Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-07-15
New Clue in Murder Of Oma.
has mystery Girl" Leads to
Officials Offering $500 for
Arrest of MurdererS.
GRACE BALLARD PLAYS
ROLE OF INVESTIGATOR
County Attorney Says Omaha
Police Did Not Follow Leads
commissioner Ringer De.
MES Charges Of Inactivity.

A new clue which County -hitorne,
Grace Ballard of Washington count,
saws may lead to the arrest of thost
responsible for the >murder O.
Omahas mystery girl found deat
last November in ravine six mile!
north of Florence, has led the Wash
lngton county commission to offcl
$500 reward for the detection anc
conviction of those guilty.
In her communication to the COM
mission urging that reward be Of
tered Miss Ballard charges negli
gcnce on the part of Douglas county
officials and Omaha detectives il
failing to unravel the mystery of tn,
girls murder.
Scores Omaha Police.
Omaha police did not make tie
best use of information which we
furnished them" declared Miss
Ballard. 1--WE believe the tern
mystery girl as applied to the vic.
tim is not so mysterious as the fac,
that such brutal crime could b
committed in the near vicinity ci
Omaha and the murderers go ur.
punished"
THE clue on which we are now
working indicates the girls body
was placed in the ravine by several
men, and that the murder was CON-
mitted somewhere in Omaha. The
failure of police to investigate a
rcadhouse brawl which occurred
three days before the girls body was
found on November. lo. in which one
shot was fired, may be the reason
the identity of the girl was not es-
tablished and the murder or mur der
ers not apprehended."
= Fight in Roadhouse.
The brawl to which Miss Ballard
referred was a fight which occurred
in "Fatty's Place." roadhouse just
east of the Locust street viaduct,
three days before the girls body
was found. .
According to a private detective
who worked on the case, four men
and a girl were in a private room
in "Fatty's Place on the night the
fight occurred. The theory is ad-
vanced that the four men and the
girl were implicated in a series Of
planned robberies pulled" here
after the murder was committed.
The girl became intoxicated and
when she threatened to reveal the
plans was murdered, the theory
has it.
Reward Follows Tip.
Miss Ballard recently made a
mysterious journey, which is said to
have resulted in startling revela-
tons on the mystery girl" case.
Shortly after her return she urged
the county commission to offer the
reward.
Miss Ballard would not reveal her
destination and refused to comment
Oh the results of her trip.
Il know the murderers are no
longer in Omaha" she said. IF they
were arrests might follow in a short
time. We have been working on the
case constantly"
Urge Reward Here.
Ir its resolution offering a reward
the Washington county commission
urges that the Douglas county Conf
mission also offer a reward of $500
for the apprehension of the muir
dercrs.
A copy of the resolution was sent
to the Douglas county commission
aid to Police Commissioner Ringer.
The mystery girr' was killed by
a bullet wound in the neck. Although
thousands viewed her body her true
identity was not learned. She mad
lain in the ravine for three days
when found, officers said
County Attorney to Say.
Douglas county commissioners
saiG a $50Oreward for the apprehen-
sion of the murderers of the "mys-
terry girl' would be offered If County
Attorney ShotMell so advised.
Il would have to determine
whether the reward could legally be
offered before expressing myself
Mr.. Shotwell said. Il conferred
with Miss Ballard some time ago,
and knew she intended to make a
trip in an effort to unravel the mys-
tery. ! did not know her proposed
destination. however.
Police Commissioner Ringer vigCr-
ously denied Omaha police failed 20
do their duty on the mystery girl"
case. 1T Miss Ballard has any
ADDITIONAL information she should
suhmit il TO lis at once" he said.