The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-28
FEARED HIS WIVES.
That Is Why Murderer Knapp
Killed Them.

Hamilton o., Feb 2s.-Alfred Knapp,
the wife murderer, has paid no atten-
ton to the repeated orders of his attor
ney ana of his sister not to talk about
his crimes. Attorney Tenney of Cincin-
natl, who has been retained by the
hnapps in Cincinnati, is still here, and
was greatly annoyed by the continued
talking of the prisoner. Prosecutor Gard
notified the sheriff to prohibit reporters
policemen and others from seeing
Knapp hereafter. In anticipation OF his
probable trial at Cincinnati, Knapp was
interviewed regarding the cases there,
and especially about the strangling Of
Mary El1hart.
When asked why he killed her he
cOOlly replied: u was afraid she would
tell something she knew
What did she know2'' he was asked.
''Wen. it was this way 1 was mar
ried then to Jennie COnnors the one 1
threw in the canal, you know, and I was
going with Hannah to this house on
Walnut street, in Cincinnati, to Mary
Ekharts room. That night Hannah and
L went there and Mary Ekhart went
out, and when she came back Hannah
and I were together, and Mary got mad
because we We're there SO long, and she
said: 7 am going to tell your wife on
you and then she went out again to
the bakery. Hannah was afraid she
would tell, and said we ought to keep
her from it, and that's how it happened.
We made it up, and when Mary came
back [ choked her from behind.
What did Hannah do?"
She held Mary's hands That's the
reason she never said anything"
Did you tie towel around her
neck2
Yes
When asked to describe Mary Ekhart,
Knapp said:
she was as tall az me. and had dark
hair. Oh, knew her when she was N
Dayton. She advertised for a CORE
spondent in the personals, and I an
swered it, and used to go to see her"
Was Mary jealous Of you and Han
nah?"
May be-"
How was Mary Ekhart dressed when
/ you killed here"
Just in a nightgoWn."
How did it happen that just after
1 returning from the bakery she was
dressed only in night apparel2'
That's the way she was dressed when
she came in the ROOM
Where was her body found2"
In front of the washstand on the
/ floor
Asked then to describe the fight OF
himself and the woman. Knapp said he
/ left first and met the milkman, almost
/ knocking him down in the doorway, and
that he had seen the milknan as he
clambered from his wagon and told
Hannah to wait until the man had pass
/ ed through the hall, and tina. il the man
/ discovered her he would fix him. Thu
I woman, he said. followed him after the
nlikTndn n8Q gone ana ne Lnfn IElulHtt-s
/ locked the door to Mary Ekhart's room
and later threw the key into the canal
Certain it is that Knapp knows perfect
~ the details of the killing of Mary
Ekhart.
He went into further details about
meeting little Emma Littlemann on the
street at Cincinnati and taking her to
/ the lumber yard, where her body was
found and about choking Jennie Con-
nors, wife No. 2, and throwing her body
in the canal at Ciacinnati. After talk
ing on the crimes to fill many pages, lie
/ was asked:
Are you sorry for the murders you
have done?"
4 yes. / ann he replied. slowly. When
I think of Hannah and the rest feel
bad I don't know why / killed Hannah
she was good wife to me I don t
know why 1 did it. I always had 4
4 peculiar feeling Of satisfaction when I
killed a woman or a child. No; I cannot
say that 7 ever had a feeling OF regret.
Once or twice I worried over the fear
Of being arrested. Well they have got
me- and i guess that they VIII send mt
up for life. Now, don't try to scare me
By saying that I viii so to the chair.
They won't do that to me, viii they
Knapp not only told how he killed vic
Tins but he acted it, and when he did
this his face took On look Of fendish-