The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-26
DETECTIVES ARE At SEA
AND BEDFORD IS PUZZLED,
HE|TGER ASKS FOR AID
No Further Light Shed Yesterday
on the Mysterious Murder of
Sarah Schafer
RUMORS WERE PLENTIFUL
And the People of the Pretty Lit
tie Town Were in an Excited
State All Day.
LETTER FROM HEITGER
In Which He Asked for Legal As
sistance if Requircd-He Is
Still in Bloomington.
2UMORS WERE PLENTIFUL
LETTER FROM HEITGER
star Correspondents OF the Journal.

STAFF Correspondence Of the Journal
BEDFORD Ind. Jan. 25.-An Bedford 3
bewiIdered tonight. Numbers OF its citizens
predict an arrest shortly. waiie the most
conservative say it will take time for the d.
tectives to secure evidence enough TO justify
an arrest in connection with the murder OF
Sarah Schafer. The morning papers. which
made frs; mention OF Joseph Heitger, the
Indiana University athlete. in connection
with the case threw the little city iEto
puzzled state that bordered on a panic.
Nothing was talked about on the streets and
in the homes but the episode In Miss Soha-
fer's room. when Heitger. according TO her
letters, attempted TO force his attentions
upon her. The community shocked. so
highly is the young mans family connected
that. few even ventured opinion
1t became known about the little city that
Heitger intended TO return from Blooming
ton on the Monon train due at 4:S5 o'clock
this afternoon. In spite Of the binding
snow small ana curious crowd waited at
the station. The train was an hour late.
but still they waited. He failed. however,
to step off the car as the train slowed up
at the station. In the afternoon Heitger
was in communication with his father and
he decided to remain a few days longer in
Bloomington. He had been persuaded by
friends there to postpone his return until
the latter part Of the week, when they be-
lieved the affair would quiet down.
1t was learned to-day that young Heitger
mailed a letter under a special delivery
stamp from Bloomington last night to Chas.
c. Pettijohn. attorney having offices in
the Thorpe block. Indianapolis. In the let
ter. 1t is learned from excellent authority.
Heitger asked Attorney Pettijohn to aid him
in case of an indictment by the grand jury
One OF Heitger's acquaintance says thaN
Attorney Pettijhon is close friend OF the
young athlete and a member of the same
college fraternity. Phi Gamma Delta. They
attended the State University at the same
time.
DETECTIVES AT SEA.
The officials and detectives conducting the
investigation said tonight that they had not
enough evidence TO Justify them In suspect
ing any one OF the crime. They greatly
! puzzled.
At meeting of the City Council tonight
i'm executive session new plans 90 prosecute
| the investigation were adopted. In confer
/ ence with Mayor j. Hickson Smith nnd the
! six cOunclmen were Prosecutor Joseph Mil1
/ Ter. of Bloomington. Deputy Prosecutor Ellis
] Stephenson and Detectives Halpin, OF CHI
cago. and Hager OF Louisville. Miller came
from Bloomington at 5:55 D. m.
Every man that was present at the con-
/ ference of the Co. scil and officials tonight
\ swore himself TO secrecy. IL II known they
decided to retain Defective Halpin and give
/ him fun sway in investigating the case. De-
tective Hager will return to Louisville at
! once. The reward OF 1000 will still stand.
/ II was thought tonight that special ses-
/ sion Of the grand jury would convene 10 in
vostigatc the murder. but Prosecutor Miller
said that the matter would be left entirely in
the hands of the court of inquiry and De-
tective Halpin.
Tonight Prosecutor Miller declared he in
tended to return 10 Bloomington at 10
o'clock Mayor Smith urged him 10 remain
until tomorrow night II Is necessary that
the prosecutor issue an affidavit OF inforFra-
! ton when an arrest Is made
Mayor Smith said tonight: I'VE arc stili
up in the ar and suspect no one OF the mfr
Ger. We have no tangible ciew 10 work on.
Detective Halpin tonight told OF the visit
to the Heitscr homo. lie said that the
scratch on Heitger's forehead noticed by
Justice Fred Fletcher. before whose court
of inquiry the young athi-te was a witness.
was at least a week old Il said that ne
examined the young mans face and the
clothes he was wra:ing at the time.
Hepgcr's father is hcartbroken over the
turn Of affairs and his mother IS pros
t-a:ed Friends of TIE family have come
forward and strongly denounce the ssorles
published. The father does not change his
story told tie Journal representative last
night He declares his son did not press
his attentions upon Miss sehafeT.
Prof Lowder. OF the Bedford High
School. was at the Oh library building AZ
the basketball practice. and ne said to-day
that Heitger arrived at the place IN the
neighborhood OF O'Clock TIc could not
name the exact minute. Several others said
tie sane Last nth; the father o. Joseph
Heitgo- tod tho Jpzinol representative
that his son had arrived az the old library
building bcfo-e any of The others. Lowder
declares he and several of the players were
there. Miss Madgc Dobbins. who was the
. rirl With Heiteer at the Guth.ies leap
year dance. says he vas never in a more
happy frame OF mind c. joller than that
+ night.
Before the court Of inquiry to-day Michael
Murphy q High School boy. testified that
| iIeitger did not arrive al the od library
building until after 7.l5 O'Clock Thursday
evening Murphy did not arrive untt then.
The son OF Mayor Smith said Heitger was
/ there near o'clock. but Murphy declares
Smith did not arrive untn after ne. Mayor
Smith sad tonight that there wee discrep-
( ancios IN the stories OF different witnesses
as 10 the time Iieitger arrived az the
library.
To-day the detectives found on the cun
Of the waist worn by Nlss Schafsr several
more hairs They resenbied hairs from
mustache. bit the officials declare they are
horse hairs. No significance BE- attached TO
the discovery.
There is absolutely nothing in the story
! CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 col. 50