The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-24
Office Girl Discovered Body
Lying on Disordered Bed
in Her Apartments with
Throat Cut, Ear to Ear.
NEITHER CLUE NOR
MOTIVE ADVANCED
Mystery Enshrouds Crime as
There Is No Evidence of a
Struggle Former Bacter-
iologist Seen Monday.
(National News Association

(National News Association,
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 24.-Dr. Helen
Knabe, former state bacteriologist,
was found dead with her throat cut
in her apartments at Delaware and
Michigan streets early today, under
circumstances indicating murder. The
knife with which the deed was COM
mitted is missing. The body. clothed
in a night dress, lay on the bed, arms
hands. precluding a suicide theory.
The discovery was made by Kather-
inc Mcpherson, DR.. Knabe's office girl,
when she came to work. She had
built up an extensive practice with
her office at her apartments since she
was relieved of the position as state
bacteriologist.
Miss knabe was murdered some
time between $50 last evening and 8
o'clock this morning. Her body was
found in bed with the throat cut. The
bed was in order and the bed clothes
and Miss Knabe's night clothing and
body were covered with blood. No
weapon was found. There is no clue
to the murderer and no motive has yet
been advanced. Neither is it known
how the murder got in or out from
the fiat.
The body was found by Miss Kath-
crime Mcpherson, DIR. Knabe's office
assistant. She came to work as usual
about o'clock. DR.. Knabe had not
yet come to the office. Miss McPher-
son, after waiting awhile. went to DR..
Knabe's sleeping room, in the rear Of
the Office, and knocked on the door.
[.tss.s-ssss- -
There was no response and she went
in. There horrible sight greeted her
eyes. DR.. Knabe's body was stretched
on the disordered bed, covered with
blood. She was lying on her back,
one arm raised to her head and the
other outstretched. She called for
help Immediately.
Though the bed was in disorder, the
police did not say positively that
there had been a struggle and are lost
for a theory, other than that she was
murdered.
She was last seen, as far as known,
by Miss Mcpherson shortly after 6
o'clock last night. Just before that
she had been down town with her
cousin, Miss Augusta Knabe, and left
her at Pennsylvania and Washington
streets at o'clock, saying she was
going to spend the evening studying.
Miss Mcpherson was at the Office
when DR. Knabe came home. She says
the doctor was in good spirits and also
told her she was going to study.
She had no business engagements
for the evening, as far as Miss Nc
Pherson knows. Miss McPherson
left shortly after, DR.. Knabe telling
her to stop on the way to the office
in the morning at shoe store and
bring her some shoes that were to be
called for.
Expert on Rabies.
DR.. Knabe's office and apartments
were on the ground floor. The win
dows were found closed, contrary to
her custom, she being a fresh air ad-
vocate.
She was born in Germany of distin-
guished ancestry, coming to America
because the German schools exclude
women from studying medicine. She
gained prominence as an expert path
ologist. Her most noteworthy effort
was the discovery of the method of
rapid diagnosis of rabies, now in gen.
eral use in Indiana. She had held
several positions of importance in In
diana medical institutions.