The Washington times., 1917-11-06
HUNT FOR BRIDES
SLAYER WTHDOGS
IS UNSUCCESSFUL
Continued from First Page.)


tacKe~. that she believed a negro was
her assailant. II Is believed by the
county authorities that a white man
was the aggressor.
This theory Is borne out by the Pc
culiar manner in which the woman
was slashed, and the lack of other
marks on her body. together with the
I fact that her clothing. though dis
/ arranged, was neither cut nor torn.
Nothing was taken from the house
and there were no signs that the In
7 truder made any attempt to search
for valuables. The few pieces Of jew
elry the slain woman possessed were
found on her bureau.
Gossip Brought Arrest.
These facts and the repetition OF
remarks alleged to have been mare
by Smelly after the marriage OF
Walker and the slain woman led to
his arrest, in the cemetery where Mrs
Walker was buried, a few minutes
after her body had been lowered into
the grave. The arrest was made by
Constable F. J. Mosby, Of Lacrosse,
and the prisoner was taken immedi-
ately TO the Mecklenburg county seat
at Boydston, twenty miles distant.
On the morning Of the murder Mrs
Walker was alone in the 'one-story
farmhouse. Her husband left about
o'clock to visit another farm he
owns, about fifteen miles distant. The
three small children OF her husband.
widower, had gone to visit with
their step-mothePs parents. Mr.. and
Mrs. Thomas H. Smelly. who live less
than a mile away, tn Mt before.
Mrs. walker evidently had just com
pleted her toilet when she was At
tackled.
Brother'a Discovery.
When the brother entered the house
he found the shades tightly drawn.
He received no response to his calls
and looked into the bedroom. His sis
ter was lying across the bed, her |
disarranged and two slasheR
in her abdomen and thigh. A razor |
lay beside her on the bed. She was
still conscious and gasped out that a |
man had seized her as she stood be-
side the bed and she then had tainted.
She said she believed the man was |
negro, but could not be sure because
OF the dim light
DR.. w. w. Wilkinson. the family |
was called. He found evil
dences that the woman had been at
tackled before she was slashed and
the nature OF the wounds led him to
DeneNe Inc was oOuc
venge or by some abnormal person.
Two Razora Found.
One razor lay beside the woman; an
other. also covered with stains, was
found in a bureau drawer. Both were
the property OF Mr.. walker Moth.
ing was found to indicate who might
have committed the crime.
The county authorities were noti-
fed, and within a few hours posses
were securing the countryside
were procured, but they
failed to pick up any trail The dogs
were used all Friday night and Satur-
lay, and a number OF negroes living
IN the vicinity were trailed and ques
.Ioned. In each case the suspects
proved their innocence and were re-
eased
alleged to have been made by the
,ride's cousin, after announcement OF
Ter intention to wed Walker had
,een made. Although Smelly, the
.ousin, sent flowers to be placed on
he grave, and showed every evidence
Il real grief, he was arrested as he
urned away from the open grave
the body OF his one-time ,
Sunday afternoon.
Family L. Well known.
The community in which the Walk
r and Smelly families live Is only a
hort distance north OF Lacrosse, a
own of a few hundred souls. All the
eople are farmers in comfortable cir I
and the Smelly family is =
ne OF the largest and best known in
he neighborhood. Thomas H. Smelly, ,
he slain woman's father. is a hale old
ian OF sixty years. and lives only
alf a mile from the fifty-Rcre farm I
his son-in-law. His brother, A. r. ,
nelly, father OF the man under ar
est, lives less than a mile distant.
For some years young Smelly is l
aid to have paid attention to his {
ousin and was declared to be anxious Z
, marry her. About a year ago
Talker's wife died, leaving him with
Tree small children. About four
Ionths ago he started calling on Miss r
nelly, and the wedding followed Z
velve days ago. 4.
Mrs. Walker was an attractive bru-
stte, and while she was known TO