The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-10-14
SEX crime IS
Laid TO YOUNG
MARRIED MAN
Murdered Girl Found Along
Lovers Lane by Police
Dog and Posse.
ONE ESCAPES ADVANCES
Prisoner Charges Men Who
Followed Us With
Staying.
ONE ESCAPES ADVANCES

BIZ United Press
CHICAGO, Oct. IA husband
who told the timeworn alibi of
working late at the Office to cover
an evening out with two girls, was
in jail today facing charges of at
tacking and numbering pretty
stenographer.
The body of the girl, Miss Agnes
Johnson, 26, was found when a po-
lice dog accompanying a posse,
scented it near a Weed-grown road
side along a lovers lane" near
west Chicago. 1t apparently had
been dragged from a blood-stained
automobile still parked on the road.
Checking the license plates, po-
lice found the car belonged to John
Preston, 80, an interior decorator,
who at that time, was in jail in
Wheaton where he had been picked
up as suspicious character.
Sheriff Hattendorf of DuPage
county, announced early today that
Preston was being questioned. Hat
tendorf said Preston admitted being
out with the two girls, but denied
any connection with the murder.
Preston laid the crime on some
men who followed us in roadster"
Hattendorf said.
Flags Freight
The search, which resulted In the
finding of Miss Johnson's body,
started when her chum, Mathilda
Murphy, who had date with Pres
ton Saturday night, sobbed out her
story to the crew Of a freight train
which she had tagged in the
suburbs.
Miss Murphy said she was the
first object of Preston's advances on
the wild automobile ride but Sue
ceeded in beating him off and fee
ing.
She said she tagged the freight
train and went for help. When she
told her story to the police, the
search which revealed the body was
started.
Preston, already in jail, was ques-
toned at Wheaton with his pretty,
blond wife in the next room.
"I stayed up all night waiting for
him to return" Mrs. Preston said.
"He was a good husband" she
said again and again. HE seemed
to love me and was so good to me.
He was at home every evening be-
fore. I don't see how he possibly
could have done this.
whether he did it or not, I'll
stick by him and wait for him as
long as live"
Preston had planned foursome.
he told Miss Murphy Saturday She
agreed to bring Miss Johnson, Pres
ton was to bring an escort for her,
but he came alone.
I'm supposed to be working at
the office" Preston laughed as they
started, Miss Murphy said, "but 1
know where there's a wonderful
place to get chicken dinner and
we'll have big time"
Offered Whisky
With that he offered them whisky
and when they declined TO drink,
took liberal and repeated gulpS from
the bottle, Miss Murphy told police.
At roadhouse thirty miles out
from Chicago, they had dinner and
Preston drank heavily.
by then we we're frightened and
Agnes asked him to take us home"
Miss Murphy said. HE told us he
would and we sped away, but not
the way we had come. We protested
and he stopped the car. Then he
made advances toward me and I
fought with him and then Jumped
out and ran, with Agnes following
me. I heard her scream. He had
caught her ran on to get help, not
knowing what else to do"
The trainmen took her to West
Chicago, where she told the events
Of the night to police. At daylight.
Police Chief Sullivan Of West Chi
cago, set out with Spike, his police
dog, and several men.
The chief located the abandoned
car and was examining 1t when the
dog bounded over TO a clump OF
weeds along the roadside. His bark
attracted the chief to the body.