The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-02-27


arraigned late today.
The county grand jury will begin in
vestigation of the murder Thursday
morning. A report may be made Mon
day.
The girl rode in a taxicab into a
trap set by detectives around the
home of her father, Daniel Ellis, 81
". Henry St. at $50 p. m. Tuesday.
She had been sought since a. m.
Tuesday. when the body of Miss Rich
ards was found in her room opposite
the cell in which the Ellis girl had
been in solitary confinement.
Skull Fractured
DIR. Paul F. Robinson. coroner. held
that Miss Richards death was/due to
fractured skull. The girl admitted
striking her on the head with heavy
bunch Of keys. taken from the matron.
The girl confessed in detail
Miss Margaret Elliott, prison super
intendent; DR.. Rose J. Buttz, prison
physician, and Police Sergeant John
Sheehan testified at the inquest today.
They told Of the finding of the body
by Miss Mary B. Allison, a nurse, and
of their Investigation after they were
called by Miss Allison. The nurse
was called to testify this afternoon.
The girl laughed and cried as she
talked freely of the murder. She
laughed when she was told how sue
cessful she had been in deceiving a
prison nurse by cutting off her hair
and arranging it in bed to apear as if
she was there. The nurse looked in at
the cell door, before Miss Richards
body had been discovered, and thought
she was calling to the Ellis girl when
she said:
Why you're not up yet"
Read of Murder in Papers
Il would rather die than go back
to that prison" said the girl, as she
told Of reading newspaper accounts
of the murder Tuesday She said
she had had no idea she had killed
Miss Richards until then. She said
she was Mortified but set about max.
ing plans to leave the city.
She went from the prison to the
Great Eastern Hotel. East and Wash
ington SITS, at II p. m. Monday night
She had escaped from her cell by
picking lock with a hairpin and
spoon about 10 p. m. She hid in Miss
Richards room until the natroFf came
in, retired and went to sleep. Then
she tried to get the matron's keys and
walk out. but upset a small table. The
matron turned on a fash light.
They struggled and the girl struck
The fatal blow.
SleepIess Night Spent
I didn't sleep at all after I got
10 the hotel.'' said Miss Ellis. 'I got
up about 7:So a. m. Tuesday and ate
breakfast in a restaurant across the
street
She had approximately s53 taken
from the matron.
Il came out of the restaurant and
walked two blocks east to the rail
road elevation across Washington st.
Then I went back to the hotel.
About $50 a. m. I went to a nearby
store and bought myself some silk
stockings. dress, underclothing and
toilet articles.
"A clerk asked me what had such
a large bunch of keys for. I told her
I was a guard at the girls school at
Clermont.
Shocked by News of Death
Returning to the hotel I>walked up
to the desk and nearly fainted when
I saw the headlines in The Times.
That was the first knew that Miss
Richards had died. The clerk noticed
me and asked me what was the matter
I grabbed hold of the desk to keep
from falling. regained my compo-
sure, kept silent and went to my room
II was in and out of my room two
or three times until dark, when I in
quired for a taxicab. I intended to
go to Cleveland. Ohio. and the cab
driver inquired about train time. l
discovered this would be about four
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