The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-02


CINCINNATI, March 1.-Snce it has
been determined to arraign Alfred A. Knapp
at Hamilton tomorrow, call a special
grand jury there and have trial as soon
possible for the murder of Hannah God
dard, wife No. 3. the efforts of the city
and county officials here have not been re-
Taxed in securing evidence regarding the
murders of Emma Littleman Mary E. Eek
hard and Jennie Corners, wife No. 2, the
three crimes which Knapp confessed COM
hitting in Cincinnati. Scott Holmes, pros
ecutor of the Cincinnati Police Court, Chief
of Police Casey and Harry Hoffheimer,
prosecutor of Hamilton county, say they
will be ready for any emergency in this
case, and will offer any assistance that
Warren Gard, prosecutor of Butler county,
may want in the hearing at Hamilton.
While neither the parents nor the broth
er. Cyrus Knapp, nor the sisters, Mrs.
King and Mrs. Wenzel. of the Hamilton
prisoner are under surveillance here, the
officers are incidentally keeping track of
them. 1t seems that the members of the
family agree in their statements about
Alfred being insane. but they differ i'm
other matters. His father says Alfred will
be better off dead than alive, but his moth
er worries over such an ending. His
brother Cyrus and his sister, Mrs. Wenzel,
are doing all they can for the defense, and
have created such sympathy in the neigh
borhood for their aged parents that the
Knapp home was thronged to-day with
visitors and filled with flowers.
At the same time the Kings have aided in
the apprehension or the prisoner. After
killing his third wife in Hamilton, on the
morning of Dec. %, Alfred Knapp, on the
hight of that date. called on his brother-in-
law, E. F. King, in Cincinnati, and in
quired if his wife had been there. King
had suspected Alfred of former murders,
but, on account of the appeals of the fam
ily was restrained from calling the atten-
to the disappearance of wife No. 5, neither
Mr. nor Mrs. King could suppress their
suspicious Hannah Goddard had lived
with them, and was regarded as daugh-
ter II will be one week tomorrow since
King. accompanied by Detective Eugene
Rankin, of Cincinnati went to Hamilton
and, after seeing Mr.. Goddard and others,
communicated with Captain Lenehan. of
the Hamilton police. who arrested Knapp
in Indianapolis the next day, and the same
night Knapp confessed choking Hannah
Goddard. and two days later to strangling
here that King had his suspicious con-
firmed recently by Knapp's mother, who
got letter from her son telling about his
crimes and that the aged mother told all,
fourth wife, who is now in Indianapolis.
All possible efforts were made here TO get
this letter and others. but 1t is believed
that Mrs. Wenze is correct in insisting
that Alfred's letters were burned.
Mrs Sadie Wenzel says King came to
her house last Tuesday night and said he
had put the Hamilton police on the trail
because Alfred had robbed him. King
claimed that Alfred took his revolver and
other things when he visited them. Mrs.
WenZel blamed her sister, Mrs. King, with
urging her husband TO have Alfred as
rested. She also blamed Hannah Goddard
Knapp with separating Mr.. Wenzel. who
now lives in Chicago, and herself. Mrs.
King, in her interview. said Alfred wrote
WenZpl Hannah
was now out of the way, Mrs. Wenzel de-
MES receiving. such letter. The counter
statements of the sisters are attracting
much attention here. and ii Is thought that
one may be called al Hamilton by the pros
cution, while there is no doubt of the other
being for the defense.