The Jamesport Gazette Jamesport MO Fri Sep 22 1911 page 1

-On last Sunday morning Ed Shirley, residing seven miles North of Melbourne, went with his two young sons to a relative's, leaving Mrs. Shirley and a two and a half years old daughter at home. About two o'clock the husband and sons returned. They found the outside doors locked and every window fastened excepting one. One of the boys climbed through this window and unlocked a door. Upstairs is a chamber where Mrs. Shirley had evidently gone for a nap. The door of this room was locked. When it was forced open, there were evidence of a fierce struggle, and on the bed was the body of Mrs. Shirley with her neck broken. Save for some blue marks on her wrist where her assailant had grasped her, there were no other signs on her person of the struggle. Spots of blood on Mrs. Shirley's clothing and on the window out which the murderer had climbed showed that the murderer did not escape uninjured. The little daughter, too small to understand the tragedy, said, "Big fat man come and fight mamma and mamma fight him." It is believed that the guilty person resides in the neighborhood. No arrests have been made. Mrs. Shirley was about thirty years of age and of irreproachable character.