The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-22
Neighbor Tells at Inquest That
Murdered Woman Had Trouble
With Her Son.
JURY ACCUSES HIM OF CRIME.
Verdict Also Recommends That
Thompson and Counselman Be
Held as Accessories-Efforts
to Locate the Mitchell Girl.

Chicago Aug 21.-The Coroner's jury at
the inquest to-day over the body Of Mrs.
Anne Bartholin brought in a verdict rec
ommending that her son, William Bartho-
lin, be arrested and held as principal for
her murder. and that oscar Thompson and
Edward Counselman, who are under arrest
| accused of completely in the murder of Min
ME Mitchell, be held to the Grand Jury
as accessories to the crime.
The jury found that Mrs Bartholin came
to her death on or about July z, the death
being due to strangulation.
At the inquest Mrs. May Brown, former
neighbor of Mrs. Bartholin, testified that
the old lady was suspicious and lived in
deadly fear of her son.
According to Mrs. Browns testimony
Mrs. Bartholin, in conversation a few
days before her death, had told the wit
ness that young Bartholin was nothing but
beast and that the Mitchell family would
regret the day they allowed Minnie Mitchell
to have anything TO do with him.
Mrs. Bartholin. in relating her troubles.
declared that Bartholin was a dissipated
re'er-do-wen. and that she believed him
capable of almost any crime.
Edwards Tells of His Suspicions.
Milton L. R. Edwards. a former roomer
VI 4hiS. ISiA luOilll, Hchl Ou luc SlduU oilu
told of his fears after Mrs. Bartholin had
disappeared. of how Oscar Thompson came
into his room one night in a suspicious
manner. and of his own subsequent depart
ure. through fear Of being murdered, TO
Omaha
Lieutenant Backus told of an interview
with Oscar Thompson, in which the latter
had told him that William Bartholin had
sent word to Thompson that his mother
had gone to Milwaukee.
The early testimony to-day pertained
largely to the finding of the oody of Mrs.
Bartholin by newspaper men Reporter.
who searched the basement of the Calu-
met avenue house told again the story of
digging up the body, of calling in Doctor
Noel to establish its identity and of the
later Identification by acquaintances OF Mrs.
Bartholin.
Suggests That Girl May BE Living.
A new clew to the possible solution of
the Minnie Mitchell case was found to-day
when 1t was learned that a man resembling
Counselman had called upon Doctor ]. L
Wilgus on August II with young woman,
supposed to be Minnie Mitchell.
Doctor Wilgus said the man wanted him
to take the young woman as a patient, but
that he refused. This story, together with
that told yesterday that the girl was in a
North Side hospital, lends further color to
the theory that the girl may be alive.
Robert Mitchell. brother of the supposed
murdered girl. said to-day that his family
believed that neither Oscar Thompson nor
'Old Dad" Claffey was responsible for his
sisters death
Efforts to have him disinter the body met
with only partial success. He said that
while he had not seen the face of the dead
body he still felt that it was that of his
sister. He said, however. that, to relieve
all doubts. he might exhume the body.
The leading tip to-day on the missing
William Bartholin came from a butcher in
South Chicago, who said the man had enter
ed his shop this morning and asked for
matches.