Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-04-21
GIRLS SLAYER
PREYED ON TOTS
Two Others Escape Trap Fatal
to Martha Huff.

Martha Huffs slayer is a negro hend
from whose snare at least two other
school girls have been snatched during
the last ten days
With his identity virtually established
the detectives are confident he Will be
taken into custody before many hours.
Scores Of detectives are working on the
murder. which is regarded as one Of the
most hideous in crime history here.
One suspect has been questioned.
None OF the persons who saw the Hun
girl being led to her death could identify
him as the man.
He Is at the City hospital, where be ap-
pealed for medical treatment Tuesday
morning.
HIS name has not been divulged.
The body Of the Hyear-old Hun girl
wss taken from the swollen waters OF
Big Eagle creek late yesterday.
Her clothing had been ripped from her
little form and the neck and head showeds
thirteen small knife wounds.
She had been assaulted.
Martha. who was the stepdaughter
Of Hugh Smock. 400 Bank avenue, was
playing with her stepsister, Nora Smock,
near her home shortly after o'clock
Monday afternoon when the negro ap-
preached.
He stopped and talked to Them.
LURED ny PROMISE
OF GOOD CLOTHES.
"Tf you'n come with me I'll get you
scme new clothes" ne told Martha.
He said he was a janitor at a pa
rochial school and that a charitable
woman was giving little girls dresses.
logo isly, the Hun girl ran home to
tell her mother.
Gp7orkS n rnna rtFCum-
stances.
Mrs. Smock told her daughter she
could 60 with the man.
IN be back In about ten minutes
wait for me" she told her stepsister, who
went as far as the Michigan street bridge
with her.
She never returned.
When Hugh Smock, the girls step.
father, returned home from work he was
told Martha was missing.
He searched all night for her
Detectives Dugan and o. Simon were
assigned to the case and obtained infor
nation yesterday that the negro and girl
we're seen walking west on Michigan
street.
Their course was traced to Tibbs ave
nue..
HOW THE BODY
WAS FOUND.
Late in the day the detectives went
south on Tibbs avenue to Little Eagle
creek, where they found Alvin Alexander,
13, living in Salem Park, fishing.
He told them he saw the negro and
girl late Monday afternoon.
They had crossed the Danville inter
urban trestle over Big Eagle creek and
headed upstream along the bank, he told
them
with the detectives only a short dis
tancc away Thomas Newsorne, ~, of 35l5
West Washington street, who had Joined
them in the search, saw the head and
one shoulder Of the body being tossed
about by the current.
Only the stockings and shoes remained
on the body of the child.
That Martha was slain at 4 As o'clock
Monday afternoon is established by a
statement made by Mr., and Mrs. Joseph
Whitaker, who told the detectives they
heard screams at that ( e.
They made no investiga n, they said,
believing 1t was the cry 0 a small boy
playing.
DEAD WHEN THROWN
INTO STREAM.
Dr. George r. Christian, deputy cor
oner. who conducted an autopsy at the
City hospital last night, said the girl
was dead when she was thrown into the
stream.
There was no water in her lungs.
He found thirteen stab wounds in the
right side of the child's neck.
small pocketknift was used.
Two of the stab wounds penetrated the
jugular vein and two struck the trachea,
or windpipe
The other wounds were the full depth
of the knife blade, DR.. Christian said
THE child bled to death" he asserted.
The supposition is that the slayer was
trying to assault Martha when she fought
him and he pulled his knife.
1t is believed she had been knocked
down when he began stabbing her.
One of her eyes was slightly discolored' /
indicating she had been struck telling
blow first.
Big Eagle creek has overrun Its banks
Mt the point. about half mile north of
the interurban bridge, where the body
was found
High brush hides the stream on either
side.
The detectives believe the slayer threw
Martha's clothing Into the water and 1t
hoated away.
Vigilance of two mothers, police believe.
saved their daughters from similar
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