The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-02-20
FACE
CHARGE OF MURDER
Charles Kramer and Wife Accus.
ed Of Killing Wealthy Girl


been completed for the opening on
next Monday in the Criminal Court of
the trial of Charles Kramer. alias
Conway, former circus clown. aero
bat and high diver and his alleged
wife, Lillian Beatrice Ryoll Conway.
a vaudeville performer with a check
cred past and many aliases. who are
charged with having murdered Miss
Sophia G. Singer a wealthy woman
from Baltimore, on the night of OctJ-
Der 2s, 1912. The case has attracted
considerable attention owing to the
popularity Of some Of its features ana
the sensational circumstances under
which Conway ana his wife were ar
rested q few days after the murder.
Victim Was Wealthy.
Miss Sophia G. Singer, the victim
of the crime, was the daughter of the
late Frank o. Singer, formerly a
| wealthy business man in Baltimore.
| The family is well connected. Miss
Singer was wealthy in her own name.
' having inherited $4,000 from her
| fathers estate, About q year ago she
became acquainted with VIM Il. Wor-
then, then street railway conductor
In Baltimore. She fell in love with
him and early in October of last year
she gathered together her jewels and
about $1,000 in cash and cloped with
Worthen to Chicago They rented fur
nished rooms in q ruuming house ut
| 3223 Indiana avenue and lived there
| together ia the day Of the murder
Their room neighbors i'm the same
apartment were Charles Kramer, alias
! Charles A. Conway and his alleged
wife. a vaudeville singer known as
Beatrice Ryall" "Maymc Coyne,"
Grace Coync' and Lillian Beatrice
Ryall Conway" Kramer had formerly
been circus performer, but had lost
one of his legs through an accident. II
is alleged that Kramer and his wife
were practically down and out and
were befriended and financially as
sisted by Miss Singer and Worthcu.
Finds Sweetheart Dead.
ON the evening of October 2S. Wor-
,
apartment aud attended TO some bust
Mss matters. When he returned TO tho
house shortly after midnight he found
Miss Singer dead i'm her room. She
had been bound and gagged and beat
tn TO death with a billy" improvised
out Of an iron door knob, wrapped in !
handkerchief. Her skull was crushed |
and her body had been rolled up in a
blanket
Worthen aroused the neighbors and !
Informed the police giving a minute |
account of his movements from the |
moment he left the house until ne re :
turned 10 the apartment and found |
the body of his sweetheart He was
arrested on suspicion and q thorough
search of the apartment was made 10y
the detectives. The investigation
brought to light that Kramer and his
wife had left the house between ten
and eleven o'clock on the evening of
the murder and had not returned 10
their apartment. A thorough search
was made for them, as the police au-
thorities began TO suspect that the
couple had something TO do with the
murder OF Miss Singer.
Kramer and Wife Arrested.
1t was known that Miss Singer had
a considerable sum Of money in her
at the time of her death,
but when the apartment was searched
after the murder no money or iewelry
was found by the detectives. Worthen
was able TO establish q complete alibi
and was released from confinement af-
ter day OF two.
Kramer and his wife were traced
through several states and ON October
81 were arrested in a hotel at Lima.
o., where they had arrived the same
morning. They had registered as Mr..
and Mrs. c A. Crowley, of Sidney, q.
Both denied all guilty knowledge of r.
the details of the crime. although they
having read about IT, Sep
lratey Kramer ana his wife were |
their statements We're so conflicting,
heir attemps to clear themselves and
TO throw suspicion upon other per ,
sons so clumsy, that both were held f,
without bail and turned over TO the f,
Chicago police authorities
Much Evidence Collected.
When Kramer was arrested 81 were f,
found in his pocket lie explained that =
before he left Chicago Miss Singer
lad given him SO. lie also had two
lew suits which lac claimed Miss Sin
ger had given him. He had several
scratches on his face for which ho
'ould give no plausible explanation
Through . chain of Cucumstautiai
evidence it was established that Kra
ner and his wife had left the house on
indiana avenue between eleven and
welve o'clock ON October IS, q short
lime after Miss Singer met her death.
I is believed that since the arrest OF
he couple the police authorities have
a large amount OF evidence Of
serious nature and that upon the !
strength OF this evidence the prosccu- o
ion will demand that both defendants.
T found guilty. be sentenced 10 pay the