Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-09-10
Not
Explained

Mrs. Wurtzbarger and Gallagher,
which the woman says her hus-
band intercepted ,and why Eliza
Miles, nephew of Mrs. Wurtzbar-
ger, who is alleged to have been
sleeping in the adjoining room
when the murder was committed,
was not called upon to protect the
woman if her life was in danger,
are other questions bearing on the
case which have not yet been an
swered.
Mrs. Wurtzbarger is being held
in the Multnomah county jail
awaiting action Of the federal
grand jury. When first taken to
Portland she wanted to waive a
preliminary examination, but up
on the advice of United States At
torney Lester Humphreys and
Commissioner Frazer, decided to
do so. September rs was the date
set today for her preliminary hear
ing in the federal court.
Gallagher, whom authorities
have been trying to locate since it
first became known that his at
tentions to Mrs. Wurtzbarger were
one of the causes of the alleged
brutal jealousy of her husband,
has revealed his whereabouts in
Portland. He rallies to the sup
port of Mrs. Wurtzbarger in the
following interview, reprinted
from the Oregon Journal:
Mrs. Wurtzbarger has been my
good angel" Gallagher told a re-
porter for the Journal. "She raised
my soul from hell, when l was full
of bitterness and vindictiveness
against the world. There never
was a finer, purer, better woman,
and it is inconceivable that she
could have committed this crime
except under desperate fear OF los
ing her own life"
Il loved her." he said, with
everything clean and decent ana
good that was in me. | asked her
to marry me, and there was time
she believed she would. But my
past was against me. 1t would
have meant that she would have
had to take upon herself all the
condemnation which the world
heaps upon an ex-convict. She
chose this order man instead. She
found out her mistake later, and
she was trying to get away from
him when his insane jealousy
forced this tragedy. II she could
have got away from him we would
probably have been married. If l
can bring it about we will be yet
as soon as she can get out OF this
trouble"
Occupation Not Divulged.
The journal knows Gallagher
occupation and is Withholding 1t
for the time being to prevent, if
possible. the loss of his position.
But Gallagher is willing to stand
that. too, If it viii help the wom-
an he regards as his savior.
Gallagher is about Mrs. Wurtz-
barger's age-37 years. He Is
well educated, and gives the i'm
pression of a man who has gone
through fire and come out tenn
pered.
81 hesitated about coming for
ward" he said. Il knew it prob
ably meant the loss of my position
and it is hard Lor a man with
record to get good jobs. | needed
the money, because this woman
has none Of her own, and l intend
TO devote every cent can get to
her defense. But l couldn't stand
n any longer. Every mans hand
seemed against her. and l had to
speak.
II was on March 2s, 1914. that
Gallagher first went to the peni-
tentlary for from one to 10 years
on a charge OF embezzlement from
the bartenders' union in Astoria
"Td taken money he said In
telling Of il. but hadn't tried to
hide the shortage on the books
They couldn't have proved en-
bezzIement But there was some
thing eIse-I cant tell you what
II was-that made it impossible
FOR me to put up a defense. l
pleaded guilty and took the sen
tenee.
Il was paroled at the end Of a
year. I went to Sacramento AID