The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-26
Police Continu ; Inves.
tiga tion Into Death f
DR.. Helen Kin abe.
SUICIDE THEORY
o. AkAND JNED
But Coroner Thinks Circum.
stances Indicating Self-De-
struction Appear Negligible.
Detectives Believe That if
Killed, She Let Slayer
in Her Apartment.

indianapolis, Ind, October c5.-"1t
Dr. Knabc was murdered, as appears, L
am satisfied she was murdered by a
{ person with whom she was acquainted.
and that she voluntarily let this person
into her apartment. But the theory
f, OF suicide still will not let itself be
neglected"
With this statement. Captain Will
liam lioltz, chief OF the detective de-
! pariment, to-nignt summed up the re-
! suit Of the police investigation OF the
F, death of DR.. Helen knabe, former State
bae:ariologist, whose throat was cut
! while she lay on her bed at an unde-
termined hour last Monday night
| II cannot see anything but murder In
| this case" said Coroner c. o. Durha m.
| who began his inquest to-day. The
instrument of death was not found, and
circumstances indicating suicide ap-
/ pear to me negligible"
| Captain Holtz declared thar ne diu
not intend to reflect upon the charac-
! ter OF DIR. Knabe in saying he believed
she knew her murderer. il she was
/ murdered
IA: Knabes reputation was un-
| blemished.' said he. land she lectured
/ TO young women and men on the ne
cessity of social purity as well as on
| there are number of possible motives
| for her murder. 1t is certain that
| robbery was not one of them, and ply
| sicians have decided that assault was
! not committed.
| The heavy street dust that had set
| tied upon the outer stills of the win
! dows OF Dr. Knabe's Hat was undis-
turbed when our men examined them.
J The electric lights in the bedroom were
burning when DIR. knabc's body was
! discovered yesterday morning. These
/ are but few OF the indications which
! ed me to believe that she knew the
| person that killed her. ii. indeed, she
did not commit suicide. But we are
\ &ofking on the murder theory
| Suicide Theory.
! Some of DIR. Knabe's friends sug-
| gested to the police that the Idea that
| she ended her own life should not BIO
! cast aside. though the knife with
which she was killed had disappeared.
t They said recently she had been de-
| spondent over her debts. that even her
| furniture and instruments were the
! property of her cousin. Miss Augusta
! IAnabe.
The detectives turned to investiga-
! ton of a theory that DIR. Knabe may
! have ended her own life. and that
/! some of the group of her friends
| gathered in the flat before the police
/ in quiry got under way may have
) sought to take away evidence OF sui
eide A number of persons. 1t was
said would be Intercepted along this
! line of speculation.
| Detectives to-day took to police
/ headquarters for examination Augusta
/ knabe. cousin, aid Katherine McPher-
son. assistant, to DR.. Knabe.
! Why there was delay of over an
| hour In summoning the police after
DR.. Knabe's body was found by Miss
! Mcpherson. and what were the condl-
! lions in detail were questions put to
! the two women.
After Miss MCPHERSON entered DR..
Knabe's fiat and saw her body. with a
| gaping wound in the throat. she stated
| she first called by telephone Augusta
1 Knabe from her home In q distant
| part of the city.
| The dead woman. Miss Mcpherson
said. was lying on the bed on her back.
| without cover. Her night dress was
wadded under her arms Miss McPher-
t son added that she pulled the night
dress down over DR.. Knabes body be-
fore the arrival of physicians. whom
she summoned before the police were
notified. This action, the detectives
said. would explain the presence of
blood on DR.. Knabes left leg. for the
night dress was soaked full of blood
as it lay crunpied under her chin.
Alone with Body.
Miss Mcpherson and Miss Knabe
were with the body OF DR.. Knabe for
nearly an hour before the arrival of
Dr. Ernest Reyer. who was the first
of DIR. Knabe's other friends to enter
the apartment.
Miss Mcpherson called Miss Knabe
and DR.. Reyer and other physicians by
a telephone situated at the foot of the
bed upon which DR.. Knabes body lay.
Both insistently denied they had seen
| knife in the bed room or that they
had covered up any evidence tending
! TO show suicide. Miss Knabe admitted
DR.. Knabe owed her several hundred
dollars and had other debts.
Two cigars were found in the apart
mont. Miss Mcpherson told detectives
that she distinctly remembered Dr..
Knabe had brought the cigars home
from banquet OF medical society
~.