The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-25
DETECTIVES AFTER HIM
CHARLES ALEXANDER, ALLEGED
BURGLAR, IS CLOSELY QUESTIONED.
Lives i'm the Neighborhood Where
Christian WiIharm Was Murdered
His House Searched.

The detectives made an arrest Friday
which they assert may have some bearing
on the murder of Christian A. Wilharm the
young man who was shot while entering
his own home week ago. The man ar
rested is Charles Alexander, colored, of 1712
Linden street. He is not charged directly
with the murder, but was questioned very
closely about his movements on the night it
occurred and it is claimed that he was very
much embarrassed. The colored man
claims that he is innocent and asserts that
he will be able to prove it. He was arrested
on the charge of having stolen some rugs
from the home of Z. NJ. Campbell, 107 Md
die drive, Woodruff Place. The rugs and
other articles taken from the campbell
home were recovered. The Campbell house
was entered on the morning of Aug lS
A little later colored man tried to enter
the residence of Mrs. F. T. Hord, los West
drive. Woodruff Place. He used ladder.
He was discovered by one of the family as
he thrust his head into the window. The
young woman who saw him cried out and
he withdrew his head hastily and disap-
peared before help could be summoned. At
the second robbery that night the robber
was identified as a colored man, and the
detectives concluded that it was the same
man who had formerly robbed the Camp
bell home. Some time ago Alexander lived
on Beeler street. He was suspected of hav-
ing been engaged in crooked work. Thorn
ton and Weible went to his house. Alex
ander was at the gate. He directed them
to the next house. BY the time they
reached the second gate Alexander was dis
appearing into his own house. They fol-
lowed him and arrested him. A watch and
chain they had seen him wearing a moment
before had disappeared. They searched the
premises without finding the watch and
were about to give up the search, when
Thornton discovered that the wall paper
over a stovepipe hole had been newly
broken. He reached up and found the watch
and chain concealed. No owner could be
found for the watch and Alexander was re-
leased. When the detectives heard of the
Campbell and Hord robberies and were pos
tive that a colored man was responsible,
they thought of Alexander, but learned that
They ran across him on the day of the
X. OF p. parade and he said he was living
ar an upright lie and that his home was on
were in the south part of town on another
matter, when they happened to meet Mrs
Alexander and her little daughter. There
was something familiar about the child and
one OF the detectives spoke to her.
Why, don't you know me? You arrested
lily SlepIdl0er. linen the detective re-
membered her and asked her where she
lived. Before her anxious and alarmed
mother could interpose the little child re-
piled, '1712 Linden street" The detective
at once suspected something wrong, as
Alexander had said his home was on Shelby
street, and they changed their course to his
house Weible went in to investigate. He
knocked at the front door. Alexander came
around the house and answered the detec-
tive's, inquiries for a. certain number, but
would not open his door, Weibe returned
to Thornton, who suggested that they go
into his house. They returned to the door.
Alexander came outside az want to talk
to you, Alexander said Thornton. Let
us go in the house, where we will not have
loath to let them in his house. Nearly the
first thing the detectives saw were rugs
that answered the description of those
stolen from the Campbell residence. Ques-
d-d-done bought them from r-r-rag p-p-p-
picker. and l can p-p-p-prove it by my
You'll have to explain it to the superin-
tendent." said the detectives, directing
Alexander to roll up the carpets and rugs.
These Alexander carried to the police sta
ton under the eyes of the detectives
Yesterday Detectives Dugan and Asch
thoroughly searched the house and found
other articles which, it is claimed, were
stolen from a half dozen houses in the
neighborhood of the Alexander house, which
is about two blocks from the Wilharm home.
Four revolvers were found, two in an over
coat which it is said Alexander wears at
night. Two of the revolvers are 32-caliber,
In the house was found pair of mems
rubber shoes. Tracks made by rubber shoes
were found around the Wilharm residence.
A colored man was seen lettering behind a
barn at IL o'clock that night. To-day eff
forts will be made to identify Alexander as
this man: 1t is recalled that Alexander
Mrs. Stark, 1909 Barth avenue, all in the
neighborhood of the Wilharm home