Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-14
GIVES VIEWS OF
GUINNESS GRIMES
OPINION WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN
' OF DETECTIVES
SMART AND PRETTY WOMEN ARE
WORST MURDERERs
Paul Hammer Declares Laporte Arch
Fiend Probably Had Accompiices.
Lamphere Type of Weak
Minded Tool
BY PAUL TLAMMER,
Captain of Detectives, Los Angeles

through different eyes.
A student of any certain subject secs
beneath the surface and things whlch
are dark to the average observer are
more plain to him.
The average detective is trained
observer. keen to see beneath the sur
face and paying attention to matters
which appear of little moment 10
others.
A newspaper reporter in search for
news looks for the most spectacular
horrible, grewsome or unusual. These
are the things which appeal to ms
readers and the things which so 10
make up the best story.
Tile detective sent to investigate any
crime is compelled also TO pay atten-
ton to things of this nature. but in
addition must closely observe every
detail and pass great deal OF tinc
examining points which would appear
as of small account
A police officer is, as usual thlng'
chary of passing an opinion unit such
time as he has had the opportunity
to examine all details in connection
with a case. or until his evidence is
we'll in hand.
So it is with the Guinness case.
This case presents many remarkable
features: some of them almost un-
believabe.
The first question which occurs to
the mind is whether it is possible for
woman to be of such a nature that
she can commit such brutal murders
as have been brought TO light by in
vestigations in the so-called house OF
horrors"
Women Worst Murderers
A.glance into history will show such
a thing is possible. In fact some OF
the most grewsome murders in the
history of crime have been committed
by women. In many instances the
murderers have been intelligent, beau
tiful. accomplished members of the
feminine gender, who. to their fNends
and acquaintances, appeared TO be se-
fined. gentle women.
Another thing. many of these wo-
men have used loving glances. words
and actions to draw their victims to
them.
Judging from the reports I have read
of the Guinness murders the Indiana
woman followed this method in entic-
ing her victims to her home.
Men are easily led by an attractive
face or form, and it is probable the
woman appeared to her victims as a
pure. sweet. lovable woman; one de-
serving of the honest affections of any
man.
How she committed the murders we
at this distance have no way of know
ing. She could have followed any one
of dozen methods. a knife thrust
afte. her victim had retired for the
night. A dose of poison in the food
served al the evening meal A sud
den blow with AK or Ratchet. These
are but few of the rougher methods
which could be employed.
So far as dsposing of the bodies is
concerned. that was a simple matter.
From what l have read, Mrs. Guinness
was large. powerful woman. She
appears to have been an expert at
cutting bodies up, and a few trips to
her bed of quiclllime completed the
job.
Had an Accomplish
There is where the question Of an
accomplice enters. l have been fire.
ouently asked whether l believed the
man Lamphere was connected with
the woman. Only a person on the
ground can decide that.
Lamphere, judging from newspaper
reports. appears to be d simple minded
man, swayed principally by passion
for the woman and used by her to
further her own ends. He appears to
be a man with no education, brutal and
depraved, while his pictures show him
to have weak chin, ill-shaped head
and weak appearing eyes.
II is possible he aided the woman
in committing the last few of the muir
ders and assisted in disposing of the
bodies.
1t is probable he knew of some of the
previous murders and could, without
doubt, assist greatly in clearing up the
mystery which surrounds the entire
case.
Whether the woman is still alive
seems to be the greatest mystery
Opinion appears to be divided on that
question.
From the reports I have read, the
district attorney and tho sheriff believe
the headless body found in the ruins
is that of Mrs. Guinness, while others
believe the arch murderess is at lib
erty and laughing in her sleeve at the
investigators.
Either of these ideas may be correct.
Whichever is will be shown shortly,
as. if the woman is alive, it is i'm
possible she left without leaving some
cleW which will mean her downfall.
1t appears impossible that WomaSs
who could carry off such crimes as
| Mrs. Guinness appears to have would
have fallen victim to the rage of
some companion in crime. or lost her
life in the fire, and the fact that the
body found in the ruins of the home
was headless leads one to the natural
belief that the body is simply that of
another victim of the Woman's and
thar it was left behind to blind the
officers and cover her tracks.