The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1911-10-27
Murder a Mystery.

II Anapoiis, Ind, Oct 26.-Dr.
Hell e Knab, former State bacteri-
ole st, was found in bed with her
ne almost severed from her body
b. the slash of a knife How she
lie to her death remained tonight
mystery to the police. Jefferson
Haynes, the negro janitor of the
apartment house where Dr. Knabe
lived, was detained on suspicion that
he knew something of the circum-
stances of her death, but today the
detectives let him go after he had
withstood for hours their attempts
to draw from him any discriminating
information. They were in the dark,
they said, as to last nights tragic
incidents in DR.. Knab's fiat.
The theory of suicide, put aside
earlier in the day, was revived but
the police declared the evidence tend
ed to indicate murder. The nife with
which DR.. Knabe was killed has not
been found and the coroner and the
police were of the opinion that if she
herself gashed her throat, she would
not have had strength to have care
fully idden the knife and then re
turned to her bed. Further, there
were no bloodstains on the floor of
her bedroom save where the blood
had trickled from the wound, across
the bed and dripped on the floor The
blow deaf was a powerful one, for the
knife passed through the muscular
tissue and was only stopped by the
upper vertabrae. On one of DIR. Knabe
arms was slight wound and blood
was smeared on her left leg.
The janitor had known DR.. Knabe
for years. He told the police he went
to bed in his room in the basement
of the apartment house at II o'clock
last night. DR.. Knabes apartment
was just above on the first floor of
the building. He was awakened in
the night, he said, by three screams,
apparently in DR.. Knabe's fiat, but
he slipped off to sleep again without
investigating At o'clock this morn
ing, he continued, he heard footsteps
in the room above him The family
il ing in the apartment above DR.,
Knabe's said they heard neither
screams nor any other sound from
DR.. Knabe's room.
It was 8:15 o'clock this morning
when Katherine Mcpherson, DIR.
Knabes assistant, entered the apart
ment and found-her dead. The body
lay prone on its back, the arms out
stretched. The night dress was dis
arranged and across the breast was
pillow. There were only slight
signs of a struggle. Miss Mcpherson
called physicians, who agreed DR..
Knabe had been dead about six hours.
The coroner stated he could find no
evidence that she had been assaulted.
The police we're summoned and were
unable to discover that there had
been violent struggle in any of the
rooms or 30 asSsbey. had been robbed
Motive for the murder puzzled de
tectives today DR.. Knabe spent much
time in study. She had told Miss
Mcpherson last evening she intended
| to read until late last night. She had
wide acquaintance, but no one was
found today that said she had an
| intimate man friend.
DR.. knabe was 35 years old and
of strikingly attractive appearance
She had never been married. As
bacteriologist and pathologis, she
was highly respected. She was born
| in Germany the daughter of civil
engineer in the German army
Coming to this country as girl by
| her own efforts she paid the expense
| of her education.