The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-15
Evidence Accumulates That
Many More Lives Were
Taken by Laporte Fiend.
one MORE BODY IS FOUND
Evidence Of at Least Nine More Victims
Six Men, a Woman a Girl
and an Infant:

A multi-murder mystery rivaling in
horror the bloody crimes of Holmes
in Chicago and the Bender family in
Kansas was brought to light last week
at Laporte, Ind. The discovery of the
wholesale murders was brought about
by A. X. Helgelein OF Aberdeen, S. D.,
who appeared in Laporte in search of
his brother, Andrew Helgelein. He
had information that his brother went
to LapOrte to marry Mrs. Belle GUM
ness and that he had turned over his
money to her, and he became con
vinced that Andrew had been the vic
tim of foul play.
Mrs. Guinness and her three chill
dren were recently burned to death
in the destruction of their home. and
Ray Lamphere, who formerly worked
on the Guinness farm, was arrested
on suspicion of having set fire to the
house.
Following A. G.. Helgelein's investi-
cation into the disappearance of his
brother, excavations were made on
the Guinness farm, and the remains of
five bodies were found on Tuesday.
one of which was identified as that of
Andrew Hegelein. The excavations
were continued on Wednesday, and
the remains Of four more bodies were
discovered. Thursday heavy rain pre-
! vented further search and the author
tiles put in the time collecting evil
dence against Lamphere, who is sus-
nected of having been an accomplice
Of the woman. Evidence was secured
that showed almost conclusively that
the bodies had been shipped in from
Chicago.
The authorities are convinced that
the victims were lured to their death
by fake matrimonial advertisements.
Another Body Found.
Laporte. Ind. May 1O.-One more
body was added to the death roll of
the Guinness farm yesterday. the
grewsome relics now numbering en-.
Developments in the case came
thick and fast last evening, each adj
ditional circumstance brought to light
being of a nature to strengthen the
! charges against Ray Lamphere. who
is accused of first-degree murder be-
cause of the death of Mrs. Belle GUM
ness and her three children. Lam
phere yesterday sen a request to his
attorney, H. F. Worden. asking the
! latter to send to the farm of John
Wheatbrook for the trunk which Lam.
phere left there when he was arrest
ed, April 2S.
Trunk Is Confiscated.
! But before this word had reached
he attorney the trunk had been CON
fscated by the local authorities. 1t
contained a number of letters written
by Mrs. Guinness to Lamphere after
he latter had taken employment at
the farm of John Wheatbrook, near
Springville. The woman wrote Lam
phere urging him to return to her
farm and ito bring your sweetheart
with you if she has monev enough"
The identity Of the woman is a mys-
terry.
Establishes a Motive.
Other important developments OF
the day included the following:
Peter Colson. a new witness in the
case. told r. N. Smith, the ~prosecut-
ing attorney. that Ray Lamphere had
acknowledged attempts to blackmail
Mrs. Guinness. This is considered
definitely establishing q motive FOR a
disagreement between Lamphere and
the woman which resulted later in the
burning Of the farm house.
Mrs. Leo Grening said that her son
Emil. who formerly worked on the no
tOriOus farm, saw two strangers at
the place the night that Jennie Olsen
disappeared, in November, 1906. Emil
Grening is now in Oklahoma City, and
the sheriff's Office will try to commu-
nicate with him in the hope of estab-
fishing the fact that Mrs. Guinness
had accomplices in the murders at
her place.
Draws Curiosity Seekers.
The resumption Of excavation at
the Guinness farm again drew an i'm
mense crowd Of spectators. A prema-
ture announcement by Coroner Mack
that two bodies had been discovered
only served to increase the rush of
curiosity seekers. The scraps of hu-
mainly were found in the barn ward.
The body was by far the least pre-
relics.