Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-12
MYSTERY NEAR SOLUTION.
Believed That Definite Proof Will Be
Forthcoming Soon.

TOFIuSVIulhS So0us
Laporte, Ind, May ia complete
solution of the mysteries Of the Cum
ness murder, farm is expected within
forty--eight hours. The officials who
have been conducting the search for
the victims of the house of many deaths
practically admitted this fact today.
They refused, however to make
known their purposes further than to
say that the final step may be taken
tomorrow, or the day after at the lat
est
The mystery surrounding four Of the
fourteen deaths which are ki.3Wi. to
have occurred at the place is cleared
by the absolute certainty that Ray
Lamphere, the former farm hand. pri-
soner in the county jail, set fire to the
home of Mrs. Bella Guinness on the
morning of April % and thereby caused
the death of the widow and the three
children.
For this he is liable, under the pro-
visions of the Indiana state laws, to
conviction for murder in the first de-
gree, as we'll as for arson. Indict-
ments against him upon both these
charges will be asked of the grand jury
on Wednesday.
AS to the manner of death of the
ten murdered persons whose bodies
were uncovered in a little patch Of
ground by closely woven wire netting,
the silence of the officers in response
to queries as to the arrest of one or
more accomplices provides the only an
swer.
The the victims came to their death
thru the administration of a deadly
amount of choral has been proven. The
places at which the drug was pur-
been found.
That the inanimate corpses then
were dismembered either in a cham
ber of horrors" on the second floor
of the Guinness home or in the base
ment has been shown to the satis-
faction Of the Investigators. Two
knives, one six inch dagger and the
other a needle pointed, double razor
edged surgeons knife, have been
found in the ruins.
That the big, stolid Norwegian wom-
an enticed some of them into her lair
by the bait of matrimonial advertise
ments and there had an active hand
in killing them and disposing of their
bodies is established without ques-
ton.
The one remaining question, that Of
whether she had assistance in her
crimes, is to be met by the action
that is expected almost hourly.
The arrival at this point has been
preceded by hunt for a minute, only
runors of which have been made pub
lie Here and there bits of evidence
have leaked out, but the great array
of facts, it is said, was secured from
statements made by Ray Lamphere,
the former hired man, who black
mailed the Guinness woman thru the
possession of knowledge concerning her
dark secrets.
He has not been "sweated" at any
time. No attempt at the 'tthird degree"
has been made, but it is from his ut
terance that the chain of testimony
has been forged.
The chief agent in securing the con-
fidence of the prisoner has been
minister, the Rev. E. A. Schell, pastor
of the First Methodist church. Ever
since the first day of the prisoners in
carceration the clergyman has been
visitor at his CELL For hours at time
he has been locked in with the man
who might carry the secret with him to
the gallows.
Upon the reports of the clergyman
the investigators have builded their
case. All that Lamphere told him has
not been revealed, but enough of his
admissions to give the framework upon
which the crucial decision has been
reached became public yesterday.
The man has been cautioned by his
legal counsel to avoid giving any infor-
nation concerning his knowledge of his,
actions upon the night of the disap-
pearslnce of Andrew Helgelein. the last
known victim Of the arch murderess;