Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-06-22
Craig trial TO Be
CALLED ON MONDAY
Murder of DR.. Helen Knabe
at Indianapolis Will Be
Reviewed Again.
HER THROAT WAS CUT
Tragedy Occurred in 1911 and 1t Has
Created Nationwide
Interest.

indianapolis, Ind, June 21.-Wha
promises to be one of the most spec.
tacular murder trials in the history Of
Indianapolis will begin Monday when
Dr. William r. Craig, faces the court
OF answer a charge of murder in con-
nection with the mysterious death OF
Dr. Helen Knabe, who was found in
her bed on the morning of October
"a, 1911, with her head almost sever
ed from her body.
DR.. Knabe, who lived alone in her
office apartment in Delaware street
had won signal honors in her pro-
fession before her death. She had
emigrated to this country from Prus-
STA, entered domestic service, and by
dint of the strictest economy and hard
study has finally graduated from the
Medical College of Indiana in 1904 at
20 years of age. After her gradua-
ton she served as an instructor in
the college, leaving later to become
the first bacteriologist in the newly
created Indiana State Laboratory of
Hygiene. Subsequently she opened
her own office and succeeded in build
ing up a good practice. About a year
previous to her death she had become
identified with the faculty of the In
diana Veterinary College, of which Dr.
Craig was dean.
The body of the unfortunate woman
was found by her assistant who OPP
ened the office on that morning. At
the coroner's inquest and during the
subsequent investigations of the po-
lice, it developed that several persons
had heard screams at the time the
murder was supposed to have been
committed and that a man had been
seen coming from an alley in the vi
cinity shortly afterward. The knife
or whatever sharp instrument was
used in cutting the wOman's throat
could not be found and this led to the
belief that it was case of murder
and not of suicide as some people
were at first inclined to think.
Months passed by. and no solution
to the mystery has been found. The
women of the state of Indiana banded
together and subscribed funds for a
thorough investigation. In June Of
the following year they tried to oh
tatnn indictments against certain per-
sons. but. the Grand Jury was inclin-
ed to think that the evidence was not
sufficient. to warrant the issuance of
indictments.
'Rumors became rife that DIR. Craig
and Miss Knabe had been intimate
before her death: that they weer en-
gagged to be married and had quarrel
ed shortly before. the tragedy Mrs.
Tenant housekeeper for DR.. H.. Craig,
who is about forty years of age, wi
dover and has resided in Indianapolis
for the past Is years, informed detec-
tives at work on the case. that DR..
Knabe had called ON DIR. Craig at his
home two nights before her death and
that quarrel had ensued. Detectives
traced the movements of DR.. Craig on
the night of the murder and found
that he returned to his homefat about
II o'clock, changed his clothing and
again went out. Harry w. Haskell,
who saw the man come from the alley
in the vicinity of DR.. Knabe's apart
ment on that night identified photo
graph of DIR. Craig as that of the man
he saw.
On December 81, of last year. DR..
Craig and Alonzo NJ. Ragsdale, all
undertaken, We're arrested. the latter
charged with being an accomplice. In
Ragsdale's apartments which We're in
the same house as the rooms former
ly occupied by DR.. Knabe, We're found
kimona and other articles of cloth
ing belonging to the murdered wo-
man. The disappearance of these had
baffled the police. The clothing was
given chemical analysis and was
found to bear blood stains which had
been washed out by some chemical
Ragsdale has wife, five children and
is about fifty-eight years of age. At
the time of their, arrest neither of the
accused men expressed surprise, as
rumors had connected their names
with the crime. Craig was released
on $4,000 bail and Ragsdale on $10,-
900 bail.
The women of the state are anx-
iously awaiting the trial and are pre-
pared to aid in the prosecution.
Best Laxative for the Aged.
Old men and women feel the need