Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-15
EN WITNESS FOUND
N. L. Edwards, Former Roomer
at Bartholin Home Arrives
at Chicago.
Believed He Will Be Able to Give
New Clews in Murder
Mystery.
Will Tell Police Of Queer Hap.
penings at the Scene OF
Crime.

Crlme.
Chicago, Aug. 15.-Mltcn L. Ed
wards, one of the former roomers of
Mrs. Annie Bartholin and a new wit
ness whom the police think will prove
valuable in clearing up the mystery IN
the murders of Mrs. Bartholin and Min
ME Mitchell arrived in the city early
today from Denver. and at once placed
himself in the hands of the police. Ed
wards was frank in his statements,
showed no nervousness and said his
action in coming TO Chicago was en-
tirely voluntary. To representative
of the Associated Press he made the
following statement:
81 have been very free to discuss the
little / know about this case, and l
think have told about everything that
is materially of value. 1 am now in
the hands of Chief O'Neill and, mas
much as the police have paid my eN-
penses here, l feel l hardly should say
more l barely know Thompson and
have spoken to him only three or four
times. never was doctor or hypno-
tst and could not possibly have put
Thompson under any influence, as he
irrationally stated. l have already said
things We're queer at the Bartholln
home and that is the reason left there
/ have a few things more TO tell the
chief of police, but the public must wait
until the chief speaks. I saw Bartholin
kissing woman in the house, put
what bearing that may have on the
case do not know. l am willing to tell
the police everything that may be of
value to them, but l hope l may soon
be out of this disagreeable business. l
had hoped my name would not be
drawn into the affair.
Oscar Thompson. charged with being
implicated in the murder of Miss Min
ME Mitchell, who is thought TO have
been one of the victims of William j.
Bartholin, declared last evening that
he took something resembling body
: from the Bartholin home to the prairie
the morning after Miss Mitchell disap-
peared.
Before Inspector Hunt caught his
breath after the surprise which came
1t.
That's the story you want me to tell,
isn't it?" asked Thompson, speaking to
the Inspector.
The inspector nodded.
Eyes" he said, I'm glad you've told
the truth
.But that isn't the truth" said
Thompson. That's a lie."
trSlth r'S
mo. l don't know why l said what
did It's lie. | can prove it is
Thompson answered.
But Thompson has not been able to
prove that his story was untrue. Ee
asked the inspector to send for several
men. claiming that they had seen him
the night Miss Mitchell left her home
with Bartholin. but none of the men
would admit this.
When Thompson learned of this he
retreated behind his former barricade
of forgetfulness.
81 don't know what | did that night.
I'VE tried to think, and it won't come
to me- said he.
Are you sure that you We're not
with Bartholin that night the in
spector asked.
well if I was, he made me do it
I was drugged," said Thompson; and
then he proceeded to repeat what he
remembered of his actions that night,
telling the story he told at the time
of his arrest, and in which there are
several discrepancies. Ii this story is
true, there are eight hours for which
he can not account. Where was he
during that time? is the question the
police want answered. They think
Thompson can answer 1T.
Three times yesterday was he ques-
toned, or ''sweated," as the police put
it, by Inspector Hunt and Lieutenants
Backus and Woods. Twice was old
Dad" Clafy subjected to the same orr
deal Yet, excepting Thompson's con-
fession, which he Immediately re-
tracted, the police gained no important
information.
From other sources, however, the pol
ice learned that on the morning follow
ing Mrs. Bartholin's disappearance
Thompson told Aagaard, his employer,
that she had gone to Milwaukee. ThIs
was less than twelve hours after he had
seen her alive, according to his first
story, and eight hours before he had
talked with her son. who is supposed
to have been the first to inform him
that Mrs. Bartholin had left Chicago.
Edwards was cross examined by both
Chief of Police ONeill and by In
spector Hunt who is directly in charge
of the murder investigation, but prac-
tically nothing new was ELECTED by the
questioning. Edwards told in the same
straightforward manner, as he ilai
to the interyiewers, what he remem-
bered of suspicious actions about the
Bartholin house, of his fear that Mrs.
Bartholin had been murdered and his
fear for his own safety if he stayed
longer in the house. The story WAS
repeated how he had been awakened
by the bowling of a cat and how he
had seen Thompson leaning over his
bed one night and how Thompson eN-
planned his presence in Edwards S room
by saving he thought William Bartholin
was sleeping there.
Edwards met Thompson today in
company with the police. The men
nodded 10 each other, but said nothing.
Thompson Was quizzed by Inspector
Hunt again, but reiterated his former
statements that his mind was Il blank
ir,t of Sl1nnnSa1 Minnie