Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-29
NEWS ITEM Of 1915
IS due Up As CLUE
IN SKELETON DEATH

CEtAI j ANOOGA, JeNH.t July w.
Despite statements Of w. III. Ben
nett and his wife, detained here in
skeleton under the basement Of a
house in a prominent residential Sec
ton Of the city week ago,
that Miss Augusta Hoffman, miss
ing modiste, was alive and happily
married, the funeral notice furnished
the press at the death Of Mrs. Nancy
Bennett, year later, does not list her
as among the survivors. This fact
was brought to light today by files of
the funeral announcement. Four
sisters and other relatives are given
in the article.
The Benefits have claimed that
Miss Hoffman had married g. man
named Brown and left this section Of
the country, and that they had re.
ceiyed a. number of letters from the
missing woman mailed in California
after her departure.
While local detectives were kept
busy today answering calls from per-
sons claiming to have cues to the
mystery, the main investigation was
halted pending the return to the city
Of Chief of Detectives w. Fl. Hack
EFT, who left last Friday night for an
unnamed destination in connection
with the case. Meantime, Bennett and
his wife are kept under guard at g.
hotel, while their son, William Ben
nett, was allowed to return to his
home at Rome, Ga.
Bennett Explains Deposit
Bennett today explained the de-
post of 5000 in a local bank shortly
after the disappearance Of Miss Hoff.
man by saying that he had borrow
ed the money on insurance policies.
Bennett was very indignant over
the Knoxville story published this
morning to the effect that Benefits
mother may have been killed be-
cause of her knowledge of the dis
appearance of her sister.
He said that his mother vas at
tended by DR.. W. G. Bogart, of this
city, VINO would testify that she died
a natural death and there was never
the suspicion Of mystery about her
demise.
In regard to the deposit of 5000 in
a bank soon after his aunt disappear
ed, Bennett said:
''At this time, without access to
| my bank book which shows my bank
deposits while living in Chattanooga,
l cannot recall the exact amount de-
| posted at any time. In so far as a
| deposit of 5000 is concerned, I can.
not say that this is the exact amount
| however, along about that time l.
| did deposit several hundred dollars
at one time, but the exact amount
l cannot recall.
1.-THE money deposited" continued
Mr.. Bennett, was monay borrowed
on two Metropolitan insurance poll
cies, the transaction being handled
| through the late j. e. DunninS, at
| that time manager of the local of
flee of the Metropolitan company. The
policies on which this money was
| borrowed are now on file in the home
offices Of that company and I wei
come a thorough investigation by Of
ficials concerning same"
New Link In Evidence
A new link in the chain of evil
dence leading to the identification of
the skeleton was obtained when the
owner of the property where the dis
covery was made told police that
her attention had been attracted by
a disagreeable odor around the place
at the time of the disappearance of
the modiste.
Charles A. Parker, OF Memphis, a
nephew of Miss Hoffman, was ques-
toned by the police, but was unable
to throw any light on her mysterious
| disappearance. He also was unable
to identify any articles of clothing
or other objects found in the grave
as belonging to his missing aunt.
A statement by Mrs. Campbell
Cunningham, of Knoxville, a friend
of the Hoffmans, that she believed
that Nancy Bennett, sister of Miss
Hoffman, had been put out of the
way because she knew too much"
is receiving attention of the local po-
| lice Mrs Bennett died followin g
the disappearance of the modiste.
Mrs. Cunningham was the super
visor of the establishment in which
Miss Hoffman was employed at
| Knoxville.
Knoxville advices said that a check
issued to Miss Hoffman, who disap-
peared in May, 1915, was paid by
a Knoxville bank on August 5, 1916,
more than a year after she was re-
ported missing. Miss Hoffman was
a depostor in q Knoxville bank
which failed in 1912, and the check
which was issued to her by the re-
ceiver on December 3, 1915, was not
presented for payment until the fol
lowing August, according to Charles
Fl. Jarnagin, assistant cashier of the
institution, who checked the rec
ords.
The signature of the check shows
a. slight variation from Miss Hoff-
mans former signature.