Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-13

| Baker block at Sixth and Grand, hat
quit her employment there. From this
| we Will argue that after seeing he
| mother off carly that morning SIN
would naturally return to her room:
in the Thomas house.
we Will show that when questioned
az to his Whereabouts on that day
Thomas accounted for himself by Civ
ing the details Of an appointment ht
claims to have had in his own hons
bear investigation.
We will also show that on this day
Thomas climbed on hack and said
TO the man who viii be our witness:
Mabel Schoneld left town today for
good. We Will show that this was the
first remark that he made and that
there had not been previous converse
ton to draw it cut from him.
We Will also show that the asso-
ciates Thomas has kept have not been
of the best to bear out our theory as
to the motive and viii prove that al
the time of his arrest he was living
with a woman not his wife in q house
on Grand avenue. near the head of
Fifth street.
Further than this 1 do not care 10
go into the case | have given You an
outline of the back bone OF it. From
what ] have told you 1t Will not be a
hard matter for your readers TO see
what our theory is. OF course, | have
gone over the case IN detail with the
witnesses. but | do not care to name
them or to give any broader intima
H., 81 7 I,,x
given. There are hundred little things
j might mention that VIII fit into our
chain Of circumstances and all of which
we expect to bring out in the prelimin-
ary.''
Judge Spurrer stated that he has
been employed to prosecute the case by
the self-constituted investigation COM
Mite and that ii has paid the expenses
of officers and detectives 20 look up the
testimony while its individual members
have done a great deal of work at his
direction He said that of the local po-
lice officers Officer Hockersm:th, work
ing by his direction, has done the most
efficient work.
HISTORY OF THE CASE
on the night of Sunday. October. %,
the body of Mabel Sehoileld was found
floating in an eddy of the river a short
distance east of the public bath house
by persons who We're passing In a boat.
Ii was taken from The water and re-
moved to the undertaking rooms of j
E. McDermot in the Baker building. 1t
was supposed at first that she had been
drowned. An examination showed that
there was no water in the body and
theories of murder, sui-
eide, death from syneopie by falling
from the Belt line bridge. ETC.. We're adj
vanced Police detectives newspaper
reporters and others went TO work on
the case and for days dug away in an
effort to solve the mystery. They We're
unable to find a satisfactory solution of
it Witnesses We're found who claimed
to have seen persons driving to the
river with the body Of the girl during
Saturday night, but their stories con-
licted as to the time places, description
IF occupants of the carriage, etc. Other
witnesses claimed to have seen Mabel
on the street the Saturday |
light preceding. After a time the po-
ice gave over to the theory of suicide
" accidental death, but few persons |
ease would not abandon the murder
and j. Il. Fagen, who has died since
out was then alderman from the First
ward. formed committee that raised |
/ fund to employ detectives and con- I
inued to work on the murder theory.
From time to time number of sem
,ational stories of developments. dis
,overy of new evidence. etc. were set
N foot. but upon investigation none |
proved to have foundation. January 8,
800, private detective named Pierce
.reated something of sensation by
swearing out warrants for the arrest
If Guy Howell, a respectable young
ran Of this city who was an acquaint-
lnce of Miss Schofield: Hugh Howe. a
pharmacy student at Highland Park
ollege who was a friend of Mabel
'chofield's sister who was student
here and Charles Thomas Howell was
crested in Des Moines and Rowe in
Garfield. Thomas was not arrested
i9well and Rowe We're discharged al
post Immediately after they were
before Justice Iris. The
barge aaginst Thomas was dropped
|
ence against the defendants at that
ime. further than that they We're ac-
uainteG with the defendant Even af-
rtN this fiasco several fiurries were
aused from time to time by would-be
electives, but Judge Spurfier said last
vening that none of these We're due
o work of officers employed by the
and that IL never took stock
n them.
Mabel Schofeld came to Des Moines
rom Macksburg, a little town off the
abroad in Madison county. in 1899, TO
earn the 6ressmaking trade. Her faith
I was Il Physician at Macksburg and
he went Ia the home of the Thomases
o live because of an acquaintance she
ad With them when they lived in
Iacksburg. Thomas is a carpenter,
lrs. Thomas a professional nurse. ard
he son, who is under arrest, has work
a at Il dozen different callings Mabel
chofeld worked in 4 dressmaldng shop
the Baker block at Sixth and Grand
venues on the second floor. She did
OF go out a great deal
BOB" KNEEBs MAY DIE.