The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-16
Last Tangible CJer Dissipatcd by Trip
viewed Mrs. RaiIey's Friend.
TORTURED FOR HIS MONEY
NORTHERN INDIANA FARMER BAD
LY TREATED By ROBBERS.
MIR. LOuttits Literary Ambitions
More Smallpox at Lafayette.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
EVANSVILLE. Ind. Nov. ia new
phase of the Railey feature of this city's
double mystery was made known this aft
ernoon when Detective Hutchins returned
from a trip to st. Louis and CouIterviiie.
ILL.,, in search of Charles Hayes. the ST.
Louis drummer, who was found at the lat
ter place. The intimate relations between
this man and Mrs. Railey. one of the vic
Tins, continually caused startling rumors
and the police set out 10 either confirm
or explode them. When Detective Hutchins
called on Hayes at COulterville and made
known his mission, Hayes was not only
d~umfounded, but seemed to be sadly
stricken. He had not heard of the tragedies
here and inquired infinitely after details,
especially in regard TO Mrs. Railey. The
report of Detective Hutchins to the po-
lice completely skaters what had been con-
sidered the only tangible clew TO the muir
der of Mrs. Railey.
This makes the mystery surrounding the
death CT Mrs. Railey and Miss Renner
deeper than ever, and leaves as the only
theory now given serious consideration the
belief tina the women were caught in the
web of a Jack the Stranger a sexual
pervert whose mania is to take women
~buggy-riding and then sink his fingers into
their throats till life is extinct. If the lat
ter is the final solution of the crime. then
n big proposition is presented I'm running
the man TO earth and making him answer
for four hideous crimes I'm this community
within three years, for four womeD-three
white and one n good-looking mulatto-
have fallen under his spell of death. If
such a criminal is operating here he is an
adept at the business.
nc ot,rc fhara are differences nf npln-
ion as TO the hours that the crimes We're
committed. Mrs. Railey was last seen
alive a little after Z O'Clock IN the evening,
and could have been taken 10 the place
where her body was found and killed with
i'm an hour and a hairs time. The police
are positive that Miss Renner was in her
room as late as 8 o'clock in the evening.
consequently it would have been within the
province of the murderer to have returned
from the scene of the Railey murder and
met Miss Renner at the hour she is said to
nave departed from her place OF residence.
The man who s~trangled Mrs. Railey to
death evidently had considerable influence
over her, for when she left her relatives,
Mr.. and Mrs. John Wagner, early Monday
evening, she was hurrying to her rooms in
the lower part of the city to meet her son,
who had Just arrived that evening from
Kentucky. and whom she was anxious to
see. 1t was her intention to Immediately
return UP town for the purpose of getting
her boy some clothing, as he intended TO
go to work the next morning and would
nave no opportunity to make the purchases
before the following Saturday evening.
These purchases were not made.
With the Renner girl ii was different.
She had made an engagement to take a
buggy ride with some man, and patiently
awaited his coming. and had about come
TO the conclusion that he intended TO dis
appoint her when he drove up and called
to her. She did not mention his name to
any one. and so far as learned no one saw
them depart in the ugg 1t is evident
she had anticipated a pleasant evening, for
lunch had been prepared to be consumed
after their return.