She was a school teacher. Her husband was a bank manager. He had been gun down on a sidewalk one afternoon when leaving the bank for home after a days work. She notified the police but did not trust them. Her husband had told her about a man who applied for a business loan to keep a construction company from bankruptcy. He was refused as his credit was not credible. This refusal made the man mad enough to threaten the bank manager, Mr. Malan Henry Oliver. His wife was Elizabeth Jane. The construction company was owned by Elliot Blankenship. He had lost much money gambling cards and dice. He lacked capital to run the company. He was desperate. Elizabeth knew of the man’s threats against her husband as he told her. She wanted Ellis to help her. The police tracked Mr. Blankenship. He was now a missing person. Elizabeth feared him being at large, that her life may be threatened too.
Mr. Blankenship unable to raise the money to pay his expenses, got into a heated argument with George Harper, the man who he owed the money to. This eventually turned into a violent scuffle. Mr. Blankenship got very angry, cussed him out, pulled a pistol and shot him in the left arm. In defense George Harper pulled a knife, stabbed Mr. Blankenship ten times killing him. Mr. Harper disposed of Mr. Blankenship’s body in an isolated wooded area. Some campers found the body, and contacted the police. The police located George Harper, arrested him, and locked him in jail. Mrs. Oliver was no longer in any danger from her husband’s murderer. She paid Ellis $150 for his time and trouble.