Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-27
Love Affair
SteiigerCase

Love for Mrs. Steiger, wife Of
T.W. Steiger, who was shot
three times and seriously
wounded while in the barn on
his farm a mile north of this
city Thursday night, and his de.
sire to get her husband out OF
The way, today was advanced by
authorities as a motive for the
shooting that is attributed to
Jesse Mullinix, 40, now in the
county Jail under a charge of
assault with intent to kill.
knowledge that Mrs. .Steiger
would be the sole heir to a large
estate her husband would leave
in case of death, and that if he
successfully wooed her he
would get it, is another theory
that was being worked upon to-
day by Prosecuting Attorney
Max Gehlhar.
Mulinix was formally charged with
the crime last evening: He probably
will be arraigned in court late this aft
ernoon, Mr.. Gehlhar said The arraign-
ment has been delayed, it was stated,
to enable deputies from the sheriff,s
office to gather further evidence on
the case.
Steiger Sonfesses.
Reluctantly Mr.. Steiger, who is con-
fined at the Salem hospital, told Mr.
Gehlhar and Sheriff Needham yester-
day afternoon that he did quarrel with
Mullinix while he was employed on his
farm in August, 1918, and that he or
dered him from the premises after
Mullinix had paid undue attention to
Mrs Steiger Steiger admitted that he
did not believe that Mullinix would re-
turn after this long elapse of time to !
get revenge thought to have been
sought when they disagreed on how
for.
Investigation made by Deputies |
Bower and Smith on the Steiger farm
yesterday resulted in the finding of five
empty pistol cartridges, from which.
authorities aver, the bullets which en-
tered Steigers body came. They We're
found lying together about ten PAGES
from where the shooting occurred.
Shot at Barn Door.
It developed today that the shooting
did not occur in the barnyard wrie
Mr. Steiger was en- route to the house,
but that it occurred at the entrance of
the barn
It is the belief of Prosecuting Attor
ney Gehlhar that whoever committed
the crime had intimate knowledge of
Mr. Steigers habits For, according to
steigers story as told yesterday at the
hospital, his assailant reached through
the door, that was apar not more than
foot and half, and fired just as he
came through with the milk buckets
Steiger said that he struck at the man
with his lantern, then grappled with
MIN, When his strength ebbed the |
rellow broke away and ran. He is be- /,
leVed to have emptied the shells from {
me revolver as he ran, and thrown the !
Weapon into a moat nearby. Authori-
-es have thus far been unable to find {
he revolver.
Neighbors Silent.
Although declining to discuss tie
natter with officials, neighbors near
ne steiger farm persist in stories that {
Anlilnix had made elandestine visits
'he Steiger home recently and that
hey saw him with Mrs. Steiger. They t
ay there can be no doubt that Mul- I
INK and Mrs. Steiger enjoyed intimate i
G
rrosecuting Attorney Gehlhar re- q
iled today that about two years ago
was on the point of filing charge G
perjury against Mullinix when he i
sst'lied in criminal case in one of
&c local courts. He claims that the I
''soher' who testified as witness IN
'e case at that time, made misrepre- i.
'ntations of time in an attempt to es-
'phsh an alibi for a friend. For this 1
'asoh' Mr., Gehlhar said today, he is
onhed to disbelieve Mullinix's state
en' ',, that he was playing pool in
'iiard hall down town here when the
'potlhg occurred at s o'clock.
- was reported from the Salem hos
'"l at noon that Mr.. Steiger's eondi-
:" is good and that every hope for
: Recovery is bard o,,t