The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-12-13

Milwaukee, Wis. - The headless and
nude body of Mrs. Belle Tompkins,
wife of e. Ray Tompkins, real estate
dealer, and former manual training in
structor of the Milwaukee Normal
school, was found shortly after a. m.
today in a wooded ravine at Dongas
Bay, eleven miles from Milwaukee.
Mrs. Tompkins disappeared Thurs
day about 9 o'clock in the morning.
The body was found under q pile of
stones, after police had conducted a
quiet search since yesterday. Temp
kins who was QUESTIONED all last night
by the police, accompanied the search
ing party to the spot where his wife's
body was found, and is held without
charge by the police, pending further
investigation.
Search of the vicinity failed to dis
close the woman's head, according to
the police.
Saw Automobile Stop.
Henry Schmidt, a farmer living in
the vicinity, told the police that he
had seen an automobile stop on the
highway, at spot opposite to where
the body was found Thursday after
noon.
Tompkins was taken to the. city jail
early last night where he was ques-
toned for hours regarding his wife,
but declared, according to the police,
that he knew nothing of her where
abouts.
SO far as the police can determine,
Mrs. Tompkins was last seen at her
honre at about 8 a. m. Thursday when
she sent her two children, Marjorie.
10 years old, and Robert. years old,
to school, telling them, according to
Marjorie, that she would not be at
home during the morning but would
return in time to prepare lunch for
them. .~
Took Children to Lunch.
The girl said that she was met by
her father on the way from school at
noon, and he took her and Robert to
q lunchroom in the vicinity of the
school, and then sent them back to
the afternoon session.
When Mrs. Tompkins did not return
home that right, Marjorie refused to
go to school Friday until her mother
returned, and during the morning call
ed her uncle, William C. Conrad, tell
ing him that her mother was missing.
Mr.. Conrad informed the police and
the investigation was started.
Tompkins, q former instructor in
manual training at the Milwaukee Nor
NAL school, and now engaged In the
real estate business, has answered ev-
cry question asked with the same re-
ply:
Have you talked with my attorney
about that?"
Had Domestic Difficulties.
For more than a year, according to
the police, difficulties have clouded the
Tompkins home. Shortly before
Thanksgiving Day, Mrs. Tompkins
hired detectives to watch her husband,
with the result, according to the in
formation gathered by the police, that
he was found at an apartment with
another woman, said to have been a
student of his while he was employed
by the Normal school.
A pre-divorce settlement, in which
Mrs, Tompkins was to have received
SITS month, and a share in the I'm
come derived from an apartment build
ing, was to have been completed Thurs
day, authorities found.
A careful investigation of the Temp
kins home, located in the vicinity of
Whitefish Bay, revealed blood stains,
Investigators said today. A pair of
overalls, identified as Tompkins' show
blood stains, as does the rubber mat
ting in the tonneau of a recently pur-
chased automobile.
All the ash in the furnace of the
Tompkins home was removed and will
be tested to determine if the missing
head was destroyed there by fire.
Tompkins gave his age as 80, and