Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-10-03
DOCTOR FACES
MURDER trial

the trial before the present term OF
the criminal court of DR.. William B.
Craig, dean OF the Indiana Veterinary
college and Alonzo M. R%agsdale, a
local undertaken, jointly indicted by
the Marion county grand jury on the
charge OF having murdered DR..
Helene Knabe during the night OF
October %, 1911. The case had orig
inally been set for June 90, but
went over because the lawyers for
the defense had appealed to Judge
Marley for more time to prepare the
defense. The prosecution has been
ready for a long time and 1t is not
believed that the court will grant
any further delays upon the request
of the defense unless some good rea-
son is shown.
The trial will, undoubtedly, attract
a great deal of attention, partly on
account of the social prominence Of
the two accused men, partly owing to
the mysterious circumstances sur
rounding the crime. Both DR.. Craig
and MI. Ragsdale are wealthy men,
have been we'll known and respected
in social circles throughout the city
for many years and are we'll con-
nected. Their indictment on Deem
Der 80, 1912, by the grand jury on
the charge of murder created a ire
mendous sensation.
Dr.. Helene Knabe, the victim of the
murder, was a handsome woman OF
thirty-tive years, highly respected as
a woma and as a scientist of great
promise. She was born in Germany,
tho Io1uh+n,, IF on oroirnnr In fbn
German army and came to America
when quite young. She graduated
from the Indiana college of medicine
and, having specialized in bacteri-
logy, became bacterologist In the
state laboratory of the Indiana board
of health. 4 few years ago she re-
signed to devote herself to the study
of hygiene and the pathology of child
birth. She lived alone in the apart
cnent on the ground floor of an apart
ment building not far from the bust
ness section of the city and devoted
most Of her time to study. Her pri-
vate life was always believed to be
above suspicion.
When Miss Katherine Mcpherson,
Dr.. knabe's assistant, entered the
apartment of her employer on the
morning of Oct. "a, 1911, she found
DR.. Knabe dead upon her bed, with
her head almost severed from the
body. Her body was NAKED, her night
robe rolled up under her arms and a
pillow upon her breast. Miss Nc
Pherson called a physician, who de-
cided that DR.. Knabe had been deao
for at least six hours. The police
authorities We're notified but were
unable to solve the mystery OF the
case. No knife or any other sharp
instrument was found in the bed
room and most surprising Of all, with
the exception OF a few gdrops on the
sheet no blood was found on the bed
anywhere in the apartment. There
was no evidence Of any struggle and
the police authorities finally gave
out the rather absurd statment that
it was a case of suicide.
The Indianapolis Council of Won |
en-. composed Of many prominent
women, was not satisfied with the ex-
PLANTATION given by the police and en-
ployed H. G. Webster, a private de- |
t~ective,, to investigate the case. 1t
was upon the information submitted
by Webster that the grand jury took
up the case AMI indicted Dr.. Craig
and Mr.. Ragsdale 1t was ascertained
by the detective that DR.. Craig. a !
widower with several children. was
an intimate friend of DR.. Knabe and
a frequent visitor at her apartment.
She also frequently visited him at
his home. 1t is alleged that DR..
Knabe wished DR.. Craig to marry
her, but that ne did not want to do
so. 1t was further ascertained that
DR.. Knabe visited the Craig home on
the evening before her death, under
the pretext to return a book she had
borrowed. 1t is not positively known
what took place in DR.. Knabe's apart
ment on the night Of the murder, but
the prosecution is confident to- be
able to connect DR.. Craig with the
crime. MI. Ragsdale, it is believed.
was only an accessory after the fact.
PARLIAMENTARY ANNIVERSARY.
Halifax, N. S. Oct. "A royal sa-
lutte of artillery from the Citadel Of
Halifax was given this morning by
the order of the Minister Of Militia
in honor of the 155th anniversary of
the converting of the elective assem-
bly, of Canada. The first meeting OF
the assembly of Nova. Scotia, consist
ing wholly Of elective representa-
tives, was held on October 2, 1853. 1t
was called under the authority and
directions of the kings government
in Great Britain and constituted the
first instance Of the session of a par
liamentary government outside of
Great Britain.
DISCIPLES MEET IN TORONTO.
Toronto, Oct. 2.-The inter
national missionary convention Of the
Disciples Of Christ which opened here
today with about 5000 members in
attendance is the first convention of
it's kind ever held in Canada. All
sections of Canada and of the United
States are represented by delegates,
especially the states of the middle
and central west, which are the
stronghold of the sect.
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: DOG GUARDS HIS DEAD >
> HORSE PAL.
: Chicago, Oct. THE de. :
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