The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-08-26
Nellie Rainey Declares that
Ernest TanksIey Knows
Nothing of the Crime with
Which He now Stands AC-
cuSed.
MUCH EXCITEMENT Is
MANIFESTED AT BEDFORD
Miss Rainey is at Her Home
in HeItonviIIe and Says Her
Father is Responsible for
the Trouble Existing.
Publishers Pressf


indianapolis, Aug. 25.-It is report
ed here that the authorities at Bed
ford have gathered enough evidence
during the past two days TO make it
difficult for Ernest Tanksley to es-
cape conviction for the murder of
Sarah C. Schafer of which crime he
is suspected though not formally
charged. A News special from Ded-
ford says:
Ernest Tanksley, in jail here on
the charge of abducting Nellie Raj
ney, but suspected of the crime of
killing Sarah C. Shafer, the Latin
teacher who was murdered nearly
three years ago, declares he is inno-
cent of the crime
Nellie Rainey also says Tanksley
is innocent, and declares her lovers
arrest was due to put-up job by her
father. The girl is very bitter
against her father and brother and
The News correspondent who went
to Heltonville today to interview her.
witnessed a violent family quarrel
during which she accused her father
of conspiring against Tanksley for re-
venge. There was a desperate strug
gle in the yard of the Rainey home
over books containing memoranda
which. the girl said. would prove
Tanksley innocent of the crime of
which he is suspected.
Hopes of the Prosecutor.
Prosecutor Fletcher in a statement
today, said there was strong circum-
stantial evidence against Tanksley,
and that if the grand jury should re-
turn an indictment the case would
be pushed, with better prospects of
conviction than in the case against
Mcdonald.
Mr. Fletcher realizes. however,
that there have been so many stories
and SO many men charged either di
rectly or indirectly with the murder
of Miss Schafer that he will have to
point out the man for certain before
the people will believe that the muir
derer is under arrest. If the Rainey
girl will turn against her lover. Mr..
Fletcher will be easy But the girl to-
day gave no Indication of aiding the
prosecutor.
Girls Memory "Weak" in Spots
Nellie Rainey was questioned for
more than three hours yesterday
evening and was then allowed 70 go
to her home at Heltonville with her
father, after she had promised that
she would see Mr.. Fletcher next week
and might be able to give him some
information
Nellie declared that Tankslev was
innocent of the murder. She denied
having an appointment with him the
night of the murder. and said any
letter tending to show such an ap-
pointment was forgery. and She
knew who the forger was. and show,
too. that the attempt to fasten the
Schafer crime on Tankslev was for
revenge. She declared that she loved
Tanksley: that her life with him was
pleasanter and better than IT was a:
home. but that she intended to have
nothing more to do with him
But | won't keep quiet. she said
with tears in her eyes. "and let them |
take his life when he is innocent | /
told him TO burn the clothing. last |
March. and I can prove that 1 never /
told any one in Evansville that there |
was another crime l would not talk /
about. That's an untruth. l did say
that Ernest's wife might bring a /
charge of desertion against him, and |
that would be a fine and Jail SEN /
tence''