he was seen near Peever,
where he stopped to put batter
les in telephone. From there
he drove to Browns Valley,
where he put his team in a livery
barn, stating that he wanted
the horses fed, that he would be
back in about an hour for his rig
From Brown Valley he walked
to Beardsley, Minn which is
about ten miles, where he secur-
ed a livery rig and drove to
Graceville, arriving there about
3 o clock S tturday evening. He
arrived there in time to catch a
freight train south, but the
ticket agent did not sell him d
ticket and the train crew is posi-
tive that he did not ride on that
train, unless he rode in a box
car. After he left Graceville. he
disappeared and no trace has
been found Of him since.
1t is thought that he murdered
his wife first, while the daughter
was across the street delivering
milk After killing Mrs. Car
law, the husband is supposed to
have carried her body to bed
and covered the head with pill
lows. 1t is thought that he then
waited for the daughter to re-
turn to the house, and when she
came in he struck her with a
large screw wrench and after he
had knocked her senseless, cut
her throat with butcher knife.
From appearances about the
house, there was no stru ggle.
After the CHASTITY deed had been
done, it is thought Carlaw went
tn ough the house locking the
doors and pulling the curtains.
so that it would be impos ~iOle to
see within from out of doors
He then went to the cellar and
placed plank against the cellar
door so that it would fall into
place after he went out and Sc
curely fastened the door
Carlaw is thought to have had
about three hundred dollars with
him when he left, which amount
included some borrowed money,
his last months wages and some
money belonging to the Dakota
Central. The authorities are
somewhat at sea regarding
where Carlaw went after he left
Graceville. With twenty four
hours start on the authorities,
it is thought he is many miles
from the scene of his crime, and
will probably go some distance
before stopping. No trace of
him has been secured.
DescrlptlOn-GeOrge CarlaW
is five feet, nine inches in height;
weight, about 180 pounds, black
hair and slightly bald on top Of
head. When last seen wore gray
suit and ligh, cloth overcoat with
beaver collar, and black laced
shoes. Has scar on left cheek
bone, which would take close OBJ.
servation to detect. Was stOop
shouldered slightly, quite notice.
able.