The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-03
Arrest-of j. ID. Greenwald, Charged
with the Murder at Rockport.
4 New Theory Which Probably Explains
the Recent Tragedy At Shelbyville-
Gleanings from Two States.
INDIANA.
The Prisoner Potts's Story of the Bloody
Vest Shown to Be True.
Rnecial To the IndlanannliS InnrnRI.

LAFAYETTE, Oct. 2.-The citizens have been
fed on excitement for two days, awaiting the
result of the investigation of old man Potts's
statement that his bloody vest had been
given him by DIR. Young, a prisoner in the
Northern Indiana penitenhary, who was
serving a seven years sentence for horribly
cutting his wife and trying to murder her.
Detective Ten Brock, from Indianapolis, and
Chief Of Police handler had placed Potts
under arrest as the guilty party. A vest
with a large blood stain was discovered, and
the belief was at once that he was the guilty
party. People congratulated themselves that
the awful mystery was about to be solved
aud the demon who mutilated the beautiful
young girl, Ada Atkinson, was at last appre-
hended and would stretch his miserable
carcass from the hangman's scaffold.
Tn officers went to Michigan City to clinch
the link in the chain of evidence that would
fasten the terrible crime upon the old man
Potts, who at best is a horsethief, and had
only a few days before completed a term in
the Northern Indiana penitentiary. They
wished to ascertain if he told the truth
about the vest. The physician, DR.. Young,
whom Potts claimed gave him the bloody
vest is insane, and could not be relied upon
for Information. The vest was, however,
left at Michigan City to be identified by the
family OF DR.. Young, and the officers re-
turned home to await an answer.
Ten Brock, the detective, this afternoon
fled an affidavit charging. Potts with the
murder of Ada Atkinson, and a pre-
liminarY examination was held be-
lore Justice Nisley. Prosecuting At
torney James T. Davidson read the
affidavit. Prisoner at the bar, are you
guilty or not guiltyT'
Not guilty, Pause. I am as innocent
of the charge as the. angels in heaven. Cen
tlemen, I was never in that house until l was
taken there by the officers of the law. Be-
fore that time l was never on the premises to
the best of my knowledge"
All the State desired was to have the pris-
oner remanded to Benton county for trial.
The court asked the prisoner if he was ready
for trial, and he answered:
II have no witnesses. 1 can only give you
the story of nay journey, tell you my route,
and you can send and see if 1 am right. 1
an as ready now as l will ever be, and should
prefer to be examined at once. L don't want
to be in jail All l ask, gentlemen, is a fair
show. I should like counsel"
The court informed him that in due time the
State would furnish counsel. In the mean
time the prisoner was remanded to Jail to
await his preliminary examination at 8
o'clock on Thursday morning. As to the
knife which was. found on Potts's person, he
said, II have a little bit of a broken knife in
my pocket; l showed it to them out at Ok
ford, but l have misplaced it. May be Nat
Adams can tell you where it is; I asked him
if he had it, but he said "No, 1 guess you
left it in the saloon back where we got a glass
OF BEER
Where was that?' demanded the prose-
cutor.
Il don't know; that's why l referred to
Nat Adams the other night. 1 thought may
be he could tell. 1 wouldn't even cut an
apple with it; I had picked up in a field"
At a late hour this afternoon a telegram
was received from Michingan City stating
briefly that the vest is the one DR.. Young wore
at the time of his attempt to murder his
wife, and which Potts claimed he gave him.
This virtually destroys what was considered
a strong clew. Now the officers are again
where they started, namely, in the dark.
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