The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-09
CHICAGO'S MYSTERY
POLICE LOOKING FOR FIEND IN
HUMAN FORM.
FIRST MURDERED HIS MOTHER
THEN DISAPPEARED WITH YOUNG
GIRL.

Bne Latter Found Later in Vacant
BarthOlin's Whereabouts Are I'm
knOwn-MOther Disappeared Three
Weeks BefOre-Police Are Satisfied
She Was Murdered by Her Son,
But Her Body Has Not Been Found.
BarthOlin Wrote Miss MitcheIPs
Father That They Had EIOped to
California.
Chicago, Aug. S.-The body of the
young woman found last night in the
vacant lot at the corner of Seventy
fourth and State streets has been iden-
titled as that of Miss Minnie Mitchell
of 604 Forty-fourth street in this city,
and the police are looking for William
Bartholfn, a young mechanic, who
was with her at the time of her dis
appearance. The case is shrouded in
mystery, but the police are firmly Of
the opinion that the girl was muir
dered by Bartholin and that he also
murdered his own mother, Mrs. Anna
Bartholin, who mysteriously disap-
peared three weeks before the Mitchell
girl went away with the young man.
The body of the girl was beyond
identification, but her sister, Lille
Mitchell, tonight positively identified
the dress, the petticoat of lavender
silk, and the hat worn by her sister
at the time of her disappearance. and
there is no doubt in the minds of the
police that the body is that of Minnie
Mitchell.
Miss Mitchell was last seen by the
members of her family on the night
of July 80 when she left her father S
house in company with Sartholin, the
couple saying that they intended to
take a walk. She did not return to the
house that night and nothing was
heard of her or of Bartholin until two
days later, when the girls father re-
ceived a note from Bartholin sayiT &
that he and the girl had eloped am
had started for California to spend
their honeymoon. Mrs. Anna Bartholin
the mother whom the police firmly be-
lieVe was killed by her son, disappear
ed from her home at 1910 Calumet
avenue month ago. Her
son made no report of heI
disappearance to the police and a mar
who had boarded with her for Years
reported the matter, saying that hi
was confident that she had met with
foul play, for the reason that she had
said nothing about going away and
had disappeared on a washing day sc
suddenly as to leave the clothes In the
tub. He thought she was lying dead
in her room. officers were at onCe sent
to the house and forced the door OF
her apartment, but found no trace OF
her. Her SON said that she had gone
to Milwaukee, and as there was no
reason at that time ito think that she
had been murceredf the matter was
allowed to drop. W
Were Last Seen Together.
The day after the visit of the police
to the residence of his mother Batho-
lin called for the Mitchell girl, and
they went away together. The letter
written by Bartholin to Mr.. Mitchell
was posted in Chicago two days after
his disappearance.
Bartholin is % years of age and has
been employed as a mechanic in a
wagon shop at Auburn Park He has
not been seen by his employers for
more than two weeks and they have
received no word from him.
There is no known motive for the
murder, but the wound in the back of
the Mitchell girls head is so situated
as to render it out of the question that
she could have inflicted it herself, and
there is no doubt that she was MUIR
dered.
Why the son should have tried to
make way with his mother is not
known and there is no evidence that
she has been killed beyond the fact
that she has disappeared and cannot
be found.
The police base their belief in her
murder on the fact that Bartholin
disappeared so quickly after he knew
that his mothers disappearance was
being investigated.