Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-10-31
THE BURNS MURDER.
Lincoln, ILL.,, Intensely Interested in the
Attempt to Fasten the Killing of
Fora Burns on Carpenter.


his friends that he is positive he can
show his innocence. His partner in
the Harrisburg business, j. W, Martling,
died yesterday, and his death had a de-
pressing effect on Carpenter. A new
theory Is now being spoken of, to the
effect that the murder was for the pur-
pose OF robbery. It is presumed that
fora wen to Carpenters Office and re-
celVed a considerable sum Of hush
money, and That she copfded this to
some boon companion, who killed her to
get the money. This theory, advanced
by Carpenters friends, is not borne out
by the facts, SO far as developed, as be-
ing reasonable. The party who search
ed for the valise and hat, after spend
ing all day in dragging Kickapoo
Greek, have returned unsuccessful. The
search has not been given up, but was
resumed to day. The water closets at
Carpenters house and the business place
were thoroughly examined by another
party; also those of the neighboring
houses, but nothing was found. The
officers are working with desperation,
because these things must be found, or
the stopping place of the girl on Sun
day. Without these links the chain is
incomplete, and Carpenter will escape
on his reputation. party of twenty
five men are dragging Sugar Greek at
the point where Carpenter crossed on his
way to Harrisburg last Monday morning.
There seems also a determined effort to
find out where Fora Burns was on Sat
urday night and Sunday. To assist him
In this the sheriff has organized q posse
of $50 men and every suspected house
IN the town will be visited, and the in
mates will be closely questioned.
LINCOLN, ILL.,, October 25.-The Fora
Burns murder mystery is still unsolved.
Every effort is being made to fasten the
foul deed on Orrin Carpenter, who is a
nervous occupant of cell in the jail
here, and whose respectable family is
bathed in deepest grief. The latest
whispered evidence is to the eff
feet that Kate Madden, a domes-
tic, took a walk on the Saturday
evening that Fora Burns left the hotel.
Kate went by Carpenters office. She
saw in the darkness, and Just ahead of
her, the figure of q woman. Kate be-
came very much interested in this
fitting figure in the shadows of the
evening. She stopped and watched it
with strange interest. The woman
crossed over and went to the south side
of Carpenters elevator and disappeared
behind the dump. This created so much
curiosity In Hates mind that she lin
gercd on the corner waiting for the
mysterious woman to reappear. She
didn't reappear, and Hates curiosity
cooled down and she walked awSY. This
information is called important, because
IL is said to sustain the "theory" that
Fora was held a prisoner in the elevator.
When it is proven that she was go held,
this important evidence Of Kate Mad
den will be valuable A telegram from
the sheriff of Hampton, Iowa, states
that Themes Wheedon, of that place,
has important evidence to offer. The
missing links are still wanting. The
whereabouts of the girl on Saturday
night is one of the strongest mysteries,
and failure to learn that has given rise
to the theory that she was prisoner.
The sheriff has offered a reward Of 800
" to any person who will furnish infor-
nation of the whereabouts Of Fora
Burns on Saturday night and Sunday"
or any information Sin reference to her
valise and clothing" The other i'm
portant link is that which will
establish the place of the tragedy, for
the fact that she was found in the lane
is not to be accepted that she was muir
dered at that place. The case is one
which scarcely has parallel in the an
nails of crime. Carpenter is still the
restless walker. He eats little and
chews almost continually. He asks for
the daily papers as soon as they reach
here and reads them closely.
A dispatch from Peoria states that the
evidence of the register at the Peoria
House shows that during visit to that
city Carpenter was accompanied by
female whom ne registered as his daugh-
ter, and who occupied the contiguous
room to his own at the hotel. A cham
bermaid at the Peoria House when
shown likeness of Fora Burns, de-
clared that aside from different ar
rangement Of the hair, the photograph
represented the woman who passed as
the daughter of Carpenter.
LINCOLN, ILL.,, October 26.-No new
developments in the Fora Burns case.
A searching party yesterday spent sew
eral hours dragging Kickapoo Greek, on
the west road, between here and Harris
burg, but found absolutely nothing.
Sugar Greek, four miles further on,
meanders through clump OF timber,
and is regarded by some as by far the
more likely place man would select to
conceal something. It, too, will prob
ably be dragged for the girls missing
things. Deputy Sheriff Cunningham
and a couple of assistants or
ganized little searching party of their
own yesterday, and worked an hour or
two in trying to fish up something out
of the we'll which supplies water for the
engine-room to Carpenters elevator.
The ropes, with their grappling-hook at
tachments, brought up nothing. About
the only additional evidence, therefore,
for the coroner to-day will be the testi-
mony of Katie Madden, and that which
cIinches the Peoria business, and shows
beyond shadow of doubt that Orrin
A. Carpenters young lady companion in
Peoria August 18th last was not his
daughter, but Fora Burns. This will
probably wind up the inquest.