South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-02-09
MANNING IN THIRD
DECREE DENIES He
MURDERED WIFE
Police Convinced That Husband
Knew of Girls Plans and
Hold Him on Murder Charge
Protests His Innocence.

NEWARK, y. j., Feb. 9.-Th0ugh
subjected TO the third degree by the
ponce investigating the murder of his
wife. by Miss Hazel Herdman, who
subsequently committed suicide, Geo
1. Manning Monday maintained his
declarations of innocence.
Il knew nothing OF Hazels plans
he asserted. Il loved her, but IL l
had known that she intended to kill
my wife L certainly would have pre-
vented the deed"
Despite his prOtestatiOns Chief Long
declared his belief that Manning knew
of the girls plans and worked on tlse
,neory that Manning had agreed TO
commit suicide with the girl bus
weakened at the last minute.
Two funerals held Monday, marked
the end of one chapter of this remark
able tragedy OF love, hatred and jeal-
Ousy. Mrs. Manning was buried from
Trinity Methodist church in this city.
while a few miles away rites were
conducted in an Orange morgue over
the body of Hazel Herdman.
Manning was arrested shortly after
midnight Sunday on the charge OF
murder.
After an all-day investigation, in
which a score of witnesses were ques-
toned, Chief Long returned to his
office with two handsomely gOwned
women who have not heretofore fig
ured in the case.
A young man about 10 years old,
supposed to be Harry Swayne, Man
ning's cousin, was brought in i'm
mediately afterward and the three
were questioned for several hours.
The police would not permit anyone
of the three to talk after they emerg-
ed from the office and they were
whisked away in a police automobile.
I'VE have preferred a charge of
murder against Manning" said Long.
He knew that Hazel Herdman killed
his wife when we brought them in
here Friday night, few hours after
the shooting. He was with her all
that night and the next morning up
to q few moments before she killed
herself. We have witnesses to prove
that he knew il then and that he lied
TO us in every statement he has made.
Manning is one Of the most polished
liars that | ever met as we'll as one
OF the most remarkable heartless
men. That is all we can tell you to-
night"
Police Want Information.
There are three points on which
Chief of Police Long is anxious to get
more light. One is the extent TO
which Miss Herdman discussed the
case with him. He was with her after
her examination in headquarters Fri
day night so that he knew she was
under suspicion. He took her auto
mobile riding the next day while she
was still under suspicion. An hour
after she left him she was dying.
Another point the police are trying
to clear UP is the extent 10 which
certain statements in Miss Herdmans
letter can be substantiated. SO far as
detectives have been able 10 trace her
movements they have failed to find
where she wrote il. She took the
poison a short time after she got out
OF Mannings automobile Saturday
morning and in the opinion of the
police had no opportunity TO write in
the interval
If she carried the letter in her
pocket during her ride with him she
must have written either with him or
in the home OF her aunt. Mrs George
Hodge OF Bloomfield. Mrs. Hodge de-
clared Sunday that Hazel had written
nothing before she went out Satur-
day
Says Letter is Fake.
Arthur j. Herdman. father of the
girl believes il is a fake letter.
MY girl never wrote that" he said
Sunday. Manning tried 10 show IL
10 me when he came up here but
wouldn't look at Il. Then he started
20 read il 10 me and 1 knew at once
that sae had never written it. It's
an out and out fake and | believe he
wrote il himself. 1t sounded like
him"
Chief Of Police Long refused 10
make the letter public. 1T contains
important evidence he said
Another point on which suspicion
rests Is the ownership and history OF
the revolver with which AIRS. Manning
was killed.
PLAN COOPERATION.