Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1922-04-26
DRIVEN TO DEED
BY DESPERATION
Miss Elsie Salisbury May Not Sur
vive Says Sister, Mrs. Hof-
man Of Willmar

Mrs. Edwin Hoffman Of this city,
sister Of Miss Elsie Salisbury, Monte
video young woman charged with the
murder Of Oscar Erickson in the Chi
cago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway
office, the tragedy having occurred on
Friday OF last week, has been almost
constantly at the bed of mental and
physical pain of her younger sister.
Mrs. Hoffman accompanied by her hus-
band arrived in Montevideo- shortly
after the terrible news were received.
The sister has done everything in her
power to console and cheer the unfor
tunate woman. Mrs. Ole Borgendale,
jail matron, together with Mrs. Hoff-
man have been the attendants at the
bedside Of Miss Salisbury.
In an interview with Mr.. Edwin
Hoffman it has been learned that many
reports have been circulated and pub
lished which have been very doubtful
and in extreme cases know to be fab
relations, in all, probability the repor-
ters own fictiOnal account. Conversa-
tons in which Miss Salisbury was pur-
ported to have told the story. of the
tragedy and given quite lengthy inter-
| views were declared to be untrue.
Miss Salisbury has been practically
Unconscious since the shooting occur
red and is burdened by the terror of
the crime to such an extent that she
will not speak about it. In fact every
effort has been made to avoid the sub
jecty in any words to her on the sick
| bed. Doubtless rumOrs have inspired
the reportial pen into inventive stor-
les.
Miss Salisbury has not been told of
experienced nerve racking dreams Of
his death but no one has impaired the
news to her. To do SO would be to
snap the last chord between a linger-
ing life and death. The young woman
is growing gradually weaker, cannot
speak and refuses to partake of food
She is not expected to live.
The Tribune has also learned that
J
thru rejected and tantaliZed love
It has been stated that her deep affec
tin for Erickson was not only not re
turned but was famed by constant
rehabilitation into state of mental in
trinity. Acquaintances who greeted
her on her way to work Friday morn
ing observed her queer actions. She die
not recognize them, her features sug
costing what might have been a tenn
porary state Of insanity. For weeks
it is reported she has not slept ant
other evidences have been obtained
to show that the wound made; in he1
heart growing out of the love affair
was deep and overwhelmed her.
AS the story of the shooting devel
oped," it unfolded a tangled skein O.
love. It is a story of woman's yearn
ing for man whose interest waned
and had its, elimination in the trag
s edy: Of Friday. noon. ..,,2...,...s .s.ser.~
Friday noon as the whistle blew
Miss Salisbury called Erickson int,
her office. All others had gone out
He stepped from his box car office t,
that of the chief carpenter, in which
, she sat at her typewriter. AS the de
, tails were outlined to the county at
. torney, A. D. Kief, the girl asked Ell
ickson to read a letter. He picked u
| the letter to read, saw the 25-Co]t au
; tomato on her desk and started tC
: ward the door, only to be halted b.
i three shots which brought him to- tn
| floor. 1t is a very small Office. A
: he fell he was stretched nearly tn
: length of the room.