The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-07
SEEK MOTIVE
FOR Staying
OF BACHELOR
Mystery Woman in White
Central Figure in
Brutal Killing.
$4,000 RING MISSING
Robbery Theory Dropped;
Murderer Amateur,
Detectives Say.

Against the crimson backdrop of
murder, the mysterious figure of a
woman in white conSpicuouSly fig
ured today as detectives strove to
establish a motive in the brutal
murder of Bert Callahan, eccentric
and well-to-do bachelor.
A search of the richly furnished
five-room apartment at 1886 North
Illinois street, where Mr.. Galatians
body was found shot and strangled
early yesterday, revealed to police
that the crime was not committed
by professional burglars.
Contrary to reports, the apart
ment was not ranSacked. Bureau
drawers were undisturbed and a
luxuriously furnished guest room
with a large four poster bed appar-
emily was unentered. Three stick
pins and a diamond ring weighing
IL carats and valued at $500 were
found in the apartment.
Beyond the missing $4,000 dia-
mond ring which Mr.. Callahan ha-
bitually wore on his right middle
finger. nothing in the apartment
was stolen, according to police. Mr..
Callahan's 22-caliber blue steel au-
tomato pistol, with which he IS be-
lieved to have been killed also was
missing
Officer Saw Woman
Lieutenant Chester Butler of the
state police, who lives across the
street from the sceen of the MUIR
der, reiterated his story today that
a woman pounded at the door of
the Callahan home at midnight on
Friday.
1.-The figure I saw looked to me
like a woman" said Lieutenant But
Ter. "She was dressed either in
white or a light -colored three-quar-
ter length coat. I also heard
crash which sounded like breaking
glass. The figure on the porch
pounded on the door as though seek
ing adnittance. Then the door
opened and the figure disappeared
inside.
L surmised that everything was
O. k. I listened for a few minutes
and then concluded that nothing
was wrong. I went back to bed. 1t
is possible, of course, that the figure
which I saw may have been a man
in light clothes, but from my place
of observation across the street, 1t
looked like a woman to me-"
Hunt Roughly Dressed Youth
Mrs. Sally Robertson, Negro
housekeeper for the eccentric
bachelor who found the telltale
bloodstains on the front porch at
6:15 a. m. Friday morn6ng which led
her to call the police, said today
that Mr. Callahan had no women
friends of whom she knew.
Sometimes. he would entertain
man friend and his wife said Mrs.
Robertson, but I never knew him
to 60 out with any single women
or have a love affair"
From an authoritative source yes
terday The Times learned eX-
clusively that Mr.. Callahan was
seen an hour before his murder
leaving the Traction Terminal from
the Illinois street side followed by
a roughly dressed young man. Po-
lice reported that last definite word
of Mr.. Callahan having been seen
alive was when he visited a sick
friend late Thursday night at
Methodist hospital.
Fingerprints Blurred
A bloody fingerprint found on the
front door of Mr.. Callahan's home
yesterday by detectives was looked
upon as a futile clew today when
members of the homicide squad re-
ported that the wood granting on
the door practically had destroyed
the value of the pattern which they
had hoped to get.
Other f1ngerprintS found in the
living room of the house where Mr..
Callahan was found shot and his
head wrapped in Turkish towel
and an oriental rug, were too badly
smudged to be useful, detectives
said.
A .22-caliber bullet was removed
from Mr.. Callahan's back at the
city morgue and turned over to
Arch Ball, balisticS expert. for eX-
animation. The bullet is believed TO
have been fired from Mr. Galatians
own gun, wrested from him in the
fatal struggle.
Mr. Callahan, lifelong resident
of Indianapolis, was member of the
real estate firm of the o. =. Smith
Realty Company, ia North Della
ware street The victim is survived
by three brothers, John Emmett
Callahan, 1850 Kelly street, a
grocer: Morton Callahan of Chicago
and Thomas Callahan of California.
A sister. Miss Margaret Callahan of
Washington, is a federal government
employe.
Final announcement Of last rites
are being held in allegiance until the
arrival of Miss Callahan today. The