Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-09-05


Ient nature. On one occasion, he
said. he had seen Wurtzbarger
strike his wife, and on several oc-
casions he had heard him curse
and threaten her. From their con-
versations, the boy said he gath
cred that the disputes had come mp
because Mrs. Wurtzbarger had re-
ceived letters from man by the
name of Gallagher, who lived In
Portland.
Occasionally, the boy said,
Wurtzbarger apparently had sue
ceeded in intercepting the letters.
That Wurtzbarger and his wife
had had many quarrels was the
common knowledge among the
folk residing at the Chemawa
school. Mrs. A.. Ayres Of Los An
geles, a daughter of James Swa-
boda, the schools shoemaker, who
occupied a room in the other half
of the double cottage in which the
Wurtzbargers resided, said that
she was awakened about 8 o'clock
in the morning by a noise which
sounded like a chair falling.
Profanity Is Frequent.
She said she gave the crash no
further attention because she had
become used to suoh disturbances.
Often she said she had heard
Wurtzbarger and his wife shout
ing at each other, Wurtzbarger's
remarks frequently receiving em-
phasis through his choice of force
full profanity.
Wurtzbarger was about 5 feet Z
inches tall and weighed about ITO
pounds. He was employed at the
Indian school about Christmas
time in 1920 by David s. Turner,
chief farmer at the school.
Harwood Hall, superintendent
of the institution, was not ac-
quainted with Wurtzbarger, who
was reputed to be an excellent
workman. Prior to the time that
he went to work at the school, but
little is known of him except that
he is thought to have once held a
job as laborer at the state hos
pital for the insane.
Mrs. Wurtzbarger is also about
s feet Z inches in height and
weighs but about 100 pounds. To-
day she was dressed in a brown
silk dress, which was covered by a
heavy cloak of the same color.
Woman Weeps Once.
Mrs. Wurtzbarger broke down I
and wept only once during the en-
tire day. That lone display of
nerves" came early in the morn
ing, shortly after she had started
to tell her story to Sheriff Bower.
Later, when questioned by Off
cials and newspaper men, she ap
peared to be utterly Indifferent as
10 her possible fate, and appeared
10 be bored, rather than angered.
1t the interrogations put to her.
At 6 o'clock Sunday night she
agreed for the first time to eat.
She was asked what she wanted.
Anything will do" she answer
ID. I'm not particularly hun
;ry."
She also was asked why she had
siven herself up to the officers.
what else was there to do?"
he answered.
Harwood Hall, superintendent
# the school, said last night that
lad Mrs. Wurtzbarger failed to re-
'ort the killing it probably would
Iot have been discovered for sew
raj days. Officials, he said,
would merely have concluded that
Vurtzbarger had left the school
emporarily, and the crime might
ot have come to light for perhaps
week.
Boy Sleeps During Killing.
What part Elsea Miles, the boy
Tho occupied an adjoining room
n the house, will play in the case,
fficers do not know. He said he
lept through the commission of
he crime and was awakened only !
7hen Mrs. Wurtzbarger came into
is room and announced that she
ad killed her husband.
Mrs. Wurtzbarger has been mar
led three times. Besides her
Mrs. Derrick, who re
ides here, she has one son, Otis
lilies, II years old. who resides in
ortland, Her daughter was by
er first husband, Dellis Carter, !.