The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-05-14
FRESH PROBE OF.
MRS. GERMANS
DEATHESOUCHT
Kansas Relatives of Detroit WO-
man Insist She Was Foul
Play Victim
BODY FOUND IN DETROIT
RIVER LAST AUGUST
Request to Have Case Reopened
Made Through Governor
Ferris

Replying to q communication from
Attorney-Genera Grant Fellows. As.
sistant Prosecutor Arthur Fitzpatrick
forwarded. Tuesday morning, reports
in connection with the Investigation
OF the death OF Mrs. Mary Hays Ger.
main. whose body was washed ashore
from the Detroit river, below Wind
sor, on Aug. 20. 1912. Mrs. Germans
relatives, living In Wellington, Kan,
are convinced that she was q victim
of foul play and they petitioned Gov.
George II. Hodges. OF Kansas, to have
the case reopened for Investigation
The governor. consequently, wrote to
Gov. Ferris. OF Michigan, In the mat.
ter, and the latter referred his COM
munication to the attorney.general
with the result that Prosecutor Shop
herd was appealed to for the state
ments taken In the inquiry following
the discovery OF Mrs Germans body.
Mrs. German, who was the wife Of
Robert X. German. Detroit reporter
for Bradstreets left her apartments.
No. 351 Medbury-ave., on the evening
Of Aug. FL. 1912, after q quarrel with
her husband. She told Mrs. Irene NJ.
Clark. who also lived In the apart.
ments at No. 351 Medbury-ave., that
she would not be back that night.
Nothing more was heard of her until
the finding Of her body Mrs. Clark
later told the police that the Ger.
mains had Quarreled q great deal, and.
that their final spat was over q war
rant which Mrs. German had secured
against her husband, charging him
with non-support. German, accord
ing to Mrs. Clark, said he intended to
leave for the west next morning, Aug.
~, and would not live with his wife
any more. He remained in the house
all that evening, Mrs. Clark said. Mrs.
Clark also reported that Mrs. GERMAN
had gathered up her cut glass pieces
the afternoon previous to her disap-
pearance and given them to Mrs.
Simpson. OF No. 70 Brainard-st.
Coroner IaBelle, of Windsor, con-
Guided that Mrs. German had commit.
ted suicide, and no investigation took
place In the case on the Canadian
side. The remains were shipped to
Wellington. Kan. for burial Later,
On Oct. 5. the mother of Mrs. Ger
main had the body exhumed. Three
doctors made post-mortem examina-
ton and decided that death was due
to strangulation. declaring that Mrs.
Germain died before striking the
water. There was no evidence of
water having been In the lungs, they
said. and they further said that there
were marks on the neck, evidently
finger and thumb prints.
This report was forwarded to Pc.
lice Commissioner Croul. Of Detroit,
and the latter ordered another in
vestigation. detailing Detective
Charles Seymour to work on the case.
Detective Seymour made careful in.
CURRY and reported that, while Ger
main had apparently treated his wife
cruelty, there was no evidence Of foul
play.
The result OF Detective Seymour's
efforts was made known to the Well
ington authorities, and nothing fur
Their was heard OF the matter until
Gov. Hodges recent communication
to Gov. Ferris.
Attorney-General Fellows will send
the reports received from Mr.. Kill
patrick to Gov. Hodges.