McRaye

Appellant was charged with murder and found guilty of: manslaughter. During the month of October 1945, two of the inhabitants of Seldovia, Alaska, were appellant Walter E. McRaye and Michael McDonough, the deceased. These men had fished commercially during the 1945 fishing season and then took up residence in the same house. Mc-Donough moved into the jointly occupied house at Mc-Raye’s invitation. In this community of Seldovia there also resided one Doris Stephan, a sister-in-law of McRaye; The Stephan girl and McRaye were close friends, had been intimate, and according to a statement made by McRaye were to be married as soon as McRaye obtained a divorce from his wife, from whom he was separated. The friendship between McDonough and McRaye continued until McDonough and Doris became enamored of each other and began “going steady.” From this time on an increasing coolness seems to have arisen between McDonough and McRaye. McDonough vacated the house in which he and McRaye had been living, at the invitation of McRaye. The Stephan girl and McDonough began living together. McRaye resented this very much and according to the evidence threatened “that if McDonough ever laid a hand on…