Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-15
|JAWBONESMAY Be KEY co ON WITH HEAR|NG|
Latest Gruesome Find in the Commissioners Receive Testi
Guinness Mystery mony as to Street Work.
AWAITS CORONER'S REPORT CAPT. MARKHAM WITNESS
Clue in Case Against Lamphe Not Describes Followed in
Unlikely. Awarding Contracts.
SHERIFF JUB1LANT PROGRESS OF INVESTIGATION
to a Contractor
AWAITS C0RONER's REPORT
Clue in Case Against Lamphere Not
Unlikely.
SHERIFF SHUTTER JUBILANT
Lamphere to Be Brought Before
Grand Jury NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Undecided as to Trial Date.

LAPORTE. Ind. May l5.-The report Of
the coroner's physicians to the effect that
the jawbones found at the Guinness farm
yesterday came from the skull of an
adult human being is all that is required
to confirm the establishment of the corpus
deficit in the case against Ray Lamphere.
according to the prosecuting officials of
this county. Just when this formal report
will be made is uncertain. The same
doctors considered their findings on the
bodies found in the cellar of the Guinness
home for ten days or more before making
a formal return concerning them to the
coroner.
| 1t is scarcely likely that the same delay
will occur in the present instance. but
the failure of some of the doctors to
express themselves positively last night
may mean that difference Of opinion Is
about to ensue. In that case long dis
cussion, possibly terminating in a split
verdict. might result.
Sheriff Shutter was jubilant over his
discoveries last night. and resumed his
investigations today. The material on the
east side of the cellar. where the bodies
were found. has all been screened. but the
possibilities of the refuse piles are by no
means exhausted. The ashes were SHOW
eled from the east side to the west side
during the search for the bodies and the
subsequent cursory examination of the
ruins for evidence. AS a consequence some
finds of considerable value to the prosecu-
ton may yet be turned up.
| And when the screening Is f1n1Shed the
sheriff has the sluicing and panning
method to fall back upon. This novel
method Of unearthing evidence has given
tseveral results already. although the
amount of ashes gone over has been In
considerable.
Lack Of Water for Sluicing.
The lack of an adequate water supply
is the chief obstacle to this branch of the
work, but a force pump installed recently
has partially remedied this defect The
one we'll on the farm Is depended upon
for the water. and the sheriff may yet
decide to add a gasoline engine 70 ms
| equipment with the idea OF obtaining
steadier work from the force pump imam
results from the windmill power used at
present.
The bits of shining metal found by the
miner among the piles of nails, bolts ana
other relics Of the farmhouse Will bear
| evidence of one fact, even If they do
not prove to be gold filings or crowns
from Mrs. Guinness teeth.
/ Each globule is fused into the cinders
with which it came in contact and melted
into all sorts of irregular shapes NO
better testimony is had as to the nerce-
ness of the fire which consumed the IdTln-
| house, and it is upon the alleged tremen-
dous heat engendered in the flaming ruins
that the state must depend for support OF
its contention that the head of Mrs. Gun
ness was incinerated on the morning OF
| April %.
Case Against Lamphere.
The case against Ray Lamphere prob
ably will be brought before the grand jury
Monday, according to the first revision
of the schedule in this regard. The time
of his trial is less certain. Until Sheriff
Shutter has exhausted the possibilities of
the farmhouse 1t Is scarcely likely that
the case will be docketed for trial. Ac-
cording to the present rate of progress
| this will mean a delay of months.
| The prosecution is in fact almost ready
| to switch from its former attitude. which
| contemplated an immediate trial. Dis
| cussion of the baffiing aspects of the af-
! fair has been 80 general and the preva-
lence of opinion hostile to the states side
| so Unexpectedly strong that the chance of
! having to submit the case to a jury In
fiuenced by these circumstances is more
than a remote possibility.
| Much Of his condition is due to the fail
ure of the curbstone debaters to consider
the salient facts already brought to light.
| 1t Is the hope of the prosecution that
| opinions formed result of these dis
| cussions will change. or at least grow
| vague. with time. In that case, post
ponement of the trial to the next term
of court would. they believe. be an advan-
| tageouS move.