The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-24
MutiIated Remains Found I'm an Old
Tool Chest Near the Place Where
She Was Last Seen.
EVIDENCE OF AN OUTRAGE
BRUIsE ON HER HEAD AND HER
TEETH KNOCKED OUT.
Suspicion Directed to an Old Man.
Lynching or the Stake Would Have
Followed a Capture Last Night.

One Oh the mOSt nOlTlDIe anu IeVOltlnS
crimes in the annals of Indianapolis was
brought to light last night when the out
ragged body of little three-year-old Ida Geb-
hard. daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. George
Gebhard. of No. II woodburn avenue. West
indianapolis, was discovered in a box in
the stable in the rear of the house at No.
1S7 River avenue. The little one disappeared
last Saturday morning. shortly after s
o'clock, as suddenly and completely as
though she had been taken up into the
clouds, and nothing had been heard of her
since then until her body was found last
night by E. E. Silvers and Mrs. Katie Will
Jams. wife of Joseph J. Williams. who re-
side at the place where the child was found.
There is scarcely any clew as to who might
have perpetrated the terrible deed. although
the Dolice and detectives following up
every suspicious circumstance which might
possibly lead to a discovery. The excite
ment in the suburb after the find
that it had undoubtedly been ravished was
intense and had suspicion rested for mo-
ment on any person, he would have met
a violent death at the hands of infuri-
rived. Captain Campbell and chief of de-
tectives Splann were on the scene shortly
after the discovery of the body. and Off
GERS were Immediately detailed on the
case. The parents of the child were al
most insane when notified that the body
of their baby had been found. although
they had already given up hope of ever
seeing their little one alive again. The en-
tire population of West Indianapolis has
been searching for the lost child since
| Sunday evening. and every cistern. vault
and shed in the neighborhood for several
| squares had been examined by officers.
two of them having passed through the
barn where the body was finally discov-
ered Monday morning. but noticed moth
| ing there to attract particular attention at
that time. The general impression after
Sunday passed and no trace of her was
found. was that she had been kidnapped,
but yet the search was continued up to
last night.
FINDING OF THE BODY.
There is a double store room at Nos. 137
and 139 River avenue, and these are occu-
pied by Joseph ]. Williams and his wife
and E. E. Silvers. Mr.. Silvers has sew
| ing-machine shop in the front part of No.
| 137, and the remainder IF the building is
| occupied by the family as a residence. All
| day yesterday the people in that vicinity
| complained of a strong stencil. like that
| arising from putrid animal matter. A
search was made of the neighborhood. but
nothing was found. Finally Mrs. Williams
and Mr.. Silvers, who is about twenty-one
| years Of age, started to investigate their
| own, premises. On the rear of their lot
| is aNstable, but no one was supposed to
have been in il since last Friday, when the
horse belonging to Mr.. Williams was
removed by uncle. When the
searchers approached the barn they
noticed that the stencil became stronger,
| and. as they say, they supposed it was
caused by the putrefying body of a cat or
a chicken. The smell in the barn was
| almost more than they could bear, but they
continued the investigation. The barn is
small. one-story structure. with only
room enough inside for a horse and buggy.
| At one side were two large tool chests,
which had recently been used as feed box
| es, piled one upon the other. After look
| ing everywhere else. Mr.. Silver looked
| in the topmost box, which was filled with
| rubbish, then,f as he lifted 1t down, Mrs.
| williams raised the lid of the lower one.
/ The sight which met her vision will never
fade from her memory. for there, crowded
| into the small space, was the almost nude
body of small child 1t was badly de-
composed and was so dark as to be almost
| unrecognizable Mrs. Williams ran from
| the place with her hands over her eyes.
! and as soon as Mr. Silvers learned what
was the cause of her strange actions he.
| too. turned and fed
The screams of the woman soon brought
the neighbors to the scene. DR.. o. Deitsch
1 was Tie AcAl pei ASSAA ~ ~&%-~A $3.50 80 ~~--~
! examine the box, and he was soon followed
| by Magistrate John Herig, of the suburb.
| After that no one was allowed TO enter the
| place except the officers. 1t was quickly
| understood that 1t was the body Of little
| Ida Gebhard, over whose mysterious dis
! appearance the entire town had been ex-
| cited. The body of the child was too large
! for the box, and in crowding 1t in the head
had been pushed to one side. Her little un-
der vest was in roll around her body un-
der her arms, and she was nude from above
| the waist 10 her ankles Her shoes had
not been removed, but her stockings were
| pushed down over them The remainder Of
her clothing had been torn from her body
| and had been placed in the bottom of the
/ box under the body. The hat, which was
! supposed to have been found by party OF
searchers on the /. & st. st. L. railroad
| near Harding street, yesterday morning
was crushed down between the body and
the side of the box
The body gave unmistakable evidence of
| having been outraged. On the head was a
concussion, such as would be inflicted with
| some blunt instrument. and her front teeth
had all been knocked out as bT . heavy
blow. Some Of these were still hanging to