The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-15
Detectives Asch and Manning Believe
They Have the Key to Hitherto
UnfathOmable Mystery.
BOASTS OF A MORAL MONSTER
CANTRELL DECLARES HE is AN EN-
CYCLOPEDIA OF CRIME.
Big GhOul Expects CIemency, but
None VIII BE Granted by Governor
--.---. ~Durbin-Sefsnge Has Faith.

Although Detectives Asch and Manning
worked all day yesterday and part of last
night on the clews supposed to have been
given them by Rufus Cantrell, the moral
monster who is at present under sentence
for grave robbing, they are now no nearer
the solution of the mysterious disappear
ance of Miss Carrie Selvage, whose alb
sence has bafiied the police since 19OO than
they were before the alleged information
was given them by the king of the
Chouls.'
Asch stated last night that he and Man.
ming had been working supposed infor-
nation given them by Cantren and that
they hoped to bring out in day or so
several important facts which would ma
terially help to solve the mystery that for
three years has puzzled the detective and
police departments of the city. He stated
that at the present time 10 arrests would
be made. although in day or so develop
ments are expected which will result in the
apprehension of the man or men who are
guilty of the murder of Miss Selvage They
claim to have clews which, If proved cor
rect, will convict the parties who IL is be-
lieved committed murder in order to shield
themselves from crime. Three men are sus-
pected, ii is said, and the detectives hone
to be able to make several arrests inside
of two or three days.
ENCYCLOPEDIA of CRIME
When seen at the Jail last night Rufus
Cantrell. the man on whom the detectives
are depending for all their information
as to the guilty parties connected with the
mysterious Selvage case, stated that if
given proper assurances of clemency he
would make disclosures which would cause
sensation after sensation for months to
come. He claims to know not only the full
details of the Selvage case. but says he is
a walking encyclopedia of the murders and
startled and nlystified the people of Indian
apols. If they will only let me alone and
promise me that l will have the proper
treatment If i tell the detectives what they
want to know" said the grave robber, II
will give them all the work they want to
do for a long time and will clear up a
whole lot of these things which they are
making such a fuss over right now
Sam Martin, the convicted companion of
Cantrell, stated that all the talk which
Cantrell was making was mystery to him.
He stated that Cantrell was smoking a
peculiar grade of tobacco and was rambling
i'm his speech. He said that all the reyela-
tions of the last few days were news to him.
and further than that refused to talk In
the opinion of the detectives Martin Is the
man who could, If he were so disposed,
clear up nine out of ten of the murders and
crimes OF Marion county Wnlcn still re-
main unsolved. Martin is considered a
man deeply dyed in crime. and it is the hope
of the detectives that he can be made to
talk. but the only chance, they think, Is a
promise of clemency from the Governor for
Cantrell and Martin provided they tell all
they know.
WILL GET NO CLEMENCY
1t was stated at the Governors office yes
terday afternoon that Governor Durbin had
given no one the slightest intimation that
Cantrell or Martin would receive executive
clemency under any circumstances. 1t is
intimated by Prosecutor Ruckelshaus, how
ever that Cantrell would not be prosecuted
on new crimes which he might be willing
TO disclose, and that his companion Martin.
would be immune from further prosecution
as we'll
Cantrell claimed at the Jail last night
that he had been made a fool of by the
detectives, and had been driven around the
city merely for the newspaper notor;ety of
the affair, and said that If he were left
In the opinion of the detectives Cantreli
can explain all about the Selvage mystery.
ara they say when they dug up the grave
IL the Union Chapel Cemetery, on Monday
nisht the condition OF the coffin and the
position OF the corpse was exactly In ac-
coriance with what Cantrell told them thev
would find; and they assert their inten-
tion of taking the grave-robber to the ceme-
terry with them again before he is taken
back TO the Reformatory at Jeffersonville
Csntrell was In Noblesyille yesterday,