The Sentinel=record., 1913-11-06
REPORT CIRCULATED THAT IN- DIANA MuRDEREss LIVING
 IN THIS CITY.
CHICAGO OFFICIALS INQUIRE
Say They Will Investigate the Story
 That Woman Who Murdered Many Has Been Living in Hot Springs
 Since Gruesome Incident Years Ago

Has Mrs Belle Gunness, of "Nlur der Hill' fame, La Porte, Ind, since her disappearance from her home soon after the entire country was shocked by the finding of numerous bodies on her farm, been living in or near Hot Springs?
 That is the question the police Df- ficials of Chicago have set out 10 find, and a telegram received from d prominent St Louis paper to it's io- cal correspondent last night, stated Chief of Detectives Halpin of Chi2a- go. had requested the local authori- ties to investigate a report he mad received to that effect. Chief of De tectives Halpin said his information came from NJ. J. Merrell proprietor of the Palace hotel, this city.
 When seen last night Merrall ad- mitted he had written the Chicago officials, and he was Indignant they had made his letter public and used his name in connection with his com municatlon.
 Merrell positively declined to give any details as to how he was led to believe a woman who came to Hot Springs shortly after the expose of the Gunness' place was Mrs. Guinness, who was supposed to have either committed suicide or been burned to death.
 After repeated questions had been put to Merrell he said the subject had been called to his attention about four or five months ago by a man who at present, so Merrell believes, holds a county office. Merrell de- clined to give the pame of the man. He would not state what part of Hot Springs the woman lived in. He said she resides in the suburbs Mer- rell would not give the name the woman supposed to be Mrs. Gunness is known by here. He said she had been pointed out to him, but that he had never seen her except when she was heavily yelled Merrell further said he would not know whether she was Mrs, Gunness or not.
 The matter was first called to my attention by a man who has been 8 resident here for about thirty-s.x years" said Merrel. At present he does not live in the city, but comes to town on an average of twice a week. He is, know, willing to make statement and tell all he knows, but | won't tell you his name, or give the name of the woman. or say an other thing about it until I see him This man has kept up with the case and he seems confident that the wo- man in question is this Mrs. Gunness. It may not be her. l do not know that this woman is Mrs. Gunness. l never saw the woman except whe. i. she wore veil.
 "The polioe of Chicago have not played fair with me. l told them they might send pictures of Mrs. Gun ness down here or investigate this matter and they had no business to make my letter public or using my name in connection with it. don't intend to get into any jam over this, believe me. I'll see the man who first told mo about 1t. l believe he holds some office, and I'll not say another word about it until l do see him, either. If this woman he has reference to is Mrs. Guinness you can imagine how long she is going to stay here when all the newspaper go to printing that story, can't you? l was told by this certain man that the wo man supposed to be Mrs. Guinness had come here shortly after Mrs Guinness was missing and has beer living here ever since"
 Chief of Police Tom Ellison stated last night that if Chief of Detectives Halpin had wired the local office ,t investigate the alleged Guness rum or, he had not been made the recip tent of the telegram.
 Mrs. Gunness Crime.
 Several years ago the entire coun try was startled by the discovery o a number of human bodies buried il different locations on the farm 0 Mrs. Belle Gunness, near La Porte Indiana.
 It later developed that Mrs. Gun ness had for years made a practic of getting into communication wit wealthy bachelor or widower farm CTS, most of them from the nortf west, entering into correspondence