The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-01
THE MUNCIE MURDER MYSTERY.
Alleged Letter of Explanation from Henry F.
Bateman, Which Is Not Sustained by Facts.

MUNCIE, Ind, March 31.-The mystery
which has clOuded the finding of the body
of stranger on the track of the Bee-line
railroad west of this city, last Wednesday
morning, has been cleared up, at least in
the minds of those who have been earnestly
seeking its solution, that the stranger was
murdered by Harry F. Bateman. and the
fact seems to be pretty well sustained by
later developments. The motive of the
murder was either to secure the life insur-
ance of $4,000, or to relieve Bateman from
the predicament in which he is placed by
being a deserter from the United States
army. If the military authorities could
be led to believe that he was
dead, there would be little danger of arrest
and punishment, as his identity could be
concealed by change of name and a resi-
dence among strangers. The latest theory
is that Batemap was well acquainted with
the dead man, and had been premeditating
Bateman and the murdered man are nearly
identical. and for this reason it is supposed
he persuaded his victim to come to Muncie
under promise of giving or finding him en-
ployment. Bateman was sharp enough
Sed 'hGHse Sm as subject 5asS tns' as possSe
and it was the fault of the
cars that his scheme failed to pan out. His
statement in his letter that he read of the
account Of the killing in the Indianapolis
papers shows that he was in that city ON
Thursday morning, because the report did
not appear in the Journal until that day.
Bateman claims he drove In the country
several miles and went to Indianapolis on
the evening train. This is not true, because
it was o'clock or later when he procured
a md hrrna 70 wac
here at S:42 p. NJ. and there is no other train
going west until 4:32 in the morning. Bate
mans claim that he had tive-dollar bill in
the memoranda and gave the man 50 doesn't
S1.S0 on his person when found. His letter
to Marshal Robinson clearly establishes the
fact that he committed the murder. 1t reads
as follows:
TERRE HAUTE, Ind, March %.
TO the Chief Of Police, Muncie, Ind:
Dear Sir-This morning, after leaving Indian
apolis read in a morning paper that man
supposed to be II. +. Bateman was run over and
killed at Muncie. That it was not my body am
occurred, or was the result of the following facts
]. was in Muncie on Tuesday afternoon, and in
what go ana sugg
country Some time In the afternoon was ap-
preached by hard-looking man who asked me
10 aid him. He said he lived in Muncie, that he
had been sick, was out Of job, etc. took pity
on the poor devil, and gave him a quarter to get
MIN something to eat and, after talking TO him
him an old coat and vest had with me: asked
MN III ne was acquainted around Muncle, and ne
81 sald ne had lived there all his life 1 asked him
II ne knew q man who lived south named
thompson He said he knew where ne nved
andf wanted him to do SD he would go with
stable and Vw Sot e % ne wag S~v While he VENT
down nome and told his family where he was go
ing He met me at the railroad crossing, near
the depot, and we drove some six or seven miles
out in the country without, however being able
10 ind Mr.. Thompson. We stopped at one house
Where he said he was sure Mr.. Thompson lived,
put no one was at home. We drove back 10 Mum
Gle, and as we had driven further than had an
uclpated We We're late getting back, ana were
JUST one SQUARE south of the railroad crossing
When the train fer indianapolis whlstied. L
nasuiy handed him SO, telling him that the sta
Die would probably charge him So for the rig,
had @ not h 20 Keep the 3sner a0lar n n;nutes when
discovered the loss Of little note case, con.
tanning certain memoranda and into which had
Were also gone. They had all been lost out OK
my oyercoat pocket. There may have been
some letters or papers in the pockets OF the
remember looking 0 in i''"ti the inside breast
pocket. Whether or not he abstracted the other
le.ters, papers and book from my pocket, or
state. fook quite an interest in the man, and
Ielt .nat ne was honest. II had not, certainly
N NMouiu NOT nave intrusted him with the morse ana
ppuggy. He said his name was Neal think L
nave no theory TO advance as to the cause OF MS
death-if it Is he-unless that after, leaving me.
ne concluded to have a little time on his own ac-
count and took in some friend OF his. am un-
ape ape 10 state just how long we were gone nom
@ tne city, put think il must have been about I;oo
WEsn we lett. am on my way to Colorado, put
Will VIII ne home in about fifteen or twenty days.
Miu stop at Muncie and see you. letter adj
uIesseo rs 10 me at Denver. care WINDSOR Hotei,
Will reach me. am worried about the possible
enect the report will have on my wife, but have
ucket bought and cannot delay. Hoping to hear
mat you have succeeded in unraveling the mys-
terry as to the cause of the poor fellows DEATH
am yours very truly, II. F. BATEMAN.
Marshal Robinson telegraphed to- Terre
Haute, but the police in that city failed 10
ma that he registered at either of the no.
tells under the name of Bateman. There is
some talk of the commissioners Offering a
large reward for his capture.