The San Francisco call., 1908-09-08
DIARY MAY THROW
LIGHT ON MURDER
Significant Entries Tend to
Prove Mrs. DonOfue Was
Killed for Insurance
husband Continues TO Pay Lodge
Dues After WOnlan's Disap-
pearance Is Reported

Donohue tend 20 prove that the sui
eide was bent upon collecting the in
suranee left by his murdered consort,
even while he was ostensibly making
every effort TO solve the mystery OF
her disappearance. Strangely enough,
the diary was commenced June II,
1905. the day on which Mrs. Donohue
was murdered.
Although Donohues: knowledge,
whether innocent or guilty, OF the
1yoman's disappearance could not have
been gained until after midnight Of
1he day in question, according 10 his
own story, the first entry was made
under date Of June 11-"Mrs- Donohue
disappeared from home" On the fol-
lowing day. June y, on the same page
in the book, appears the inscription,
Looked all day for her" 4 repeti-
1iOn Of this statement is made June
Is and June IA. On June 10 is the
entry, Went TO work" and this is con-
1inued for I'VE days. Then on June 20
is the old entry, Looked all day for
her" Following a day of work this
announcement IS made June p: Put
case in hands OF chief Of police" Al
though the entries are continued daily,
with a few lapses, until July %, there
hue's disappearance or the search that
was being made for her.
FIND STRANGE ENTRIES
The closing entries contain common
place references to ordinary business
transactions, and no Importance would
have been attached to the diary had ii
not been that in the back Of the book,
hidden away among nOtatiOns made
Two years ago, We're discovered two
entries showing the payment, June IL
and IS, scaHcely week after his wifes
disappearance, Of her insurance dues
IN two societies These entries were
as follows.
June I7-Paid Mr.. Simmons $2S5
dues ia the Americans for the month
OF June"
June Is-Paid Jim Hubert dues for
the months Of May and June in the
Royal \. Of A, $l.6O."
Under these entries, with no date
line, appears the inscription, paid the
tribe OF Ben Hur $2.25 for the month
OF June"
The fact that these records were
separated Iron the other entities in the
diary, With the apparent intention 10
conceal them from prying eyes, is con-
sidered as strengthening the theory
that Donohue sought TO cover up his
eagerness to keep his cOnsorts insur-
ance paid up.
Following is the complete record of
entries il the front Of Donohue's
diary.
june ll--Airs Donohue disappeared from home
aue lz-Looked al day Tor her
su4e 15-LoOked al dag Tor her
J1lle iE-Looked all day fer her.
June l5-Weut 10 work.
s-ne l6-Neut 10 work
June IT-Went 70. work
uae lS-Neur to work.
Jgae l9-Neut 10 work.
Jlue -t--.0oked all duy FOR lcr.
dule -l-MOrk-
Jule 22-I,ut case in hands Of -.ief of police
June 24-Aork
JUue 25-NoIk.
June zt-Nork.
june 2T-Nork.
jane 29-I'ut 7alualies iu Tank of Commerce,
june so-Fald On irl..,sr b:c 50. reid water
u July work.
Juiy 2-Na.k
July 5-Nork
saly s-WorE
July 5-Nor
gs.y g-Ps.d ,iie Jesseg ca s.aerg SIS
july ie-paid R. Mott 5000 coal Din.
sly sls2ss l'-F-i' l. Mott o. 10 so Interest
JsIy l4-Mosk
July lG--Nork-
gSiy - sTork
July I9-Work
July 90 Paid woman on waist T4c. Paid Jap
Juiy Paid in the order Of America 50 225.
July 23-Paid in the Tribe Of Ben Hur S1.50.
According to the police records,
Donohue reported the woman's disap-
pearance June Il, declaring his be-
lief that she had met with foul play.
POLICE HAVE NO CLEws
The police frankly confess that they
are all at sea in regard to the true So
luton Of the mystery surrounding
Mrs Tto-o7ar,efS dee n Ahlstedf is still
in custody, but he will not be called
as witness at the inquest into the
death OF the murdered woman, as was
at first announced. Captain of De-
tectives Petersen is investigating a
rumor to the effect that the captive
German was once accused OK murder
ing and burying a woman in Contra
Costa county, but ne declares that he
is convinced that there is no truth in
the story.
There are absolutely no new devel-
opments in/ the case" said Petersen
today, and I have no hope of clear
ing up the mystery at this time There
viii be no surprises sprung at the in
quest and the only evidence brought
out VIII be that which has already
been published in the newspapers"
gKEPTICAL ABOUT BERRY
When asked whether the capture of
Joseph Berry would clear up the mys-
tery, Captain Petersen expressed him
self as skeptical.
Berry may possibly be the man
who committed the crime, but 1 am
inclined TO think that If he were ar
rested he could prove an. alibi. What
would be his motive for committing
the crime? Jealousy Of Donohue2 If
this were his motive, why did he not
Kill the woman during the ten years
prior TO her death7 She lived with
Donohue all of that time. 1 am at
loss TO connect Berry logically with
the crime. 1t is entirely possible that
he is now working in the mines some-
where in the interior of the country
and has not yet heard of the woman's
murder When he does hear of il and
of the connection of his name with
the crime by Donohue, l should not be
surprised If he communicates with the
police"
ACCOUNTS FOR TESTAMENT
The testament bearing the name Of
Amelia Taylor, which was found
among the effects of Ahlstedt is not,
Ii has been determined, connected with
the case in any way The book is
the property Of Miss Amelia Taylor of
San Francisco, and was presented. to
her by her Sunday school teacher.