The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-01
Statement that the Body OF Wife No. 3
Was shipped to Indianapolis
Discredfted by Police.
ANOTHER HEINoUs CRIME
WHICH KNAPP MAY HAVE COMMIT
TED IN THIS CRY.
Suspected OF Being the Assailant of
Annie Neihaus Near the Starch
works-Other Developments.
special to the 1ndianapolls journal.


HAMILTON, o., Feb. 2S.-Some of the
confessions attributed to Alfred A. Knapp
have been enlarged on and others have
been fabricated. 1t was stated here to-
day that Knapp had confessed the murder
OF Emma Stubbs, wife No. i, whom he
married in Terre Haute. and whose where
abouts is unknown. This statement was
made plausible for the reason that Knapp
did not secure divorce from wife No.
and there was no record of her death.
Tonight your correspondent visited the
fail and asked Knapp whether the report
that he had killed wife No. / was true
Knapp said:
Il did not kill Emma Stubbs''
is she dead or alive?'
she is alive. was the reply.
do you know where she is?"
she was in Louisville short time ago."
While in the sweat box" to-day Knapp
said the aunt of wife No. /, Mrs. Jane Cir
ton. who now lives at Knightsville, Clay
county. Indiana. or at Lena. Parke county,
Indiana, knows all about this first wife,
as they always kept UP correspondence.
Later in the day word was received here
that Mrs. Girton insisted that Knapp's
first wife died at Terre Haute ten years
ago. and that a blind girl by their mar
riage was now in the Institute for Feeble
minded Youth at Fort Wayne.
Although the officers are seeking all the
information possible from Knapp regard
Ing other crimes, it has been decided that
his first trial will be here for the murder of
his third wife, Hannah Goddard. unless the
trial judge holds. that corpus delicti has
not been established by the confession of
Knapp and other evidence officers have in
their possession.
Prosecutor Cards and other attorneys
now hold that it Is not absolutely neces-
sary to find the body of Mrs. Hannah God
dard Knapp IN order to try the prisoner
here, but they are to-day keeping up all
efforts to find the body. In any event
Knapp will have at least a temporary hear
ing here before he is turned over to the
authorities at Cincinnati or Indianapolis.
The affidavit and other documents, as well
as the confession. in readiness for
hearing, and if the body is not found soon
the prosecution will proceed without it.
Among those who saw the self-confessed
murderer to-day were medical experts who
pronounced him sane. but morally degener-
ate. Knapp himself is perfectly Indifferent
whether he is tried in Hamilton, Cincin-
no dread of trial, but Is very apprehensive
OF lynching some form of violence,
and those who watch him say that he is
really cowardly- The least noise that is
not an ordinary jail noise Startles him,
and causes a shudder to run through his
frame. Iie has been assured time and
again that he is not to be lynched that
there is no danger whatever, and that he
Will be protected until the law can take
Its course, yet he is afraid. Though the
taking of life to him mere pastime.
he himself is afraid to die. He wants TO
live, even though he is behind prison
bars In the hope of saving his life his
family says he * insane, and insanity Will
be his plea for life.
Early to-day he said he tried to kill
his first wife, but failed to find her. AS
Tor the fourth one he is not certain but
that he might have killed her. He was
not tired OF her at the time he was ar
rested. He has not said that he intended
10 Kill his last wife, but he would not say
that he might not have killed her. Knapp
shows little signs of weariness, and does
not rest we'll at night. He is pronounced
talker in his sleep, but his words are not
plain he mumbles things all the time,
and the opinion is that he is going over and
over the scenes of his crimes.
IL was thought that Knapp fired several
barns in this county last summer so as to
rob the houses while the barns were burn
Ing. 1t was also the opinion of some experts
that Knapp was Influenced in his murder
Gus assaults by emotional insanity, but
nothing was developed in the sweat-box
to-day to support the latter belief. 1t has
been discovered that he made at least two
unprovoked attempts. to kill women here
whom he met the street and did not
know.
Knapp was given bath, clean clothing
and shave to-day and looked much better.
Later he was seized with stomach pains
and DIR. Brown was called. The doctor
found the prisoner very sick and ordered
him to be kept quiet. so that no more
developments are expected to-day.
Although the reward Is still standing for
the recovery of the body of Hannah God
dard. the third wife of Alfred Knapp, the
search here and along the Miami river has
been practically abandoned. The theory
that Knapp shipped box containing the
body to indianapolis was also abandoned
tonight Jack O'Brien. iron molder.
to-day denied that he helped Knapp pack
the box or carry IL out, and he was no
longer detained by the police Knapp to-
night denies all stories about shipping the
body OF Hannah Goddard TO Indianapolis
He also denied the story OF his aunt, Mrs
Jane Girton. that he had child in the
asylum at Fort Wayne.
IL was announced here tonight that
prompt justice Will be the portion of AL
fred A. Knapp. Knapp probably will be
arraigned next Monday and his preliminary
trial viii be held soon after IT Is almost
certain that plea OF insanity will be
knapp's defense.
telegram received tonight from George
Gebhard. OF Dowagiac. Mich, father of lit
tie Ida, the indianapolis victim, says: do
not know Knapp. but suspected him since
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