The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-29
POLICE SURE THEY
HAVE MI RID { RER
Of HELEN BROWN
Weave Web Around Harry Burllsr,
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.


of the Pontiac asylum, who has been
under arrest since last Monday, the
police are convinced that they have
the murderer of Helen Brown, q e |
little girl whO was outraged and tneli
brutally slain in Whitman's truck |
yard. No. l09 Jones-st., Dec. II, last |
Chief of Detectives Mcdonnell has
had long talks with Burlier These
not only place the man in an lnoiin-
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 flendish 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.
directly across from the truck yard,
last December He was employed III
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 his 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- |
peatedly 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.
Burlier makes little attempt 10
shield himself from the brutal affair |
that the police are sure should be I
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 Fourthave.,
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 the actual
circumstances surrounding the neien
Brown murder, which implicate the
man.
Precinct Detective ON Holia:, OF
Caniield-ave. station. arresr al Bdrlier
last Monday. He found min. ont in
the norih end of the precinc7, annoy
ing some little girls. Holland staItes
to talk 10 him, and II was not long
before Burier referred 10 the Heien
Brown case. Holland took him 10
Garfield station. Sergt. Cook knew
something of Burlier's past history /
md recommended that Detectives /
4 Holland and Graus transfer the man /
5 to the central police station.
After Capt. McDonnel's first con
4 wi npIf
] WINGED that Burlier was the man. and
Supt Downey shares his belief Bur
4 lier has always had an nfatuation COR
little girls. During his incarceration
!, in the central police station. he has
talked constantly 10 fellow prisoners
a about children. The police have
y known for long time that ne had
such a mania, and they have been
-loeking for him. although they had TO
\ Intention of fastening the Helen
\ Brown case upon him.
The landlady OF the house on
4 Fourth-ave,. says that Burler was Ina
!, the habit of taking her four-year-old
daughter TO his room with him. The
woman was always suspicious and
watched that no harm befell the child.
Burlier is said to be a resident OF
n st. Clair county He told the police
he had no home and no occupation.
He is So years old. Or Kennedy said
IL is his opinion that Burlier should
never have been released from the in
sane asylum. The police will take
steps To have Burlier committed TO
II some institution for the insane