TRENTON MURDER MYSTERY

No Clue to Identity of Slayer of Mrs. Ed Shirley

"Bunk" Davidson, Cousin of Victim, is Being Watched, but Has Not Been Charged With Crime

Carthage Evening Press Carthage Mo Fri Sep 22 1911 page 1

Associated Press Updates

Trenton, Mo., Sept. 22 - "Bunk" Davidson, a young married man of the Melbourne neighborhood, is being guarded in his home pending investigation in connection wtih the murder of Mrs. Ed Shirley there last Sunday. Davidson is a cousin by marriage of the murdered woman and has two children. He has not been formally charged with the crime. Davidson is a fat man, which fact alone coincides with the story of the 2-year-old daughter who witnessed the crime, but could not comprehend its meaning.

Mrs. Shirley was alone with the little daugther Sunday, her husband and little son having gone away for the day. When they returned they found the house locked and were obliged to break in. The door to Mrs. Shirley's chamber was also locked. On her bed lay the murdered woman, her neck broken as if by a twist, and bruises on her wrist evidently received in a struggle.

There was blood in the room and on the window whence her assailant had fled, but no blood had been drawn from the victim.

The baby daughter said "a big fat man slapped mamma and mamma slapped him."

The little one was not frightened. Mrs. Shirley had been assaulted. Bloodhounds from Nebraska arrived yesterday, but the trail was cold. The Shirleys are highly respectable country people living in Harrison county, near the Grundy county line.