The Detroit times., 1910-04-28
POLICE SURE They
HAVE MURDERER
OF HELEN BROWN
Weave Web Around Harry Burli.r,
Insane Degenerate, Twice an In
mate of Pontiac Asylum
Arrested Last Monday.
Admits Hearing Groans in Yard
Where Child Was Slain the Morn
ing Body Was Found.

In Harry Burlier. twice an inmate
OF the Pontiac asylum. who has been
under arrest since last Monday, the
police are convinced that they have
the murderer of Helen Brown, a.
little girl who was outraged and then
brutally slain in Whitmans truck
yard, No. 100 Jones-st., Dec. II. last.
Chief of Detectives Mcdonnell has
had long talks with Burier. These
not only place the man in an incrin-
mating light because of his move
ments on the day OF the murder, but
they show the man an undoubted de-
generate, man of the Emil Waltz
type, whose fiendish passions would
lead him To fiendish acts.
Convinced that Burlier is insane,
Capt. Mcdonnell and Supt. Downey
called in a commission OF physicians.
who examined Burlier in his cell in
the central police station, Wednesday
night. DR.. j. b. Kennedy, one OF the
commission. declares that Burlier Is
unquestionably insane and a degener-
ate. and that his degeneracy would dis
play itself In just such an act as the
murder of little Helen Brown
Harry Burlier lived on Fourth-st.,
directly across from the truck yard,
last December. He was employed in
an automobile plant, and on the eve
ming that Helen Brown walked along
Jones-st., and got no farther than the
Whitman yard, Burlier came home
from his work along the same street
Burlier told the police that on the
morning following the murder, when
he was going to work, he heard
groans coming from the Whitman
truck yard. His memory on that
point was very clear.
Yes, went by there that morning.
after the murder" he told Capt. Nc
Donnell Il heard groans In the yard.
1t was pretty frosty morning"
When he come home that night,
however, he didn't go by the Whit
man yard. He told Capt. Mcdonnell
he was afraid to go by the yard In
the evening In the same breath, he
told the captain that he did not hear
OF the Helen Brown murder until he
got into mis- boarding house on Fourth
ave. The captain pointed out to Bur-
lier that IL he did not hear of the case
until after he got home, he would
have had no reason to fear going by
the truck yard
Burlier has told the officers re-
peatedlys that he is fond of children.
Why, I'm a child myself I'm just
like one of them" he SAYS over and
over again. W
Burlier makes little attempt TO
shield himself from the brutal affair
that the police are sure should be
fastened upon him. Only once has he
protested, and that was when he was
brought before the entire detective
force for scrutiny.
Captain, are you charging me with
that heinous crime?" was his only
comment at that time.
Burlier has been identified by the
landlady of the house on Fourth-ave.,
where he roomed, and he has like
wise been identified by a number OF
children, on whom he has forced his
attentions.
But his past history and his atti-
tude to children are more convincing
proofs 10 the police than tho actual
circumstances surrounding the Helen
Brown murder, which implicate the
man
Precinct Detective Z ON HoliaIs. OF
Canleld-ave. station, arrest sd Burlier
last Monday He found him ont in
the north end of the precinct, annoy.
ing some little girls. Holland starred
to talk TO him, and il was not long
before Burlier referred TO the Helen
Brown case. Holland took him to
Garfield station. Sergt. Cook knew
something of Burlier's past history
and recommended that Detectives
Holland and Graus transfer the man
to the central police station
After Capt McDonnelis first con-
yersation with Burller. he was con-
vinced that Burlier was the man. and
Supt Downey shares his belief, Bur
| lier has always had an infatuation Tor
little girls. During his incarceration
in the central police station. he mas
talked constantly TO fellow prisoners
about children. The police have
known for a long time that be had
such a mania, and they have been
! looking for him, although they had no
intention OF fastening the Helen
Brown case upon him.
The landlady OF the house on
Fourth-aye, says that Burlier was In
tho habit OF taking her four-year-old
daughter 10 his room with him. The
woman was always suspicious and
watched that no harm befell the child.
Burlier is said TO be a resident or
81 Clair county lie told the police
h. had no home and no occupation.
He Is 50 years old DR. Kennedy SAID
/ n is his opinion that Burlier should
never have been released from the in
sane asylum The police will take
ksteps 10, have Burlier committed to
come institution for the insane.
I