Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-01-11
.ETCAESON TELLS
HOW MURDER WAS
PLANNED BY PRICE
Spoke of Getting Rid Of His Wife
Two Months Before Act Was
Committed.
SAYS MURDER SCENE
STILL HAUNTs HIM
>tr0Wds Pack Court Room in Min.
neapolis t Hear Gruesome
Story Of Murder.

Minneapolis, Jan. 10.-From the
lips of Charles d. Etcheson, the
states star witness in the murder
trial Of Frederick r. Price, a local
businessman, today came one of the
most sensational stories of it's kind
in court annals Of the northwest. The
young travelling salesman Of Washing
ton. d. c., repeated in detail the story
he told when arrested on a joint in
dictment with Price, in which he said
the latter murdered his third wife and
paid Etcheson for his silence.
When court adjourned tonight until
tomorrow afternoon Etcheson had not
completed his story 1t was expect
ed, however, chat the case would
reach the jury before the end of this
week.
Court Room Packed.
In a court room packed to overflow
ing, its aisles and entrances choked
with people Of all walks Of life, Etche-
son told how he and Price took Mary
tridley Price, member of a wealthy
family, to the East river automobile
road on the night of November %,
1914, and how Price hurled her from
cliff and then crushed her head with
a rock. Price, who has acquired the
title OF "ir0nman" listened to the tale
with no show Of emotion.
Etcheson said it was two months
before her death that Price first told
ing else. First fatty refused to have
ever they may be, merry chase"
~ Il Talked of Muraer, tf1s.s Nv q
From then, Price talked of moth
ing elce. Firs! fatty refused to have
a hand in the natter the witness
continued. "Then he insisted and re-
ferred to the money owed him and
how much he would pay me if l would
be his witness.
"On the night of the murder W..
drove to the cliff and Price brought
the car to a stop. He told his wife
that he must make slight repair
and asked her to step from the ca".
and take the dog with her
AS she backed out upon the run
ming board, Price seized her anu
gave a horrible push and she went
over the cliff. He threw the dog af.
ter her.
Dragged by Hair,
p "Then came faint cries from be-
low, and Price, beckoning me to FOL-
low, hurried to the foot of the cliff.
He grasped his wife by the hair and
dragged her several feet to make it
pear the fall had been greater.
MRS. Price was still living. Price
looked about him moment and gath
ering up large rock knelt down be-
side her. turned my back and
closed my eyes. AS the thud of the
rock against he head sounded in the
stiffness the dog, unhurt by the fall,
whined and ran toward the cliff. In
a few minutes the flickering spark of
life had left the woman.
"We stopped passing automobilists
and gave out the story that Mrs.
Price fell to her death while chasing
the dog"
Haunted by Scene.
The witness said he was haunted
continually by the scene on the night
of the alleged crime and decided to
tell his story.
More than 1000 people were in
line stretching from the court room
entrance down two flights of stairs
into the street before court conven-
ed. Women predominated in the
court room. Most of those present
brought their lunches and did not
leave their seats during the noon re-
cess.