The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-28
Wife No. 3, Who Was Later Thrown
Into the River at Hamilton, As
sisted I'm the Murder.
NOTE FROM INDIANAPOLIS WIFE
WHO IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN
TOLD OF HER HUSBANDS CRIMES.
Knapp Once Arrested on Suspicion of
Having Killed Ida Gebhard-No
Divorce from Wife NO. L.

HAMILTON, o., Feb. 27.-Alfred A.
Knapp. the murderer OF FIVE women and
girls, according to his own confession, con-
tinues to talk, Notwithstanding legal advice
TO the contrary. 1t developed to-day that
he has an uncomfortable desire to strangle
people. that his fingers twitch spasmodical-
~ In the presence of women and that, as he
says, he has had difficulty in restraining
himself from choking every woman who
has been in his company.
Ever since Knapp has been left alone and
mair tanned enforced silence he seems to
be gloating over the sensation he caused by
his confession of the Hannah Goddard (wife
No. - murder at Hamilton, and his addi-
tional and gratutitous confessions of the
murders OF Mary Eckhart, the child Emma
Littlemann and the Jennie Connor (wife
No. p murders in Cincinnati and the child
Ida Gebhard at Indianapolis.
The officers believe Knapp has "stran-
gled'' from the East TO Kansas City. Knapp
to-day receive a letter from wife No. 4, in
indianapolis, and was visibly affected after
reading 1t. He said he told his present
wife, Anna Gamble Knapp, of all of his
crimes soon after they were married. He
said he told her of the killing of his wives
Hanna and Jennie, and that she replied: 1T
don't make any difference to me what you
have DONE
SHOE BOX FOUND.
There was much excitement tonight over
the finding OF a shoe box, just such as
Knapp described when he told of mailing up
the body OF Hannah Goddard into the box
and throwing 1t into the river While some
officers regard this as the box he used
and as an important clew. others do not
IL .io fbow
OF the farmer who told of seeing such
box floating down the Miami river recently.
The. seerch for the body was abandoned
tonight, the police having continued their
investigation as far as Lawrenceburg, Ind.
without success.
Prosecutor Gard stated positively late to-
night that Knapp would be tried here. The
date of the preliminary hearing will be set
examined Knapp After the examination he
stated that Knapp is at present a sane man.
he found two depressions in the skull due
TO old injuries probably. He said their
effect might have been TO produce epilepsy,
which. however, Knapp never had, accord
ing to his statement.
TO the orders OF his attorneys and of his
sister not TO talk about his crimes. At
torney Tenney: of Cincinnati. who has
been retained by the knapps in Cincinnati
Is still here. and was greatly annoyed with
the continued talking OF the prisoner Pros
ecutor Gard notified the sheriff to-day to
prohibit reporters, policemen and others
from seeing Knapp hereafter. In anticipa-
tion of his probable trial at Cincinnati
the cases there and especially about the
stranglfng of Mary Eckhart. When asked
why he killed her he cody replied
Il was afraid she would tell something
what did she know he was asked.
Then he said: We'll. 1t was this way
was married then TO Jennie Connors. the
one i threw in the canal, you know. and
was going with Hannah 10 this house on
Walnut street In Cincinnati to Mary Eek
hart's room. That night Hannah and
went there and Mary Eckhart went out
and when she came back Hannah and
were together and Mary got mad because
we were there so long, and she said: Il 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 1t. and that's how it hap
came back l choked her from behind"
WIFE NO. ASSISTED.
what did Hannah do?''
''She held Mary's hands; that's the rea-
son she never said anything"
Ibid you tie towel around her neck?'
yes"
what kind of a towel?'
''It was a rough towel with red stripes,
but don't believe it had any fringe on it,
What kind of looking girl was Mary
Eckhart2''
she was as tall as me and had dark
hair. Oh, l knew her when she was in
Dayton. She advertised for a correspond
ent in the personals, and / answered il, and
used TO so TO see her.
WAS Mary jealous of you and Hannah?"
How was Mary Eckhart dressed when
you killed her?''
Just in a night gown
hannRn
turning from the bakery she was dressed
only in night appareI?'
That's the way she was dressed when
she came In the ROOM
Where was her body found?"
'.In front OF the washstand on the floor
Asked then to describe the flight of him
self 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 milkman he clambered from
his wagon and told Hannah TO wait until
the man had passed through the hall. and
II the man discovered her he would fix him
The woman. he said followed him after
turned. locked the door 10 Mary Eckhart' s
room nld later threw the key into the
canal. Certain IL is that Knapp knows per-
fectly the details OF the killing of Mary
Eckhart.
He went into much further details about
meeting little Emma Littieman on the
street a: Cincinnati and taking her TO the
lumber yard where her body was found
and about choking Jennie Corners, wife No.
2 and throwing her body In the canal AT
Cincinnati After talking on the crimes
enough 10 I'LL many pages he was asked:
Are you sorry for the murders you have
done?'
Yes I am" he replied slowly ..Vben
] think Of Hannah and the rest feel bad
don't know why l killed Hannah She
was a good wife TO me. l don't know why
I did IL. always had a peculiar feeling
OF satisfaction when | killed woman or a
child. No. cannot say that / ever had a
feeling OF regret Once twice worried
ever the fear OF being arrested Well. they