Iowa
Old Press
Waterloo Evening Courier
Waterloo, Black Hawk co. Iowa
July 17, 1914
DOGS VEXED, FIRST BY DUST, THEN BY RAIN
Dust so deep as not to retain the scent of George
DeLair, wanted for murder at Hopkinton, and afterwards a rain so
heavy as to wash all the dust away. These were the unusual
conditions, which the Waterloo bloodhounds found in endeavoring
to trail the murderer today.
Harry Ferguson, in charge of the dogs, returned last evening. He
states the hounds took the trail and followed it a mile, to a
highway, where, owing to the very deep dust, it was lost. Tracks
were visible to the road. When a storm cloud arose Ferguson
rejoiced. He was certain that if a slight rain fell the scent
would be restored and the hounds could proceed. His hopes were
blasted when the downpour continued for two hours, washing away
all the dust from the highway and thereby disputing the scent
entirely.
MURDER SUSPECT CAPTURED TODAY BY RYAN MARSHAL -
George DeLair Had Called at Eating House for Breakfast and Was
Recognized
PROTESTED INNOCENCE WHEN DEPUTY ARRIVED His
Parents Live at Hazleton and He Worked Recently in a Waterloo
Factory.
Hopkinton, July 17—(Special.)—George DeLair murderer of
Mrs. John Allen, made complete oral confession to Frank M. Tower,
a business man of Hopkinton, stating that the crime was committed
because of the refusal of the girl to marry him after having
promised to do so. He says he was drunk at the time and that
statement is credited by the fact that eight quarts of whiskey
and twenty-four bottles of beer were found in a dugout, one of
his favorite stopping places, yesterday.
Manchester, Ia., July 17—(Special.)—After a strenuous
search by Sheriff Hennessy, his deputy, officers of Hopkinton and
other towns and posses of citizens, George DeLair, suspected
murderer of Mrs. Jack Allen, 17, bride of a week, near Hopkinton
Wednesday night, was taken into custody by the town marshal at
Ryan, Ia., fifteen miles from the scene of the crime, this
morning.
DeLair had gone to a restaurant for breakfast. The proprietor
recognized him, knew that the officers were searching for him,
and notified the marshal. The suspect made no resistance. A short
time afterwards, the deputy sheriff of the county went to Ryan
and brought the prisoner here, where he is in the county jail.
DENIES HE IS THE MAN.
When taken in charge by the deputy sheriff, DeLair declared he
was innocent of the brutal murder of the young bride. He told
different stories, one of which was to the effect that he had
been at Cedar Rapids and had just arrived at Ryan.
On the theory that DeLair, who was formerly infatuated with Mrs.
Allen, who was Eva Mellis before her marriage a week ago, was the
guilty party who fired the shot that caused the girl’s death
while returning home from Hopkinton with her husband, a search
was instituted for him as soon as the tragedy was reported. It is
said that, before firing the fatal shot from ambush at the side
of a dark spot in the highway, a voice called:
“Is that you, Eva?”
It is said that Mrs. Allen, before she expired, told her husband
the voice was that of DeLair. The young woman retained
consciousness until the very last.
FORMERLY IN WATERLOO.
DeLair has been working in a cream separator factory at Waterloo,
but it is said he had returned to Hopkinton a day or two before
the shooting. His relatives reside at Hazleton, in Buchanan
county. Because four front teeth are missing and he is
cross-eyed, there was no trouble in identifying DeLair.
Feeling runs high in the vicinity of Hopkinton over the tragedy,
and if the suspect had fallen into the hands of a posse of
infuriated citizens, the members might have visited physical
punishment on him.
The charge will be first degree murder, and the trial will be in
Manchester.
[transcribed by L.Z., August 2015]