The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-15
Music Teachers Death May Be
Traced to Black.
SHEET MUSIC NEAR "SHACK"
Officers Believe FeatherstOne
Dropped 1t There.
Religious Fanatic Said to Have
Confessed Crime.


prairies for miles around the scene of
the tragedy, caused Chief of Police
O'NeilI to still hold the negro, John
Fcatherstone, alias Peter Dillon, sus-
pected of the murder of Signe Carlzen
on a lonely highway in lower Montclair,
Friday night.
81 still believe that the negro COM
n1itted the crime" declared Chief of
Police O'Neill, but until I find more
corroborative evidence I shall not
prosecute him. 1 intend to continue the
search until 1 have my finger on the
murderer beyond a question of a
doubt
One of the first places searched yes
terday was the dingy shack which had
been occupied by the negro.
Ten feet west of the hovel, the de-
tective came upon the ashes of burned
clothes that employees of the brick
yard declare had been fired either Fri
day evening or Saturday morning.
Remnants of cloth burned to a crisp
disclosed what was thought to be
blotches of clothed blood. Small pearl
buttons, evidently from a shirt, were
also found in the refuse.
The police are working on the theory
that after the murder was committed
the slayer took all the blood-stained
clothes and burned them, either on the
night or the morning after the tragedy.
Another find that the police regard
as significant was the discovery of five
separate sheets of music strewn along
a path in the direction of the shanty
where Featherstone lives.
The music will be taken to the home
OF the girls mother today for identif1
cation. The scattered sheets were dis
covered by Detective Lindsey. They
were lying in an almost direct path TO
the negro's cabin.
Rely on Conductors Story.
The police are relying on the state
ment Of Tramway Conductor A J. |
MfnR0 of IoNyl
the negro. Mingo declares that Feath- |
erstone and his 9year-old son, Eddie |
boarded his car at $50 o'clock Fri |
day night.
A further investigation of the ac-
cused Negroes past yesterday developed |
that he was originally from San An |
tonic, Tex, where ne was known as |
Austin" Brown, his real name being |
Alexander Brown. He lost an eye in |
fight with another negro there sew |
eral years ago and left the state. He |
was next heard from in Colorado, |
where he has been variously known as |
John Featherstone and H. L. Jonas |
His father killed a deputy sheriff in |
San Antonio 15 years ago and paid |
the penalty with his life, being legally |
hanged. Both father and son bore
unsavory regulations in Texas, but no
charge of a nature now resting against
him was brought against Brown in San
Antonio.
The police of Cheyenne, where
Brown lived previously to coming to
Denver a short time ago, do not be-
lieve that he is of sound mind. 1t is
charged by the Denver police that he
attempted to assault a stepdaughter
in Cheyenne, but in statement made
by her last night, she declares that the
charge is untrue.
The negro is a bricklayer by trade,
but worked mostly at odd jobs in
Cheyenne.
He has been given the third degree
at police headquarters and is to be
"sweated OUT again, when witnesses
from Cheyenne are expected here to
confront him.
Signe A. Carlzen, a pretty music
teacher, was assaulted and murdered
on lonely Denver road Friday night.
Her body was horribly mutilated. 1t
was found next morning by a dairy
man who was hunting strayed cows. |
A razor edged Ratchet or ak is be-
neved to have been the weapon used.
One theory is that the woman was a
victim of the mysterious ak man whose
victims are buried in half a dozen
states.
Is 1.-THE APOSTLE FIend.
Colorado Springs, Col, Aug. IA
man about so years old and apparently
insane, was taken into custody here as
a suspect in connection with the muir
der of Miss Signe A. CarlzSn, the music
teacher, assaulted and murdered IN
Mount Claire. a Denver suburb, Friday
night. z-e carried a heavy walking
stick, blood stained, and in his grip
were found blood stained shirt and a
woman's handkerchief He admits hav-
ing been in Denver Friday night The
man is said to answer the description
of the stranger who accosted little Olga
Kaiser Friday night near the scene of
the crime.
williams, as the unknown man calls
himself is a puzzle to the local police.
When questioned about the case, he
grinned and said:
1.-The Lord told me to be as wise as q
serpent and then after short silence .
absolutely denied he had any connec-
ton with the murder.
Another blood-stained handkerchief, j
evidently a woman's, has been found
in Williams effects.
Seen Near Where Body Was Found.
Denver Aug. 15.-In spite of general
opinion of the police here as entertained
last night, that there was only remote
probability that the religious fanatic
who gives his name as William The
Apostle arrested at Colorado Springs.
was connected with the assault and
murder of Signe Carlzen, young music
teacher, last Friday evening, develop
ments today caused a change of opinion
in police circles as to probability of the
mans guilt.
Mrs. H B. Hall, of 702 Julian street,
when shown a picture of the Colorado
Springs prisoner, identified it as that of
a man VINO had called at her nome and
asked for something to eat on the day
before the murder of Miss Carlzen. Mrs
Hall declared the man began to dis
course on the evils of sexual relations,
and stated that ''all barren women
should be cut down."
The man declared early today that
he never had been in Denver although
last night he did not deny having been
here on Thursday and Friday. !
The aged religious fanatic calling :
m mr. q
rested at Colorado Springs yesterday !
was brought to Denver today. The
police have no direct evidence to con- Y