Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-07
MORE BODIES FOUND
ON GUINNESS PLACE.
Startling Developments at La Porte, Ind.
New York Youth Tries to Murder Five
- Double Murder and Suicide In Ohio.

LaPorte, Ind, May GA possible
solution of the Guinness farm mystery,
which was deerened today when four
additional bodies were found in the
barnyard, developed tonight when evil
dence tending to show that the nine
dismembered corDses unearthed yes
terday and today had been shipped TO
LaPorte, probably from Chicago, came
to light. Testimony of draymen who
had carted trunks and boxes to the
Guinness home lent color to this sup
position The LaPorte police also re-
ceived information that two trunks
consigned to Mrs Belle Guinness, La
Porte. Ind, are held in an express Of
flee in Chicago. Assistance of the Chi
cago police in unraveling the puzzle
was sought at once.
Two of the nine mutilated bodies
were identified this afternoon with
reasonable certainty. Antoine Olson of
Chicago viewed the body supposed to
be that of Jennie Olson. IL years old,
foster daughter Of Mrs. Guinness, and
pronounced it to be that of his daugh-
ter. A sister of the girl, Mrs. Leo
Olender of Chicago. confirmed the ia
theirs identification.
Asa Helgelein whose inquiries re-
garding his missing brother Andrew
LED to the first discoveries on the death
haunted farm, became sure today that
the largest and best preserved of the
corpses is that of his brother. Against
this Identification, however, is the re-
suit of the autopsy performed on this
body by DR.. J. II. Meyer. he found
conditions which RI his mind nrnVpl
that the man persisted long after An
drew Helgelein disappeared last jan
uary DIR. Meyer said that the body
showed evidence of having been in the
ground less than two weeks
Asa Helgelein, however, refused to be
convinced by the finding and his GER
tainty led the coroner to accept his
identification for the present. Roy
I.amphere, who is held on charge of
first degree murder as a result of the
fire that destroyed the Guinness home
and caused the death of Mrs Belle
Guinness and her three children, gave
no new evidence today. despite repeat
ed questionings. Ralph w. Smith, pros
ecuting attorney, tonight asserted that
confession is not necessary so far as
Lamphere is concerned. I'VE have evil
dence in the shape Of letters connect
ing Lamphere with alleged murders at
the Guinness farm" he said. The exact
nature of these letters was carefully
guarded by Mr.. Smith.
An attempt to identify one of the
corpses as that Of Ole B. Budsberg of
lola, Wis, was started by the sheriff.
In response to telephone messages
word came that a member of Buds
bergs family had left lola for La
Porte
Stirred by the horror experienced by
citizens as each additional bundle or
decaying bones and flesh was discov-
cred, the commissioners of La Porte
county today decided to offer a reward
of $1,000 for the solution of the enigma.
The Guinness farm today was
thronged with curious sightseers. They
came in carriages. wagons. bicycles,
automobiles and many walked. BY the
time the first of the days discoveries
had been made, the spectators num-
bered hundreds
The digging stopped at noon and
the crowd melted away but came in
redoubled force in the afternoon and
soon became so dense that the road
was cIlOktu anu IL was aliIioot
sible for late corners to force their
vehicles through the press
The excavators re-doubled their eff
forts and soon found a few scattered
bones. The skull was uncovered
Digging around this another corpse
was exposed and beyond this yet an
other. One of the bodies found in
this pit is believed to be that of wo-
ban The other two and that found
earlier today are probably those Of
men. OF the nine cadavers. seven are
those Of males. All were adults, the
two smaller bodies found yesterday
and first thought to be those of chill
dren proving otherwise when the
bones were examined by the coroner
today.
The best clue which has yet been
found came to light Immediately fol-
lowing the discovery of the last three
bodies today. John A. Welker, liv-
eryman and Leo Wade, his emplOye,