Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-17
KNIGHT STILL IN The DARK
Strenuous Efforts Of Police Fail to Uncover
Alleged Murderer
REWARD FOR BODY WclTts INTEREST
Mrs. stiles Admits to Chief Donshue
that Knisht probably Killed His
wife," but Gives No Def
mite Information.

The chief developments in the Knight
murder case during the last twenty-four
hours are The admission Of Mrs. Lucy Stiles
that Knight probably killed his wife, the
inability Of the police to find the corpse OF
the woman and the interest shown In the
reward OF 500 for the body that will be Of
fered by the county commissioners.
Chief Donahue said yesterday: II re.
gard the case as enc of the hardest to solve
and bring to a satisfactory conclusion that
has ever confronted the Omaha police. So
far as Knight is concerned he has a great
opportunity to get away, although we are
still hopeful that he may be taken and are
doing everything possible to locate him. II
Mrs. Knights body is recovered 1t will be
most likely by accident. Everybody IN
North Omaha and along the bottoms appears
to be looking for the remains, and l had a
number Of inquiries by telephone this morn
ing asking il the 800 reward money would
be paid. II Knight placed the body in a
trunk, weighted the handles and threw II
in the river, as many think, It will never be
produced. We have learned that there were
a number Of trunks about the Knight rest.
dence, but whether one of them is missing
we cannot ascertain"
Sweating Mother and son.
Mrs. Lucy stiles and her hunchback son,
Melvin Dusenberry, who are charged with
completely in the crime. continue TO main
tain stoutly that they know absolutely Moth.
ing concerning the making away with Mrs.
Knight, although each day they are sub
jected to a long and thorough sweating
process. Wednesday Mrs. stiles admitted
that in all likelihood Knight killed his
wife, but she persisted in declaring that
he had not taken her into his confidence
about 1t. Her story, however, has many
discrepancies and is carefully guarded.
Although so years old and somewhat deaf,
the woman has a decidedly quick intellect,
and, not knowing how much her son has
told, is essaying the sphinx role as much
as possible.
Among her declarations is one that she
never was in the Knight home until the
Monday after the disappearance. She de-
clares she had no use for Mrs. Knight and
never came near the place, but about the
middle OF the preceding week Knight came
to her and made arrangements for her to
clean the house, saying that his wife was
going home to her folks and that she was
a poor housekeeper, the latter statement
not being borne out by the facts.
Questions the Old mi
when you came to the house Monday
night to make arrangements to clean up,
didn't you Osk what had become Of Mrs.
Knight, or did not her husband say any
thing about it?" was asked.
She finally said reluctantly that Knight
had told her to go ahead and work-that
Mrs. Knight would not bother her.
Her hurried trip to South Omaha to warn
knight that the neighbors were demand
ing to know what had become Of the wife
she explains by asserting a natural desire
to warn Knight that trouble was brewing
and he ought to produce the woman. He
replied, according to the Stiles woman.
rob, don't worry. Don't let them bluff
you OUT She maintains that she did not
ask Knight where his wife was. having 40
curiosity in the matter.
Chief Donahue yesterday received
letters from Chief ingalls, at Cheyenne and
from the sheriff. The letter from the
chief explained that knight had met Jen-
ME Dusenberry on the street Monday night
about Q o'clock, while two policemen
watched the proceeding.
Both men were strictly interested in APP
pretending Knight and they had photo
graphs Of him both with and without a
mustache; also an accurate description.
But the murderer wore a cap instead of a
hat, and the officers could not make up
their minds to arrest the man. Both were
new men, unfamiliar with the ms and outs
of police life. After the Dusenberry woman
had told them who her friend was the on
GERS were so mad they locked her up, but
let her go again. Knight did not reappear.
More of Mrs. knights relatives are get
ting anxious about her and a telegram was
received yesterday from w. o. Snyder,
a brother at Coleman. Mich, asking for
news of his sister. The chief replied sim
ply that they were searching for the body
Of Mrs. Knight and trying to arrest
KpiOhf