The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-24
DUKES INNOCENCE
OF the Murder of Fora Burns
Clearly Proven.
The HOOsier Farmer Boy Makes Coed
Impression Before the COrener's
Jury at Lincoln.
Statement OF Prosecutor Forrest Re-
garding the Evidence Against Car
penter-Other Criminal News.
THE LINCOLN MYSTERY.

Dukes, Zora Burns Intended. Proves an
Alibi-Testimony of the Girls Father
Carpenters Defense.
LINCOLN, H., Oct. 22.-At Fora Burns in
Guest Thomas NJ. Dukes who was engaged
10 marry the murdered girl. proved salts
factory alibi One matter was satisfactorily
cleared up to-day, and that is that Dukes
and his father were actually here
from o'clock Friday evening until S.
when they left st. Elmo They came in re
sponse to a telegram from here expecting 10
see Zoras body before it was sent to her late
home. Arriving too late they went there to
attend the funeral Official prevarication is
reponsible for the mystery concerning his
movements The officials now unhesitat-
incly declare that he was here for three
hours Friday evening and affect to laugh at
the purported Indiana interview as either
wild exaggerations or romantic fabrications.
The fact that he voluntarily came here, they
say, knocked the wind out OF his alleged
statement that he wouldn't come for the
whole State of Indiana, and utterly destroys
the theory that he had any hand in the girls
death. Such conduct, they insist. is wholly
inconsistent with the idea of Dukes guilt,
and powerful argument in favor of his en-
tire innocence. While he manifested no
very poignant grief at the fate Of his be-
trOthed, he did express some sorrow and
desire to see her murderer punished.
The officials with their usual secretiveness
practically kept him close prisoner while
here, and allowed no outsiders whatever TO
see him. In addition TO the fact OF his COM
ing here voluntarily, they claim TO have an
other alleged proof his innocence. In other
words. they took bis own and bis fathers
sworn statement before the Coroner's Jury
that a week ago tonight, when Fora Burns
was probably murdered in Lincoln. Dukes
was at Church over in Indiana and that he
could bring fifty witnesses to prove IL. The
officials and Lawyer Blum, who has been re-
tained TO assist in the prosecution, were eyi-
IDENTIFY impressed with what they regarded as
the apparent truthfulDess of his story, and
several of them said to-day that they hadn't
the slightest doubt that he was entirely inno-
cent, and would be back here TO tell all he
knew that might possibly throw any light on
the mystery OF the girls murder.
Henry Ahrends, one Of the Jurors. testified
that on August IA last he saw Carpenter at
Peoria with a woman whom the witness now
believed to be the murdered girl. The next
evening he saw her at the Depot. and she
took the same train that Carpenter and the
witness did for Lincoln, though she did not
sit with near them The testimony
created a sensation.
The father of Fora testified that she had
shown him two letters received from A. Car
penteT, now under arrest for her murder, and
read a portion OF them TO the witness. The
dead girl had claimed that Carpenter was
owing her some money, and she bad stated
befoTe leaving home that she was going to
Lincoln to try and collect il from him.
As for the alleged letters from Carpenter
90 Fora, concerning which no one has yet
testified except from recollection. The prob
able keynote of the defense basalready been
sounded By the cry, Produce them" When
the discussion gets 10 this point. the prosecu-
tion practically ask for time. and promise 70
ft in the missing links in good season. The
first formal tilt between the opposing forces
will come OFF at the examination, which will
probably come of tomorrow or Wednesday,
when Mr.. Beach, Carpenter's leading coun-
sci, is expected 10 return Beach. according
20 all accounts. is the Emery storrs and
Leonard SWEET of Lincoln joined in one, and
when he takes hold n considerable quantity of
fur is advertised 10 fly. Colonel Lynch, one
of Carpenters counsel nov on the groand,
said this afternoon that they would be ready
ne soon as the other side.
Intervie~ with Prosecutor Forrest
What evidence IS there against Carpen-