The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-26

longing to his wife. He said he could not
account for his wifes disappearance. He
claimed that he took the box to a dumping
ground outside of Hamilton several miles,
where he threw IL on the ground.
AT times during the conversation between
Knapp and the policeman Knapp gave evil
he would shrink back in his chair il
fearing some harm. Captain Kruger had
the questioning himself. He asked Knapp
regarding the disappearance OF wife No. 2.
who was Jennie Connors. Knapp. with an
air of self-satisfaction leaned over and
said that the woman had committed sui
eide in a canal in Cincinnati. Kruger
said he knew the woman had been dragged
from the canal. but he wanted to know
how the wound on her head was made.
This remark somewhat disconnected Knapp,
but he said he thought II was made by
the woman when she fell into the water.
Another question from the captain that
Knapp was unable to explain was about
the finger prints on the womans throat.
The two questions coming as they did made
Knapp squirm in his chair.
Regarding the disappearance of his third
wife Knapp could give no explanation
except to say that he left her one night
in Cincinnati in front of newspaper
office while he went inside to insert a
small advertisement. When he returned
to the sidewalk he said his wife was
gone. Since that time he has not seen
nor heard OF her. Nothing is known about
Mrs. Knapp No. 1. who was Emma Stubbs.
Captain Lenehan said his department had
no knowledge regarding this woman's dis
appearance. AS to wife No. he said he
was sure that Knapp had killed her and
secreted the body in the box that he took
to the dumping ground on the night OF
Dec. %
The Hamilton police are confident, Cap
tain Lenehan says, that Knapp has muir
dered at least two of his wives.
HIS LAST MARRIAGE.
Knapp married his present wife in this
city on Feb. 3. after an acquaintance of
two months. The womans maiden name
was Anna Gamble. She is the daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. George Owings, who live in
the same block on Indiana avenue. She is
twenty-eight years old. She has thin
face and weighs about eighty pounds.
When seen yesterday she declined to dis
cuss her husbands predicament except 10
say that his present trouble was the result
of stories set afioat by one of his sisters.
who became angered at him for marrying
her. She raved madly while talking OF
the affair. and said the whole matter was
nothing more than spite work. She said
her husband had never told her of his
former experiences in the matrimonial field
and she did not care. She gave Captain
Kruger her marriage license, which was
taken to the police station. This will be
kept until il is seen what disposition the
regarding the disappearance of his other
wives. If he should be freed from all sus-
plclOn OF tneG death, ne Will In all prop
ability be arrested here on charge of
bgamy.
Captain Kruger and other members of
the indianapolis police force know Knapp
we'll They say he was arrested in 1899
for assault on girl named Alice Hall. For
this offense Knapp was found guilty and
sentenced to the Michigan City penitentiary
for ten years. He released in June.
1902. 1t is also said that he has served time
in Joliet, ILL.,, prison, Columbus, o., and
Jeffersonville, Ind, for various crimes.
Knapp is an Indianapolis man, having
been born and reared in this city. His par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. j. G. Knapp. lived in
the block Indiana avenue until one
month ago, when they moved to Cincinnati.
Captain Lenehan, before taking Knapp
away. said he and Chief Kuemmerling had
driven over the grounds where Knapp had
said he unloaded the box of old clothes,
but nothing of the box could be seen He
said il was the supposition of the Hamilton,
o., police that Knapp had killed wife No:
3. placed the body in the box and had
then driven to the outskirts of the city.
where he burned the box and the body it
contained. He said it was hardly likely
that man with small income would pay
81 for a pine box in which to put old
clothes.