Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-23
HATCHET MURDER
OF SERVANT GIRL
STILL MYSTERY
Young Swedish Servant in Home of
Joseph Sykes in Kountze Place
Found in House with
Head Crushed.
CERTAIN MOTIVE NOT ROBBERY
Crime May Have Been Done by
Robber Surprised at Work or
By Moral PerveTt.
no CLUE YET TO PERPETRAToR


with no arrests made yet in the
case Of Ada Swanson. the domestic
found murdered with hatchet Fri
day evening in the home of Joseph
Sykes, 2O2s Spencer street, and only
slight clues and indefinite theories
yet In the hands of the police. the
newest development in the frightful
crime is the positive proof by micro
scopic examination that criminal as
sauit upon the young woman was not
accomplished, although probably at
tempted.
Coroner's Physician s. McCleneg-
han made a careful investigation Of
the condition OF the body. supple
mented by a microscopic examina-
tion, and says the suspected criminal
assault and ravishment Of the body
, had not been accomplished, accord
Sing to results o. the examination.
lie said, however, that indications
pointed to an attempted assault,
rather than robbery, as the motive
for the frightful crime.
MeaEer Descriptions.
Two meager descriptions Of suspects,
given by Miss Rogers, next door neigh
Dor east OF the Sykes home. and by John
Gaynor. a painter working at the Rogers
place. are the extent Of clues as TO the
identity OF the brute who committed the
crime. so far secured by the police.
Miss Rogers. an invalid, says she OBJ
served from her window that man en-
tered the rear of the sykes house be-
tween II and u o'clock, but she did not
see him leave the house. Gaynor. tho
painter, gave the detectives the infor-
mation that about noon Friday. while he
was painting next door to the Sykes
home, he saw and heard well dressed,
clean cut young man appear at the rear
3, ot sykes home. ring the kitchen door bell
several tincs, ana tail the giri when
she appeared that he '1had come to fix
the spiDes the 6trsuear cerzaed no
tools. GASnor declared. and did i6t look
like q; workman.
Admits STan an workman. =
Miss Swanson let him INTO this house.
the painter said. and that was the last
been Of him by Gaynor. The latter, neither
the painter. nor Miss Rogers. could give
good descriptions Of the man they saw
enter the house.
However, Police Captain Dempsey and
Chief Of Detectives Maloney. with six
detectIves. are giving their entire per-
sonal attention TO the case. They have
not yet reached q conclusion as to the
probable motive OF the criminal In en-
tering the house. Although no evidence
of intended robbery Is available. and
there seems TO be considerable evidence
of attempted criminal assault. the Off
GERS have delayed forming any con-
illusions until further Investigation ia
made.
4 The murder was evidently accomplished
~ Interview Chum.
A giri chum OF the victim will be In
terviewed by the police. In hope OF get
ting some further theory on which to
work. The officers arc confident that II
robbery was intended by the criminal. the
girl would have put up fight TO prevent
st, after the man gained entrance to the
house by the ruse OF pretending 70 be a
workman. Thy are equally confident
that Miss Swanson would have died
fighting, rather than submit 10 assault.
Mrs. Elva olsen the girls sister. called
at the house IN person about o'clock.
ringing the front door bell several times,
and then went away. thinking that Ada
had gone TO the dentists, when she made
no response. A man who usually cuts the
Sykes lawn also called at the house
later IN the afternoon. ana went away
when nobody seemed to be at home
Neither caller was alarmed by the de-
serted condition OF the house and sus-
pected no foul play.
Girl n Domestic.
Miss Swanson had been a domestic in
the sykes home since last October and
was a well ordered. careful girl. She
was left alone In the house in the morn
ing when Mrs. Sykes went out TO make
some calls. The girl. herself. intended
(continded on Page Two. c6nimn Three.)