The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-02
OESER7ER SAYS he
KILLED WOMAN
FOR $1,000
Seth Nichols COnfesses Murder
of Dr.. Helen knabe
ARRESTED IN PORTSMOUTH
Alleged Slayer, a Nervous Wreck,
Describes Crime in All
Details


mystery surrounding the murder of
DR.. Helene Knabe, one of the best
known Of women physicians in the
United States, who was found dead,
throat slashed from ear to ear, last
October in Indianapolis has been
solved. Seth Nichols, deserter
from the United States ship Dixie,
who was arrested here last Friday,
confessed to Chief of Police Entwistle
today that it was he who murdered
DIR. Knabe. and that he received ST.
500 from man named Knight to de-
sert the navy and put the doctor out
of the way. Nichols is nervous
wreck.
After Nichols had confessed Chief
Entwistle wired to Chief Hoyt oil In
dianapols for details OF the murder.
In the interchange of dispatches con
firmation in peculiar details convlnc-
ed the head Of the Portsmouth police
that Nichols could have learned OF
the murder only by taking part in 1t.
He described it step by step from
his first meeting with the man
rKnight," the events leading to and
following the murder.
Although the man had been arrest
ed for intoxication and was charged
in court with carrying loaded re
yolyer. he seemed to think that back
of these charges was some hint OF the
Knabe murder When asked why he
carried a revolver he broke down and
said that he carried it TO commit SUI
eide in case he was caught.
Chief Entwistle pressed him tor
particulars. He had been bound over
for the Superior Court on the carry
ing concealed weapons charge ana
went to jail in default of the 500.
81 do not care what happens to
me- he said, the cold sweat standing
out on his forehead in great beads
Ever since | got out of that house,
my hands sticky with the blood OF
woman had never seen before,
have been scared would get caught
and | have been tormented, skipping
from city to city to escape detection
But I've got to get it off my mind
or I'll so crazy. | was drinking the
night it happened, so that some
things are not yet clear. But
know what | did, and ] am willing &c
pay any penalty to get shut out OF
the torments.
81 got $500 for the job. 1t is
about all gone now, and most OF II
was used in getting from one place
to another
81 was in indianapolis some TINT
before Oct. %, when | murdered the
woman, visiting my sister, Mrs Grace
Blackman, at 243 East Avenue.
II was about 2 o'clock in the morn
ing. We got in by back alleyway
and, so far as | knew, no one saw us
After We got into the house
knight seemed to have It all fixed 81
that we could get in-we had to g
from room to room till we found th'
one in which the woman was.
Knight was right there with me
When we found her asleep Knigh
passed me a light, sharp knife like
razor.
Then the woman woke up ant
yelled. Before she could yell more
than once or twice had killed her
did not leave Indianapolis till thu
next day.
II was around the skating rink ant
the barrooms a good deal and ran in
to this Knight. He was a good dresse
and spent lots Of money, bought lot
OF drinks.
shortly after that ! met him II
New York, in the Y. NJ. c. A. whel
the Dixie was in port 1t was thel
that he put 1t up to me to desert ant
skip back to indianapolis and do tn
trick for him.
He told me there was no danger
he would take care OF everything, bu
the murder and he would give m
81, 500 cash. He gave me enough {
square the officer on the watch, s.
that they would not chase me an
spoil the job.
} II was in indianapolis n short tim
when knight showed up That might
Oct. %, he loaded me up pretty wei
with booze, and then together W
went to Or. Knabe's house
, Il did not know who the woma
3 was till saw in the papers the stol
les of the murder and the police wer
. after a clue. And have since bee
jumping from place to place, expec
ing every moment TO be pinohod an