Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-13
A QUESTION OF VERACITY
Sitting and Sluicing of Ashes Pro
ceeding Today.
PROSECUTIONS NEW TURN
Will Defer Opening Of Case in Court
Because Of Recent Activity
Of the Defense.


ness hired man. Ray Lamphere. vigor-
ously denied today that lie had made any
confession or promised any to the Rev.
4. 4. Schell or to any one else. LAM
completely in the wholesale murders at
the Guinness farm.
Unless the sitting and sluicing OF the
powdered debris taken from the cellar
OF the ruined Guinness farm house re-
suits in startling discoveries today the
production Of further tangible evidence
in the big tragedy is not likely. Yes
terday's developments exhausted most of
the sources from which have sprung the
sensations Of the case. and the authorities
are now confronted with the task of en-
deavoring to find the corroboratiya de-
tails of the main points already deduced.
and offering the missing links in the
chain Of testimony with which they are
binding the more or less scattered parts
OF the battling case into coherent whole.
Just how successful they will be In this
work is not likely to he revealed until
Ray Lamphere is brought to trial. Pros
ecutor r. n. Smith has evidently modified
his previous determination to rush the
case into court finding that the states
side may he strengthened in many par
ticulars. He insists that the evidence al
ready available Is sufficient to prove the
states contention. but the recent activity
Of the defense and the strengthening Of
Its forces show that desperate night is
to be made on behalf of Lamphere. With
both sides Of the Lamphere case working
behind the scenes and with Sheriff Smut
ger occupied with the slow-going sluicing
operations at the farm, there Is little in
sight to satisfy the public curiosity in
the affair
Four Bodies Dead Issues.
Coroner Mack has received and made
public the results of his Investigations on
all the known bodies except that sup
posed to be Ole O. Budsburg of lola. Wis
The four burned bodies found in the ruins
of the house are dead issues SO far as
further investigation by the coroner Is
concerned. and he has also received re-
ports from the examining physicians on
the HeIgelein and Jennie Olsen cadaVers.
None of the other bodies has been iden-
titled to any degree. and it is scarcely
likely that they will be. The decomposed
state OF the fragmentary masses OF flesh
and bones almost precludes such a possi-
bility.
What DEVELOPMENTS to come probably
will be in the direction Of cstabl' shing the
identity Of more of the mysterious men
who were seen to enter the farmhouse.
but never to leave il. Yesterday three
such persons were connected up with the
Guinness woman the evidence regarding
John Moe Of Elbow Lake. Mimi. and
Henry Gerlfolt OF Scandinavia Wis. be-
ing almost conclusive. The fate OF George
Brady Of Tusco!a. ILL.,. is less certain.
Trails Ended at Banks.
Moe was traced to the farm by means
Of the banking actions which preceded
his visit The facts shown were startling
ly similar to those brought to light in the
cases Of Ole o. Budsburg and Andrew
Helgelein. Each of the men cashed a
amount at one the other OF the local
banks. and at the desks Of the cashiers
all trails end.
It is considered probable that an in
reveal further evidence Of similar ma
ture and perhaps determine the fate of
several individuals whose relatives have
lost track Of them. The officials of the
Laporte financial institutions. however.
seem loath to impart such information.
if they have II. although willing enough
to reveal full details when once the
identity Of particular transaction is
known. Because of this the authorities
are investigating every clew regarding
provided that the information is -suf-
ficient!y definite to give them basis
Of action.
Scores OF letters asking about supposed
visitors to the Guinness farm have been
received but the vast majority Of these
epstles are either vague. illegibile or
anonymous Budsberg and Moe were
found through inquiries emanating from
the Farmers State Bank of lola, Wis.
the letters being complete IN detail and
definite to dates and places. Such
letters are sure to receive consideration
by the local authorities.