The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-02-26
PARO[EO CONVICT
IN DOUBLE CRIME
BROOklNGS MAN KILLS HIS d.
voHcE0 WIFE AND THEN
COMMITS SUICIDE
WAS RELEASED ONLY TWO WEEKS AGO
Both Well Known in This County as
proprietors Of Hotels for
Many Years.


The most shocking crime ever com.
mitted in Brookings occurred last Sun.
day night when w. H. Conklin shot
and killed his divorced wife and then
turned his gun upon himself and lit
orally blew out his brains with a bull
let which entered his head near his
right ear and passed out below the
other ear. His death was instanta-
neous and Mrs. Conklin lived but a
few minutes after being shot The
double crime occurred in the Office of
the HetropOle hotel, which has been
conducted by Mrs. Conklin since the
separation of the two in the fall of 1918.
Conklin's life has been full of trou-
BILE and marked by several serious vio-
lations of law, this being ascribed by
those who knew him largely to un-
governed passion when provoked.
Aside from this failing he was consid-
cred man of many good qualities,
generous and ready to help friend,
and formerly good business man.
At one time he was a member of the
Brookings city council and in that
capacity is said TO have served the
city well. About twenty years ago he
came to Brookings and purchased the
Leon hotel, which he conducted in
manner that gave good service to the
travelling public and proved profitable
TO him. About ten years ago he sold
the Leon and for awhile engaged in
other business, but several years ago
he purchased the Metropole, which he
and his wife together managed with
fair success until disagreements arose
between them. In the matter of their
marital troubles there are many citi-
zens of Brookings who do not consider
Conklin altogether to blame, but when
his wife applied for divorce in De-
cember of 1918 he in fit of anger
shot her while she was in her attor-
ney's office, awaiting the completion
of an attempted agreement as to their
mutual financial affairs. At that time
he fred three shots, one bullet strik-
ing Mrs. Conklin in the thigh and
infiicting a serious wound.
For shooting his wife Conklin was
sent to the state penitentiary at Sioux
Falls for term of two and one-ha!f
years. He had friends here who inter
ested themselves in an attempt to Sc
cure a pardon for him and many citi-
zens of this city signed a petition ask
ing his pardon. He was not pardoned,
but was given a parole and left the
penitentiary February 8, just two
weeks before his latest tragedy. and
came Immediately to Brookings. His
conduct in prison had been exemplary
and his friends believed he was sin,
cere in his promise to not further mo-
lest his wife, but it is now generally
believed that he had never ceased to
plan the murder of his former wife,
who had secured a divorce while he
was in prison.
Upon his return to Brookings he Sc
cured a room in the home of James
night watchman for the First National
bank during the time it occupied tenn
porary quarters and carried a modern
automatic revolver He also owned an
old style Colts army 45-caliber re-
volver, which he kept about his home.
This is said to have been kept in
dresser drawer, and Mr.. Isom states
that he did not know that Conklin
knew of its being in the house. How
ever, when Conkling decided the time
had come to act he secured this old
gun and evidently lay in wait for his
victim. Mrs. Conklin had been in
Huron last Sunday and returned on the
train which arrived in Brookings at
10:30 p. m. She had been in the hotel
but few moments when Conklin en-
tered the hotel Office and demanded
that she go into another room and talk
over their troubles. He also demanded
that she give him valuable diamond
ring which he had given her while
they lived together, and which it is
said had formerly belonged to his first |
wife. Mrs. Conklin refused to go
into another room and evidently feared !
to attempt to escape from the office. /,
There were but two other persons in /
the Office. the hotel clerk and trevel-.
ing man who had just registered for
the night. The clerk, scenting serious
trouble. quietly left the hotel intend
ing to call the police. Mrs. Conklin
managed to remove the ring and hand
it to the travelling man without her
action being taken by Conklin, who
had momentarily turned his back to
them, but an instant later he ap-
preached her and drew the revolver
from his overcoat and fired at her.
the bullet passing through her left