Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
SMITH DECLARES
DEATH OF WOMAN
WAS AN ACCIDENT
Aged Man Who Killed Mrs. Frances
Campbell Tells Different Story
from That Of the Dead
Woman.
SAYS FRIEND OF THE GIRLS
Had Loaned Her Money and She Had
Told Him Husband Was Dead
Was There to Collect.
SMITH IS sIxTY-NINE YEARS OLD

r. M. Smith, 614 Summet avenue,
East St. Louis. who shot and killed
Mrs. Frances Campbell at the resi-
dence of Mrs. Ella Widener, 22O
North Nineteenth street. Sunday af-
ternoon, related the incidents lead
ing up to the shooting at police head
quarters yesterday morning.
MRS. Campbell was formerly
Frances Mitchell of Carterville,
Marion county, Illinois. had known
her family before she was born. and
when she moved to st. Louis, where
] lived. met her, and as an old
friend she came to me many times
with her troubles. am married and
am SO years of age. was colonel
Of the Fourth regiment Of the Illi-
nois National guard for fifteen years,
and during the civil war fought with
Eighty-fifth and Thirty-third regi-
ments.
Were Only Friends.
'our relations were merely that Of
friendship-nothing wrong. Frances had
had trouble with her husband for last
five years. He did not work steadily she
said, and beat and abused besides pro-
viding nothing for her support at times.
Frances always came to me in these
troubles and I advanced her money to
tide her over. believe they separated
fully twenty times since they were mar
ried. never saw him until yesterday.
On September q she phoned me that
her husband had died in Chicago as the
result of an accident while working on the
railroad. She told me he fell between
nwo cars, his feet were severed, and. from
the shock, he died. Further that he had
a policy with the Railroad Protective
association for 5000. but he had bor-
rowed on It, was back with his dues. and
she was afraid that she void be unable
to collect. loaned her the money to pay
a lawyer and advised her to see one at
once. When that is settled and l get
the money I'll give you 5000 she said.
/ replied that all I wanted was the money
= / had loaned her. which amounted H. all.
TO about $500. She then lived at 1915 Lo-
Gust street, but after telling me her hus-
band was dead, she moved to the Prln-
cess hotel. was to met her at ten
q ClOCk n lew uhyS ago, WHEN btio Sdtu
she had collected the insurance and would
pay mo what she owed me. l kept the
appointSnent. but she did not show up.
then went to the hotel and learned
that she had come to Omaha. Her hus-
band had been here about a year. un-
derstand.
Found Through Baggage Check.
Through her duplicate baggage checks
in ST. Louis, ! was able to learn n
Omaha where the trunks had been de-
livered. arrived here Sunday morning
about eleven o'clock and went to the
house. told Mrs, widener the land
lady. that I wished to transact some
bushes with Mrs. Campbell. and was
taken to her room. She seemed greatly
taken back at seeing me, and when |
told her / had come for my money she
asserted that her lawyer had the money
in trust, and slie had left everything IN
his hands, together with some work in
connection with an estate of 800 left
her by her grandfather She agreed to
give me power Of attorney to collect what
was due me. and 1 was we'll satisfied.
We ehatted a bit. and left
Man Left Room.
'Tt seemed TO me that as entered hel
room a tall. thin man. but half clad, lefI
by another door. AS 1 walked away
from the house. north, this same fellow
fully dressed, came out of the place and
left in the opposite direction. 1 thought
~---------------------