The Lamoni Chronicle
July 7, 1904

SUPPOSED MURDER

Mrs. William GRAHAM Found Dead - Supposed to have been Murdered - Husband Suspected of Awful Crime.

Mrs. William GRAHAM was found dead at her home near Glenburn, North Dakota, by her children Morgan, Ellen and Burdetta, early Friday morning. The husband and father William GRAHAM, is missing and is supposed to have committed the crime. From Ward County (North Dakota) Independent we clip the following?

"Mrs. William GRAHAM, wife of a farmer living eight miles directly west of Glenburn, was found dead by her children between the hours of two and three Friday morning. A bullet hole caused by a thirty-two caliber rifle completely through her head told a fearful tale. Her husband is missing and he is suspected of having committed the awful crime though the children cannot believe it.

Three of the children, Morgan, Ellen and Burdetta, went to a dance Friday night, leaving their father and mother alone at home. When the evening's pleasure was ended they returned to their home and were surprised upon entering the house to see a large pool of blood on the floor and blood was still running from the upstairs where the murder was committed.

They were afraid to go upstairs, but went instead to the home of a neighbor, who accompanied them back to the house. Upon going upstairs the mother found on the floor. The bullet had entered her forehead and had gone clear through her head. She was dead when found though it is believed that she did not die instantly. There was evidence of a hard struggle in the room, the mother's face being bruised badly. She still wore her clothes, although her shoes were off as though she had just prepared for retiring.

The gun was missing but nothing else had been taken. Robbery evidently therefore was not the motive of the crime. None of the horses were missing therefore it was concluded that if the father did the terrible deed and attempted to escape, he took a very bold way of doing it. He had made no preparations for leaving, for all of his clothes but those worn by him that night were in the house. The (coroner's) jury concluded that the lady had met her death from gunshot wounds from hands unknown. A warrant was sworn out for the arrest of William GRAHAM. If he is alive and did the deed, he will likely be apprehended."

The GRAHAMs were former residents of this vicinity, having lived on a farm one half mile south of Lamoni for about twenty years, moving to North Dakota two years ago. The family was well respected, Mr. GRAHAM being a quiet, unassuming man. The news of the supposed murder and the evidence pointing to the father as the guilty party comes to Lamoni like a bolt from a clear sky; and as a consequence is being watched with more than the usual interest.

Copied by Stacey McDowell Dietiker
June 7, 2003