Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-05-19
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY AND
CHEF OF POLICE WARNED TO
CEASE INVESTIGATION OR
LIVES WILL PAY FORFEIT.
GRAND JURY BEGINS
TO PROBE THE CASE
FIFTY WITNESSES WILL BE
BROUGHT FORWARD in EFFORT
TO SHOW PART PLAYED BY
LAMPHERE IN CRIMES.

Laporte, Ind, May 1S.-The county,
grand jury convened this morning and
Immediately began to work towards
the investigation of the mystery sur
rounding the death of fourteen per-
sons at the farm of Mrs. Belle Gun
ness.
Prosecutor Smith today received !,
letter from Brooklyn, N. Y, which
threatened him with death unless he
resigns his Office and drops the Gun
ness Investigation. Chief of Police
Cochrane is in receipt of a letter from
New York saying his life will pay the
forfeit unless he ceases his activity.
Another Probable Victim.
Another probable victim of Mrs.
Gunness came to light today when an
investigation was started for Abra-
Sham Phillips Of Bellington, w. Va,
who left there in February, 1907, and
came to Laporte to marry rich wild
oW, whose name was unknown. He
left West Virginia with big sum Of
money. He has not been seen since.
Prosecutor R. N. Smith will present
the first of fifty witnesses to testify
Ray Lanphere, who is ac-
cused Of burning alive Mrs. Belle Gun
ness and her children in their house
on the morning Of April %, and who
Is suspected of having aided Mrs. Gun
ness In the murder of Andrew K
t1elgelein January IA of the present
year.
That Indictment will be returned
charging arson and murder in the
first degree in the case of the Gun
ness fire istlooked upon as a foregone
conclusion. There is a strong possi-
bll1ty that another Indictment will be
voted charging Lamphere with being
an accessory to the murder Of Helge-
lein.
In any case, the action of the grand
jury Will precipitate legal fight in
which politics and perhaps some ele-
ments which at present are not gen
orally known will have an active part.
Grand Jurors Are Chosen,
The grand jury is composed of six
members. They are: N. D. McCor.
mick, ex-sheriff, foreman; August y
Anders, armer; Henry Keithlein
farmer; Fred H. zahn, ex-county
treasurer; Joseph Fraser, retired gro.
ceryman: August Barsken, farmer
Deputy Sheriff Leroy Mari, who did
most of the local authorities in the
investigation, will have charge of the
witnesses. Last night he had served
subpoenaes and more were being
made out in the prosecutors office.
Among the more important witness
es will be Joseph Maxson, Mrs Gun
ness hired man, who escaped with his
life from the fire, Mrs Nina Shoe
maker and Bessie Wallace, who arc
expected to testify that Lamphere
told them that he knew enough te
send Mrs. Guinness to the gallows anf
displayed enmity towards the woman
on the evening before the house was
burned; Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, a
whose house Lamphere slept on the
night the house was burned: Sheriff
Albert e. Shutter and Deputy Sheriff
William Anstiss and G. ]. Smith o
the Pfnkerton national detective
agency and bank officials who will tes
tffy in reference to Mrs. Guinness, de
sasits made the day before the hous,
as burned and her expressed fear
& Lamphere.
A boy, John Solyon, who has toll,
two stories on the same day and con
tradicted himself, will be brought be
fore the grand jury in an effort to ge
at the truth. The boys first story wa.
to the effect that he saw Lampher
run out Of the Guinness yard just aft
er the fire started. Later he sail
that he was not about early that morn
ing at all.