The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-25
Ratchet Not the Only Weapon Used in
the Kline Bntchery.
Popular Suspicion in the Suburb Cruelty
Misdirected Against the Gr!eved
Wife Of the Victim.
Midnight Rumor of an Alleged Con-
fession That Was Groundless.
Kline Receivers Consciousness, but Is Able
TO Throw No Light on the Tragedy
Another Wound Found.

DIT. johnson. who has been in charge of
William Kline the victim of the Bright
wood butchery. from the time of the
tragedy, yesterday made o statement that
throws q somewhat new light on the case.
Yesterday morning he discovered one more
wound on the back of his head, making ten
wounds in all the victim is suffering from.
close examination of the wounds on the
back of the head has convinced DR.. john
son that they were made with knife and
not with a Ratchet. This information
adds strength TO the tramp theory. theory
entirely within the realm of possibility.
IL would have been entirely possible for
q tramp at that hour of the day. when the
men In the suburb were all at work and
the women busted about their household
affairs. to get into the house and do the
bloody work and get away unobserved.
IL 10 probable that the tramp was simply
in search of food in the first place and went
80 the Kitchen door at q time when Mrs
Kline was In the outhouse in the rear.
Seeing the kitchen empty he might have
gone In and started on through
che house to steal what he
might Tramps are not usually
armed with anything more formidable
than o cane or pocket knife. Seeing the
hatchet on the table, it would be perfectly
natural that he should pick it uD for use in
case of emergency, and use IL when he
with the Ratchet and knife it is not likely
that he would have stopped 10 commit
robbery. He would have got out In the
quickest way possible, that is. through the
front screen door. which was found open
after the murder.
The popular mind is occasionally barbar-
ously cruel. and IL has been IN this instance
In pointing the finger OF suspicion toward
the beartbroken wife. This suspicion be-
came 80 strong that last midnight the re-
port reached the police station from sey-
eral sources that she had confessed TO the
awful deed. This was proven by investi-
CATION on the part of the Journal TO he
entirely groundless. The only possible
ground for suspicion against the wife
Is the mere fact that she was the only one
known TO have been about the premises q t
the time.
Against this theory are number of facts.
bears the best of regulations as
. good woman. good wife
and q good mother. Their marriage life
was happy. There was no motive for such
q deed on her part. she has three small
children. and even if she did not love her
husband she would not be SO fool
hardy "a TO destroy the only sup
port of herself and family. The
of emotional insanity is destroyed by her
conduct since. she has been perfectly
natural In everything that she has said
and done and has concealed nothing. not
even the circumstances of the Ratchet and
the closed front door, the very points upon
which the theory of her guilt is based.
kllDe's condition seems TO be slight
1y improving. although the doctors
hope of en- ultimate recovery. He WAS per-
fectly conscious for awhile yesterday and
answered the questions put to him by the
not know who had assaulted him and SAID
that BIO was asieep at the time. He said he
was all right when no went to bed. He
called for slate in the afternoon and
wrote q few words on it. He was solicit
tous as to some money that he had to pay
20 building and loan associa-
ton. A friend who had received
tho money assured him that was all
right. and he was much pleased at this.
There has been no further Information as
TO the wherea bouts of the negro tramp who
appeared at Mrs. Lizzie Sulllvan's on tho
day of the assault.
DIR. johnson has destroyed tie supposed
clew in the foot prints by stating that he
made them himself In walking around the
house after the assault.
Another meeting of Brlghtwood citizens
was held last night. at which couple of
The committeeman appointed the night be-
Tore, reported subscriptions amounting to
BOO for the reward fund. Another meeting
will De held on Tuesday night when other
members OF the committee will report.