The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-08
OF the Guinness Home Prove
That 1t Is Not Hers.
MORE BODIES FOUND.
DiggersTurn Up Two Additional
Skeletons This Morning.
One That of a Man, the Other
a Woman.

Laporte, Ind, says:
Mrs. Belle Guinness, who at the back
door of her farm house, kept private
grave yard from which nine bodies
have been unearthed. is alive.
This was established beyond rea-
sonable doubt yesterday.
An ordinary tape measure proved the
agent which may solve the perplexing
mystery of the long series of startling
crimes.
Careful measurements were taken OF
the headless trunk of the woman found
In the ruins of the burned home, which
at first was thought to be the body
of Mrs. Guinness. This resulted in the
astounding revelation that the dead
woman was not more than half the
size or weight of the siren who Is
supposed to have lured a score OF men
to their death.
In addition to the convincing testi-
mony of the tape half a dozen of the
most intimate friends of Mrs. GUM
ness asserted with the positiveness of
absolute conviction that the dead body
was not that of the mistress of the cas-
tie Of death on the McClung road.
What the inquiries of Prosecutor
N. r. Smith into the alleged connec-
ton of Ray Lamphere with the
crimes will develop is exciting inter
est. deputy Sner1H Roy VINO Is
aiding the states attorney in this line
of work claims that he will today pro-
duce witnesses to strengthen the tes-
timony of Louis Roule, Bessie Wall
lace and Nettie Shoemaker, who yes
terday told the authorities that Lamp
here had asserted that he knew
enough concerning Mrs. Guinness to
convict her of serious crimes and had
threatened to reveal this evidence in
revenge for her prosecutions of him.
One of these new witnesses, it is said,
took part In the conversation between
Roule and Lamphere, and it is furth-
er reported is of unqueStioned integ-
rity and standing in the community.
If more bodies are found on the
Guinness farm today fresh mysteries
will confront the authorities. Thus
far only three Of the nine bodies have
been identified. The known victims
are:
Jennie Olsen, the 16 year old foster
daughter OF Mrs. Guinness; Andrew
Helgelein, of Mansfield, s. D., Ole o.
Budsberg. of lola, Wis. One female
corpse and those of five males vet re-
main unidentified. Despite the
searching investigations of the sher-
iff and states attorney, there is as vet
almost no clew to the identity of these
bodies. Their task is complicated by
the fact that the bodies have been in
the ground for at least 18 months
were brought into the affair yester-
day may be able to discover fresh eyi-
dence Is the hope of Sheriff Shutter
and Prosecutor Smith. The outsiders
are in charge of c. J. Smith and he is
said to have four assistants. Two Of
these, it is said, have been detailed to
search neighboring farms for infor-
nation regarding Mrs. Guinness's es-
tablishment. The others are working
under the direction of the sheriff.
The woman frequently changed her
signature sometimes signing Guinness
and often writing it Guinness" The
generally accepted spelling ofthe name.
however, in Laporte is Guinness"
The rain ceased early this morning
and digging was begun early by Sheriff
Smutzer. who departed from his usual
custom OF having several men at work
with spades and put only one man at
It. The sheriff was too busy this morn
ing to talk to newspaper men. Prose-
cutting Attorney Smith also refused to
say anything. 1t is said that Pinker-
tons are picking apart whatever evil
dence they have gathered. Coroner
Mack was engaged until an early hour
this morning taking the dispositions of
the Budsberg boys and Edwin Chaplin
the lola, Wis, merchant who accom-
panied them. These reveal no facts
not already published.
Another important witness against
Lamphere, the suspected murderer, is
said to have been found in a person
named Purcell. 1t is said that he will
be brought in today.
Cross examination of Mrs Belle Guin.
ness before Justice Robert c. Kincaid
one week before the burning down OF
her home, came to light today as a
most important fact in support of the
theory that she fled from her home in
fear of an exposure of her crimes OF
that she committed suicide, fearing to
face investigation.
Attorney Worden, who cross examin-
ed her. represented Ray Lamphere, the
carpenter now in Jail, in the hearing
before Justice Kincaid when Mrs
Guinness had Lamphere arrested fo!
trespass.
In this cross examination ATTORNEY
Worden asked the woman pointed
questions concerning the deaths of hel
two husbands. He wanted to know
whether their lives were insured
ance and whether she was suspected o.
blame for the deaths. She did not an.
swer any of these questions because O.
her lawyers objections.
Justice Kincaid in telling of the eros:
examination said:
''The woman when the first question:
were asked her was composed, then sh
trembled and was agitated as the ques
tionS became more numerous. Th,
questions were leading and not relevan
anu dl liiuCS SSCil]Su SOIileMIdI Insult
ing to the woman by intimating tina
she killed her two husbands for tn
insurance. She protested against tn
cross examination and left the stan,
agitated which might of course, b
true of any decent woman, resentinj
insinuations."
Attorney Worden who is now takin
up Lamphere's defense, said that whe
his cross examining questions were no
answered he made them bolder an
more direct accusations at which tn
woman was visibly affected.
1t was a few days after this eros
examination that she made her wi