The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-04-27
man MURDERED
AT FAULKTON
Ciyde Chambers, Hired Man, Arrested
ana Charged With the Crime

William w. Monroe, a farmer living
w miles north of Faulkton, was MUIR
uered shortly before midnight last
saturday, as he was about to enter his
nome, after returning from Faulkton.
clyde Chambers, a man employed on
the farm, was arrested Sunday, charg-
ed with the murder, and was taken to
hedf1eld for safe keeping. No motive
Tor the killing has been established,
as there had been no trouble between
Chambers and his employer.
Mr.. and Mrs. Monroe and children
drove to Faulkton Saturday evening
10 do some shopping and to attend to
school carnival given there that even
Ing. Chambers did not leave the
farm until a short time later. Mr..
Monroe met him in Faulkton during
the evening and gave him a check for
IS.
After the entertainment, the fam
lily returned home, Mr.. Monroe stop
ping the car and letting his family
out at the back entrance and then put
his car in the garage. After swapping
the door shut, he started for the house
but as he reached the gate four shots
from a pump gun were fired at him.
The first charge struck the house, two
took effect in his back and side, and
the fourth plower up the ground un-
der his feet. He fell on the back
stoop where he was found later when
the family had recovered sufficiently
from their fright to come out OF hid
ing and investigate. He died before
midnight.
The authorities were Immediately
notified, States Attorney Nord leaving
shortly afterwards for the farm with
several men, the sheriff being in Red
field at the time.
AS the party was about to leave
Faulkton, they met Chambers who
stated that he had heard his boss had
been shot, and guessed he would go
back with the party, which he did.
SCOTS b~loodhounds were summon
ed from Mitchell and the sheriffs in
surrounding counties were notified.
The shots had been fired from be-
hind a steel gasoline barrel about 40
feet from the gate, as was evidenced
by the elected shells. A glove, later
identified as belonging to Chambers
was found there. This was given the
bloodhounds, and they followed tracks
made by shoes identical with those
worn by Chambers, to a point about
80 rods east of the house where a
horse had been tied to the fence.
Taking up the trail of the horse
they followed ii cross a small creek
adjoining the FARM and in to Faulkton
Then circling the city, the hounds
picked mp the scent again on a differ
u trail which they followed back to
the farm and readily identified the
horse standing in the barn.
Patterns of the h%orses's shoes fitted
perfectly in the tracks, and as rain
had fallen shortly before the shooting
several clods of mud gathered up by
the shoes and dropped, were found
which fitted the horses shoes perfect
ly.
At the creek the mate to the glove
found by the gasoline barrel was dis
covered, so rakes were brought and
the creek dragged. Mr.. Monroe's shot
gun and a bundle of silverware taken
from the house were found in creek.
The gun was the same calibre as the
SutitS, anu thC SuCIib WIZ TIC gill
as those used by Mr.. Monroe, a box of
which were found in the house.
Acting on the strength Of all this
chain of circumstances, Chambers
was placed under arrest at the farm
and taken to Redfeld, where he was
submitted to a rigid cross examina-
ton, but would admit nothing, deny
ing that he killed Mr.. Monroe.
He went over the entire route fol-
lowed by the bloodhounds, but claim
ed that ne made that trip a week be-
fore while handling some sheep. The
tracks followed were perfectly fresh.
He stated he lost his gloves while
seeding wheat in the field the day pre-
vious to the shooting, Friday.
While no confession was secured,
admissions were let drop by Chambers
which convinced the authorities that
they have the right man. and they are
now .endeavoring to establish a ten
able motive for the crime.
VIM. Monroe was about ~ years of
age. He had resided near Faulkton
for several years. having come there
from Huron wher he had been en-