The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-04
STILL A MYSTERY,
No Light Yet on the Muir
der of Mrs. Knlffln
at Trenton.
MISS pURsELL UNDER DUREss
Was She a Somnambulisl---Quee
Stories Of All Sorts---Dr.
Kniffin Watched by
detectives.
MISS PURsEhL UNDER DURESs,
specia, TO the Jerseu cir Ne,us.


TRENTON, January 4, 1S89.-The mys.
terry surrounding the death of Mrs.
Myra Knif4in, wife of Dentist Arthur j..
Kniffin, is as deep this morning as it was
yesterday morning, when her dead body
was found lying on the bed in her apart
ments over Patterson's drug store, No.
POI Broad street
The police are making no effort to ma
any trace of the burglars who, Mrs.
Emma Pursell, the pretty typewriter
who boards with the Kniffins says, did
the deed. After carefully examining tne
premises: the detectives practically an
nounced that they had abandoned the
theory that anyone broke into the house.
Some pretense was made OF tracking
man from rear door across the yard to q
fence, and through stable to jackson
street, the next street to Broad street.
There was something which Dy
stretch of imagination might be called
tracks, and there were scratches on the
fence which look as though they We're
made by someone in climbing over the
fence. In the other yard, close
against the fence, stood bar.
rel covered with piece OF
tin which a man connected with the pre-
misses said looked as though it had been
jumped on. But there everything ike
tracks ended.
SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE.
In order to reach Jackson street from
the yard it would be necessary to pass
through stable fronting on Jackson
street. In this stable was a man all
through Thursday night watching sick
horse. He says that no one passed
through the stable nor did he hear any
unusual noise during the night.
Moreover Broad street is one OF the
main thoroughfares of the city, lighted
by electric light and patroled, SO the
police say, by an officer at frequent IN
teryaIs. So after carefully nursing few
Scratches on the dead woman's chin and a.
solitary shirt button which is supposed to
have belonged to one OF the burglars. the
police have abandoned the burglary
theory.
If they have any other theory no one
knowsit but themselves, for, aside from
speak about the case. After DR.. kniffin
had left the police station, whittier
he was escorted by detectives from
tine depot upon his arrival sn
the city last evening, and submitted to
rigid cross examination at the hands OF
Chief McChesney, the chief with mys-
terious air, said that he should not be
surprised if today brought forth some
startling developments.
Although he denied emphatically that
anyone was under arrest or even surveil-
lance. DR.. Kniffen was escorted to his
home by three detectives, one of whom
walked beside him while the other two
followed at some distance.
a big poiiceman guards the door to DIR.
Knjffin,s 8 nome and refuses to admit any
one. Neither will the police permit Miss
P,1rsell to leave the house. Some of her
friends wished to remove her from the
scene of her narrowing experiences, but
the police refused to permit it,
QUEER STORIES
The air is. thick with rumors There
are as MANY theories as there are inhabi-
tants in the city. The most remarkable
feature ia that they all agree in the main
thongh they differ materially as to de-
fail
IA one considers the burglary theory
fo,. an Instant All sorts of stories about
the habits Of Miss Purcell are af1oat. 1t
has been said that she is somnambulist.
Another intirnation is that she is a victim
Of narotIcs.
some strength was given to the latter
rnmer. by the assertion that DR.. l1argret
Preston had treated her for a trouble
arising from such a habit. called upon
DIR, Preston last night, and through the
medium of q middle aged gentle
man who leaned far out from
the third story window, DIR.
Preston wished to say to The gentleman
that she had not treated Miss Purcell
sine last October and could give no IN