The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-10-07
FAINT CLEWS
ARE TRACED IN
DITCH MURDER
Henry County Officers Are
BaffIed in Staying of
Woman.
SEEK TO IDENTIFY BODY
GreWSome Find Is Made by
Farmers in Bush Grown
Roadside Trench.
SEEK TO IDENTIFY BODY
Bv Staff Corresnondent

NEWCASTLE, Ind, Oct. Han
dicaped by possessing only the most
vague of cleWS, Henry county au-
thorities today were widening their
investigation of the murder of an
unidentified woman whose body, tia
skull crushed, was found in a road
side ditch about mile and quarter
east of Dunreith, Thursday.
The body, almost completely de-
composed, was found by Eli Conrad,
80, and his father, Jesse Conrad, 70,
farmers living near the intersection
of the National road and the little
travelled highway where the body
was found, formerly known as the
FIT. Wayne road.
Only tangible clew and the one
on which Coroner Ralph Niblock,
Prosecutor E. H. Yergin ana
Sheriff Ed Kirby are working, is
cheap and almost new tent in which
the body had been wrapped and
bound.
Reveals No Marks
1t was bloodstained and rain
soaked and, after a thorough wash
ing, failed to reveal any trade mark.
Coroner Niblock said his investi-
cation indicated the victim was
about five feet four to six inches in
height, and was a woman of some
refinement. The latter conjecture
was based on condition of the body
not seriously decomposed.
This was the left hand which had
been folded across the breast The
hand was slender with long fingers
and tapering, highly manicured
nails. Coroner Niblock said the VIC
tim probably was between 20 and
80 years old, and had dark brown
or black hair.
Slain Three Months Ago
Two large skull wounds, which
had not laid bare the brain, could
have been inflicted either with
hammer or a gun butt, Niblock
asserted.
Dentures afforded another posi-
BILE clew, three teeth being missing
and three filed. The murder was
committed at least three, and posi-
bly, six months ago, the coroner said.
In view of this estimate, officials
attached little Importance to the
fact that torn section of an In
dianapoliS newspaper, dated Sept.
10 was found near the body and ex-
pressed opinion the scrap had blown
from a passing automobile.
No Jewelry Found
Both Niblock and Yergin agreed
in the belief the woman was muir
dered outside Henry county and the
body dumped where it was because
the luxuriant growth of wild plum
bushes in the roadside ditch on the
Httle-traveled road afforded an ideal
place of concealment.
Every vestige of clothing had been
removed from the victims body and
there was no jewelry. Niblock and
Yergin said the body obviously
never had been buried.
When found in the ditch the legs
had been partly folded underneath.
In deciding to widen their search.
Henry county authorities pointed
out they are Handicapped until
Identification is made and issued
a general appeal for all possible
publicity. National Broadcasting
Company officials have agreed to
lend their facilities in the effort
at Identification.
Trace Possible CIew
Police bureaus have been been
wired for lists of persons missing
within the last six months.
Prosecutor Yergin planned today
to get in touch with Bowling Green
(O) authorities to learn whether
the victim can be a Norma Muir
ply, who was reported headed to-
ward Indiana She has been miss
ing four months.
The Murphy girl is younger than
the preliminary estimate of the
victims minimum age, but authori-
ties thought the possibility worth
checking. The Ohio girl was re-
ported to have left her home in the
company of a much older man.