news article

HARRISON COUNTY, MO., STIRRED BY MURDER OF MRS. ED SHIRLEY. SPECIAT, DispATCh TO The GlOBE-DEMOCrAT. TRENTON, MO., September 21. Bunk Davidson, a young married farmer, about 35 years old and father of two children, is being held by the Harrison County authorities near- Melbourne in connection with the killing of Mrs. Ed. Shirley of the same neighborhood. Late to-day no formal charges had been preferred against Davidson, but he was being guarded at his home. The holding of Davidson adds new fire to the already heated sentiment in tho Brimson neighborhood, the outcome ot "one of the most brutal crimes ever known in this section of Missouri. Mrs. Shirley was murdered Sunday by an unknown assailant. who broke her neck. When her husband and little sons returned from a day's trip they found the doors locked. A 2-year-old daughter, who had remained with the mother, was Inside, unhurt. The assailant had evidently escaped by a window. Mrs. Shirley's body bore no marks save bruises on her wrists, hut on the window was blood, showing that her antagonist had probably not escaped un-scratched. The little girl told those who arrived later that a "big fat man had fought with mamma, and that mamma was asleep now. An effort was made to get bloodhounds to the scene, but they were late in arriving and accomplished nothing.