The New York herald., 1921-10-09
BOY BAILED IN Case
OF MURDER OF GIRL
Jersey Justice Decides Evil
dence Against KluXen Is Not
at All Convincing.
PLAYMATE HELPS ALIBI
Boy Scout Knife With Stains
Smaller Than One Used to
Slay Miss Lawrence.
PLAYMATE HELPS ALIBI

Holding that the evidence offered
was not presumptive evidence of guilt
Supreme Court Justice Charles W.
Parker, after a hearing In Morristown.
N. j.. yesterday, set free in $1,000 bail
the boy Francis Kluxen Sd, charged
ION information and belief with the
murder of Janette Lawrence, II years
old, who was stabbed to death on
home in Madison.
The release of prisoner on bail in
murder case is unusual, but the
Justice, after calling for all the facts
at hand. intimated that the arrest was
not justified. Francis Kluxen. the
father. promised to produce the boy
on Tuesday, when the Grand Jury is
to meet The $4,000 bond was given
last night by Edward II. Behr, busi-
ness man Of Madison, and young
Kluxen, who is Ia years old. went
home with his father.
Authorities I'm Conflict.
1t was made evident that the authori-
ties of the county and of the town of
Madison are at odds. County Prose-
cutor Mills. after going over the ground
and questioning the boy. the relatives
of the girl and others, saw no reason
for arresting Kluxen. But the Town
Council of Madison laid out its own
course. hired a private detective and
r. or1 <.f
81 900 for capture OF the murderer de-
manded that Chief of Police Fred John
son of Madison make the arrest. which
he did on Friday night
The counts made against the boy in
court yesterday were that he was in
the woods at about the time of the
murder; that there were red stains on
the clothes he then wore and that there
were stains on his Boy Scout knife.
He explained t,.at he had walked
through the woods with a neighbor's
girl. Alma Nelson. who was taking
home two bottles of milk. and that on
his way back he stopped to fire his
revolver at a target.
Alma Nelson corroborates the asser-
ton that he accompanied her home and
two Italians swear they saw Francis
and Alma taking the short cut"
through the woods. Upon returning
home. the boy says. he fed his rabbits
until about $50 p. NJ.
AIibf Complete II Verified.
This alibi. if completely verified
covers the whole period In which Janette
Lawrence was assaulted and killed.
The stains on the boys suit are said by
him and his relatives TO be grapejuice
for he has been helping at the press OF
his uncle, Herman kluxen, who manu-
factures sacramental wine. As to the
stains on the knife. the boy says he
cleaned fish with the knife on Wednes-
day evening The stains are not on the
blade but ON n corkscrew attachment.
The only instrument used in the killing
OF Janette Lawrence was the blade OF
a knife.
Coroner Seward OF Madison counted
twenty-five stab wounds. Twenty-four
of these were in the face and neck and
the other third OF an inch below the
heart The Coroner said the blade OF
the knife must have been five and half
inches long and double edged and that
all of the wounds were made with blows
OF uniform force by somebody who did
not change his position until the stab
bine was completed. The Boy Scout
knife is not double edged, ard so far as
can be discovered the Kluxen boy never
had any other The stab that caused
the girls death penetrated the mouth.
tongue and jugular vein.
In the course OF the hearing yester-
day Justice Parker spoke of the crime
as an especially serious one and re-
auested any one who had any ihforma-
ton to present II. Frank +. Gidney,
acting Mayor OF Madison. said the Town
Council unanimously thought that the
boy should be held. but that "aa OUT
side man" had been hired and he wished
more time before making public the evil
dence that had been gathered.
Police Chief Johnson OF Madison, be-
ing asked what evidence he had. said
the boy was seen IN the woods about the
time OF the murder and he had heard
lot of stories indicating guilt. although.
the chief added. these stories varied
considerably. County Prosecutor Mills.
when called upon for his opinion. said
Continued on Niaefccrtb PAGE
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white sulphur springs. The Grcenbrier and
Cottages. Delightful autumn days. Perfect
otsfd daur --A AAas-