The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-25

The detectives, it appeared TO me, were
satisfied with it and were positive he could
not have been implicated in any way"
The father then told Of the detectives
visit to the house and the examination Of
his sons room. He was perfectly willing
to take them to his ROOM" the father said.
In closing Mr. Heitger said That boy of
mine is no more guilty than l."
The Heitger family is prominent in Bed
ford The father is in the grocery business
at 1924 I street. Young Heitger has been
in the University of Indiana for four years.
For the last few months he has remained
in Bedford planning to make his extra
credits during the spring term and grad
uate with the class of 1904. Miss Loves
story is the same as that told by Mrs
Smith She said that Heitger was reading
Miss Schafer's character by the features
LETTER FROM LOUISVILLE.
Sheriff Smith and Chief of Police Russell
left for the south this afternoon. The sher-
iff went to Paloi in response to a message
from Lynn Jones' former sheriff of Orange
county and ex-state agent of the Reforma-
tory, who had man under surveillance in
that town. The chief of police proceeded
10 Louisville 10 interview, it is reported,
an unknown person from whom a letter was
received by the authorities to-day stating
that he or she had information which might
serve to clear up the mystery of the murder
Of Miss Schafer. 1t is believed that the
writer of the letter was a woman, but the
authorities are extremely reticent in regard
to the matter. They do not attach much
Importance to the letter, but they are eager
not to overlook the slightest bit of evidence
that may lead to the discovery of the muir
derer. Sheriff Smith returned tonight
from Paoli He said Jones's story was
to the effect that on Thursday morn
ing, after the train from Bedford
reached Paoli, a stranger with dis
heveled hair, dirty face. wet and muddy
clothes and apparently very nervous, applied
at the hotel for bed. He left a call for 8
o'clock and at that hour paid his hotel bill
and went to restaurant to eat. He said
his father was a nearby farmer, but it later
developed that the fellow is an ex-convict.
who formerly lived near Paoli. Sheriff Smith
does not believe the Paoli suspect is wanted
by him, but the man is being temporarily
kept under surveillance.
REWARD MAY BE INCREASED.
Tonight the city officials were considering
the advisability of increasing the reward
offered for the apprehension of the MUIR
derer. 1t was suggested that the county
and city offer an additional $1,000. This in
crease may bring more detectives to Bed
ford. Detective Halpin, of Chicago, had
planned to make an arrest tonight. He
holds in his possession a warrant for man
wanted for wife desertion. The man is j.
NJ. Walker and he was employed in quar-
ry near here. He was to be held as a
suspect simply because his description an
swered that Of the man wanted and be-
cause he had a red mustache. He had
made an engagement. but failed to keep 1t,
eIuding the officer. Had an arrest even of
a suspect only been made there would have
been threats made on his life by the an
gered citizens.
IT is known tonight that Miss Schafer
had often been bothered by calls over the
telephone and several times had thrown
down the receiver in disgust. Once and per-
haps twice she became displeased when
man came to the schoolhouse to see her.
The story that the couple seen by Albert
Deich was an Oolitic man and his wife
time, is denied by the officials. The report
is probably the result Of the fact that the
body was first identified as the wife.
Tonight it is denied that at any time were
the homes of two High School boys under
surveillance or that the detectives searched
the houses. Tonight Mayor Smith received
a signed communication from Elizabeth
town, Ind, saying that a man who had left
that town several years ago and come to
Bedford might be guilty OF the crime. Moth
ing was done with the information.
HEARD DEATH SCREAMS.
The EIliotts were not the only people who
heard the frightful death screams of Sarah
Schafer. Mrs. Juliessa Laforce and Ruth
Armstrong, living at Thirteenth and K
streets, were paralyzed with fright at a
scream heard at o'clock. Both say 1t was
the most terrible noise they had ever heard.
John Mathers and wife. living at Thir-
teenth and L streets, heard the scream.
This points clearly to the fact that the girl
lay dying I'm the cab shed for hours. The
man with the long coat was seen also by
William Brown, cashier of the Bedford
| National Bank, and William Hodges. an
undertaken Brown says that the stranger
retraced his steps TO keep from passing a
man walking east. Charles Duncan saw
| the man at the corner OF Fourteenth and L
streets He made an effort 10 hide his face.
Duncan may prove a valuable witness.
Prosecutor Miller returned to his home in
Bloomington tonight at 10 o'clock. He will
resume his duties in court tomorrow.
Prosecutor Miller must return before an
arrest can be made. as 1t is required that
/ he file an affidavit OF information against
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