The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-11
SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
AGAINST THE PRISONER
Ut Is Wholly Circumstantial, but
Furnishes a Basis for the
Grand Jury's Work.

Stan Correspondence of the Journal.
BEDFORD, Ind. Feb. 1o.-If James Nc
Donald is ever convicted of murder in the
first degree OF Sarah c. Schafer and pays
the penalty with his own life it will be by a
loosely woven web of circumstantial evil
dence unless ne breaks down in the mean
time and makes a confession. The facts at
present I'm the hands of the detectives and
officials and upon which they appear per-
fectIy confident of securing a conviction,
are:
First-McDonald's shoe exactly fits the
imprint of a shoe between the telephone
pole and the Dunn fence near the cab shed
OF Captain Cook, discovered the morning
the body was found.
SecOnd-It is an absolute impossibility for
him To prove an alibi. as by mis- own admis-
sion he was near the scene Of the murder
at the time the young school teacher met
her death. He declared he was only thirty
feet in front of Miss Schafer as she passed
the corner at l. and Fourteenth streets and
heard her singing. The detectives say that
no other person could have committed the
crime without Mcdonald knowing il.
Third-His description answers aexactly
the description of the man seen in the
neighbOrhOOd OF the Johnson house by Mr..
Mills. an insurance agent, and by w. @.
owen, former county auditor. The man
was attired in long overcoat and wore a
Fourth-McDonald has made half dozen
conflicting statements explaining his pres
enee near the alley that Hateful night. He
voluntarily told the detectives that he was
returning 70 his home from Lawrence Cos
ner's shoe store on Sixteenth street, where
he had been TO collect money owed him by
Cosner for labor. He was not at this store,
Is not known there and COsner owed him no
money. This story was in explanation of
his whereabouts from clock until
O'Clock. At o clock he was at DIR. Smith S
office. a half square from the scene of the
murder, 10 procure medicine for his sick
child. and tins story his wife and Dr. Smith
81 H.
Fifth-His story told of two men seen
loitering at the corner of l. and Fourteenth
streets was not told until a week after the
not even tell It 20 his wife, because he said,
"She would blab IL to everybody" He did
not tell OF the TWO men until ne had heard
his brother-in-law, Sherman Fisher, make
a similar remark.
Sixth-The officials and detectives claim
that Mcdonald would have had plenty of
time to commit the crime from the time he
left DR.. Smiths office until he arrived home
q few minutes after o clock, according to
both his and his wife's story.
Seventh-Tbe whisky bottle, or a similar
one, found in the alley near the cab shed
was filled with brandy for Mcdonald at
Chester Ingalls's saloon on L street the
afternoon before the murder. 1t could be
told whether the few drops in the bottle
was whisky or brandy.
GRAND JURY TO MEET MONDAY.
Upon these facts Mcdonald was placed
under arrest last night, and il is this web
the grand jury viii take up Monday morn
ing looking forward to returning an in
dictment against the man. No incriminat-
ing evidence will be furnished by witnesses
against Mcdonald. only the dumb cold ev-
idence Of the facts already in the detectives
hands. Both Sherman Fisher, the brother
in-law, aud Mrs. Mcdonald the wife. will
tell stories which viii further conflict with
the statements made by the prisoner
When the warrant was read TO Mcdonald
in the mayors office early this morning he
made short statement, his only statement
made in Bedford that has been given to the
public 1t follows almost verbatim as re-
membered by one present.
Il can prove an alibi. / can prove an
alibi and I'm no more guilty of KILN that
girl than thousands OF other people.
wasn't within three squares of the place
when she was murdered and L can prove
1T" Almost in an appeal, Mcdonald, who
knows no such thing as tender heart
Continued. If you make that charge
against you are dom against an in
nOcent man. i was Walxin' along l. street
about my own business and there's no
blood on my hands"
Further Mcdonald repeated his stories
told at a previous examination still max
ing conflicting statements He talked no
more until he arrived at Jeffersonvile.
But few people believe that Jim" Nc
Donald is guilty of the murder He is
known as a half-witted fellow and has
been a town character for the last seven
years. He came 10 Bedford with a travel
Ing circus and remained here. His home
IS in Daviess county, although his mother
lives with her daughter, Mrs. Sherman
Fisher in Bedford.
He has been In numerous escapades here
tofOre and has served a prison sentence
under the name of William Parsons A
half dozen times he has been brought into
court on the charge OF assaulting his wife
Several years ago he shot "Bill" Jackson
q negro. in an alteration and a short time
previous attacked neighbor. Albert Jones
with q Ratchet, almost killing him
The grand jury. which convenes on Mon
as presented by Prosecutor Miller, OF
Bloomington, and his deputy. Eli 3. Steph-
enson The sessions will be long and ar
effort will be made to return an early in
Gictment
DRAMATIC FEATURE
Perhaps the most dramatic feature OF the
investigation since the morning the crime
was discovered was the visit made in the
dark last night by Mcdonald. accompanied
by the detectives and several city officials
10 the lone alley at the side of Captain
Cooks cab shed There. in the light of a
lantern, the man was compelled TO place
his foot in track discovered the morning
OF the murder The rude shoe fitted 10 the
track perfectly and this fact will be one
of the most discriminating against the man
The track Is between the telephone pole
near the shed and the fence, and has no