New-York tribune., 1911-10-26
WOMAN'S DEATH MYSTERY
DR.. Helen Knabe'S Case Battles
Indianapolis Police.
THINK SHE WAS MURDERED
They, However, Have Not Aban'
doned Suicide Theory, as Ply
sician Was in Debt.

Indianapolis, Oct. 25-"If DR.. Knabe was
murdered, appears, I am satisfied that
she was murdered by a person with whom
she was acquainted. and that she voluntar-
fly let this person into her apartment. But
the theory Of suicide still will not let Itself
be neglected"
With this statement Captain William
Holtz. chief of the detective department.
tonight summed up the result Of the days
activity Of the police in the investigation
of the circumstances OF the death Of DIR.
Helen Knabe. former state bacteriologist.
whose throat was cut while she lay on her
bed last Monday night.
Il cannot see anything but murder In
this case" said Dr. c. o. Durham, coroner
Of the county. who began his inquest to-
day. The instrument Of death was not
found, and circumstances indicating suicide
appear TO be negligible"
Captain Holtz declared that H. ed not
intend to reflect upon the character Of DR..
Knabe In saying he believed she knew her
murderer, IL she was murdered. "Dr.
Knabe's reputation was unblemished," said
he. and she lectured 10 young women and
men on the necessity of social purity, as
we'll on physical culture and hygiene.
But there are number of possible motives
for her murder. IT is certain that robbery
was not one Of them, and physicians have
decided that personal assault was not COM
mitted.
Believe Woman Knew Murderer.
THE heavy street dust that had settled
upon the outer sills Of the windows OF DR..
Knabe's fiat was undisturbed when our
men examined them. The electric lights IN
the bedroom were burning when DR..
Knabe's body was discovered yesterday
morning. These are but a few of the IN
dicatons that lead me TO believe that she
knew the person that killed her, II, indeed
she did not commit suicide. But we are
working on the murder theory"
Some Of DR.. Knabe's friends suggested to
the police that the idea that she ended ner
own life could not be cast aside, though the
knife with which she was killed had dis
appeared. They said she recently had been
despondent over her debts-that even her
furniture and Instruments We're the proper
~ of her cousin, Miss Augusta hnaoe'
Along this line Miss Knabe and hatA-
crime Mcpherson, Dr. Knabe's assistant
who found her dead, were Qestioned AT
length Both insstently denied that they
had seen a knife in the bedroom or that
they had covered up any evidence tending
TO show suicide.
Miss Mcpherson said she had pulled Dr.
Knabes night dress down over her BODY
and Miss Knabe that she had laid a pho"
across the body. Then, both said, tney
were so anxious to get physicians into
the fat that they forgot TO call the ponce
until more than an hour after the discov-
cry of the body Miss Knabe admitted
that DR.. Knabe owed her several hundred
dollars and had other debts.
Two cigars were found in the apartment
Miss Mcpherson told detectives that she
distinctly remembered DR.. knabc had
brought the cigars home from dinner OF
a medical society as joke.
No Evidences OF Struggle.
"Thcre IS this to be said for the suicide
theory" said Captain Zoltz after the ex-
animation of Miss Knabe and MISS NC
pherson: "Dr. Knabe was tralneu gym
mast. and she could have put up power
full resistance 10 an assalant There were
no signs Of a struggle in the bedroom
Blood was not spattered about. The BODY
was not distorted. As for the wound, one
familiar with anatomy, as she was, ana
with a sharp knife, could have cut the
throat with a strong right hand slash such
as killed DR.. knabe.
"This does not account for the knife
being missing, but there have been many
cases I'm which the friends Of a suicide
have sought, by removing evidence, to pre-
vent the fact of suicide appearing. And
many Of Or Knabe's friends were in the
fat before the police arrived
we shall continue 10 question DR..
Knabe's friends and acquaintances in the
hope Of finding a lead. So far we have
not discovered motive for murder, and
there IS only a slight one upon which TO
base the suicide theory