The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-20
BODY NOT IDENTIFIED
TESTIMONY AT THE INQUEST IN THE
CASE OF MINNIE MITCHELL.
COrOner's Physician Says the Remains
Were Not Those of the Missing
Girl-Search for BarthOlin.

CHICAGO, Aug. 19.-Interest in the
Bartholin- Mitchell murder mystery to-day
centered about the inquest which may de-
termine the cause of the death of Minnie
Mitchell. Three men already stand &C
cused, as principals or accessories, of the
crime-Oscar Thompson, former roomer Of
Ms. Bartholin; John Claffy. stableman.
who took care of the horse Thompson
drove, and Edward Counselman, intimate
friend OF William Bartholin, the supposed
matricide. Two new witnesses appeared
to-day with stories that Bartholin was
seen in Chicago as late as Aug. Is. Both
men declared to the police that a man
whom they believe to be Bartholin was
waiting in a saloon that night for some
one who was to bring him some money
Inspector Hunt believes it was the missing
man waiting for his friend Counselman.
Four members of the Mitchell family tes-
titled at the inquest that they could not
make a positive Identification of the body
found lying in the weeds on the prairie
at Seventy-fourth street and believed to
be that of Minnie Mitchell. These four
persons. the father, brother, sister and sis
ter-in-law of the missing girl, declared that
the only identification they could make
was that part of the clothing found near
the body belonged to Miss Mitchell.
Following this, COroner's Physician
Springer made a statement to the Jury in
which he termed the body ''un-
known or unidentified woman" Or. Spring
er stated positively that he did rot believe
the body to be that of Miss Mitchell be-
cause of the advanced stage of decom-
position. When the body was found Miss
Mitchell had been missing but eight days,
and DR.. Springer claimed that II would be
impossible for her body to have decOm-
posed as much as the one discovered on
the prairie.
Inspector Hunt produced a witness who
positively identified Oscar Thompson, who
is under arrest for completely in the crime,
as one of two men on a street car near
the place where the body was found. and
a photograph of William Barthohn as that
of the second of the pair.
Thompson, Dad" CIany and Counsel
man, all of whom have been held TO the
grand jury, were present at the inquest.
but their attorneys refused TO allow them
to testify. The inquiry was continued until
tomorrow morning.
Inspector Hunt received word tonight
to BarthOlin's possible whereabouts that
set every bit of the police machinery in
motion on the instant. BY midnight a score
of detectives were ransacking the neighbOr-
hood OF Kensington. Harvey. Pullman.
West Pullman. Riverdale. and as far south
as One-hundred and-thirty-nint street in
search OF man supposed 10 hold the
secret of the fugitive's hiding place In
spectOr Hunt was summoned TO the tele-
phone by man who claimed TO be some
where in Kensington. The stranger asked
the inspector II a citizen had the power
TO place BarthOlin under arrest. Certain
~" was the response. but you must turn
him over at once TO an officer"
The man on the telephone explained that
he had known OF BarthOlin's place OF con-
cealment for several days and that he had
been dickering without success TO arrange
for the deposit OF reward before he
would divuge his information. He talked
at length with the police official and re-
fused to agree TO let detail Of police Join
him. He said that he thought he could
effect the capture. but wanted TO carry out
his plan unaided by the city authorities.
He would only say his name was Nc
! Carthy. Pressed by the inspector as to
whether the suspect he had In mind was
within the limits OF the city. ne only made
answer by asking in turn If One-hundred-
| and thirty-ninth street was outside the city
| limits
So many bits of information indicating
| that Bartholin might be in this city have
| come 10 the police, which Is close TO Ed
| ward Counselman's home. that this latest
advice is regarded seriously.