Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-29
BRUTALKILLING
OF AGED GROCER
BATTLES POLICE
Day of Investigation Fails to
Reveal Motive for South
Side Crime.
FAVOR ROBBERY THEORY

Did maniac kill John Perry Uncle
Charlie) Aughinbaugh. in his little store
at 1902 South Sheffield avenue?
Or was the aged grocer slain by
thief bent on obtaining the large sum
Of money he was reputed to keep In his
place of business?
These are the questions that today are
puzzling the police.
For after a day OF questioning neigh
bors and persons who admit having gone
TO the little store between $50 o'clock
Yesterday morning, when Aughinbaugh
was last known to be. and T:30 o'clock,
when his body was found, the police sd-
NIT they still are at sea.
No arrests have been made In the case
and none are In prospect. 1t is said But
new element OF mystery was added 10
the case tod&y by the robbery OF a gro
Gerry store at 1902 South Sheffield avenue,
Just one block from the scene Of the muir
der
BODY LAID OUT
WITH CARE.
The fact that the body Of the aged
merchant, who was 70 years old, was
found by Kenneth Hunt, 1914 fremont
avenue. an 11-year-old boy who worked
for him, carefully laid out against the
rear door Of the store adds to the ele-
ment Of mystery. For the hands were
carefully folded over the chest and the
feet placed close together It is pointed
out that a robber, bent on getting his
loot and getting away as quickly as pos
slble, hardly would have taken the time
necessary for such careful disposition of
the body.
The old mans head was beaten almost
to a pulp. There were eight deep cuts
from blows any one Of which would
AZ
not kill him. His skull was crushed In
and part of the old felt hat he wore was
beaten into the brain. This indicates,
in the belief Of Detective Frank Rowe,
one of the squad working on the case,
that some dull instrument other than
a mallet was used by the slayer
Detectives also are attempting to de-
termine whether Aughinbaugh had any
life insurance or inheritance. He was a
very eccentric man and 1t is said, did
not have to work. He is supposed to
have had a substantial bank account.
BELIEVES BLOW WAS
STRUCK FROM BEHIND.
The theory that the blow which felled
him may have been struck from in front
has been discarded by the police. They
declare now that he was struck from
behind and that in falling his forehead
struck the counter and was cut.
The police are still working on the
robbery theory, although they admit they
are making little headway They ques-
toned score or more Of boys who live
in the neighborhood yesterday. These
boys made Uncle Charles" store their
headquarters.
Aughinbaugh was alive at 80 O'Clock
yesterday morning, according to Oscar
Martin, S58 South Addison street, a news
boy, who delivered a paper to the store
He said he saw the aged man sitting in
a chair by the stove
About o'clock a woman from the
neighbOrhoOd went to the store and en-
tered, but no one was in the place, SO
she left. AS she went out the spring
lock on the door snapped. The police
broke in the door when blood trickling
under the rear door was reported to
them.
The aged man was one of the best
loved persons in the entire neighborhood
and had not one enemy, according to per
sons who police and newspaper reporters
talked to. He had slept in the store ever
since it was robbed several weeks ago.
A sister, Mrs Mary Martin lives at 1850
North Illinois street
CORONER SAYS MALLET
WAS WEAPON USED.
Dr. Paul Robinson, coroner of Marion
county, said today that he had not com
pleted the inquest and had come to no
conclusions in the case
II am sure of one thing" said DR..
Robinson, that the large wooden mallet
was the instrument used by the mur-
derer I had a microscopic examination
made of spots on the mallet and there
were blood corpuscles on it, as well as
human hair"
The detectives, several of them, differ
with DR.. Robinson. Detective Frank Rowe
contends that the mallet was not used to
murder Aughinbaugh.