The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-05-12
ENDEAvoR TO CONNECT LAM.
PHERE WITH DEATHS OF
GUINNESS FAMILY.
X
N NO GRAND JURY
Prosecution Ready to Try Case Al
onee-Attorneys For Defense Have
Little to say-Depend on Theory
That Mrs. Guinness Is still Alive.
Mayor Of Laporte Talks.

4 . .i Z tssff4 r f3
the shreds OF evidence tending to con-
meet Ray Lampnere with the deaths
Of Mrs. Guinness and her three chill
dren and perhaps also Of Andrew Hell
gelein, is the main purpose Of the au-
thorities here today. Whether search
for more more bodies will be prose
cuted has not been finally determined,
Sherin Smulzer indicating yesterday
that further excavation may be post
poned. The sheriff has dificulty In
carrying on this work because Of the
morbidly curious persons who have
tocked to the place where the corpses
were discovered last week. Friday
the excavating in the barnyard was
hindered and Saturday; 1t was halted
by. the crowds. 1t is expected, how
ever. that the number Of visitors will
be lessened today somewhat.
The grand jury was to have met
today to consider Lamphere's case,
but this procedure has been post
poned for week. Experts who were
called into the affair by Sheriff Smul-
ger advised this course, although
Ralph N. Smith, prosecuting attorney
for the judicial district, had an
nounced only a few hours before the
decision was made that he was ready
to go into court with the evidence at
hand.
Letters Are Found.
Since then the case has been
strengthened by the discovery Of
LalMphere's trunk, containing several
letters which are said to establish his
participation in the murder OF Helge-
lein, and by information extracted
from number Of persons who were
intimate enough with the prisoner to
learn from him much concerning his
relations with Mrs. Guinness. II the
sitting and sluicing of the ashes in
the cellar results in the discovery Of
more evidence, 1t Is likely the case
will be pushed toward conclusion
rapidly. Prosecutor Smith Is anxious
to bring Lamphere before Jury dur.
ing the term Of court which opens to-
day, and will endeavor to clear the
docket OF several minor cases which
are scheduled to be heard.
Defense Not Revealed.
The attitude Of the defense has not
been revealed to any great extent.
The prisoner has received strict or.
ders from his attorneys not to dis
cusa the charges against him and the
attorneys themselves have not COM
mitted themselves to any particular
line Of action.
They have been free in advancing
theories to account for Lamphere's
actions before and following his ar
rest and he has given out alleged evi-
dence which they claim to have se.
cured and which they say establishes
the fact that Mrs. Guinness and not
Lamphere set fire to the house. The
adult headless corpse found with the
blackened bodies Of the children was,
they assert, that Of another victim of
the Guinness woman, the theory being
that the head was severed by Mrs.
Guinness in order that it might be
thought the body was hers.
Repudlate Interviews.
Thus far, however, efforts to sub
stantiate the announcement made by
the defense have failed, several per
Sons having repudiatad interviews ac-
credited to them by Lamphere's at,
torneys, while the facts found by the
four physicians who performed post
mortem examinations on the corpses
do not bear out the contentious Of
the defense. It is thought, however.
that Lamphere's attorneys have con-
cealed carefully the points on which
they rely, endeavoring meanwhile to
swing them open in favor Of their
side. s. s
Prosecutor Smith denounces these
methods, but there is no gainsaying
the fact that the impression that Mrs.
Guinness is still alive Is widespread,
despite almost total absence OF evi.
dence to support It. This circum'
stance will make the task Of picking
trial jury difficult and there Is
scarcely man or woman In the com
munity who has not formed or ,e1
pressed an opinion on the subject
Talesmen from the rural districts
however, may tighten the labors oi
the attorneys in this regard
Mayor Makes Statement.
Samuel Darrow. mayor Of Laporte
after conference with leading citi
zens last might, declared that the In
vestigation into the Guinness murde,