Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-10-17
Police Check Report
That Murder Victim
Threw Acid on Girl
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PONTIAC, Mich, Oct. 17.--An at
tractiye 38-year- old secretary was at
liberty today while police detained
her former employer for further
questioning in an effort to solve the
Lovers Lane murder of his wife,
Mrs. Lydia Thompson, 46, of Detroit.
Louis v. Thompson, 46, wealthy
Detroit automobile dealer, and his
ex-employe, Mrs Helen M. Budnik
Of Detroit, voluntarily underwent lie
detector tests at State police head
quarters in East Lansing yesterday
as authorities checked their state
ments on the murder.
Both had been in custody since
Monday, but no charge has been
placed against either.
Tells Alright Story.
Sheriff Edward K. Thomas and
State Police Capt. Harold Mulbar
agreed Mrs. Budnik told an alright,
story during the 75-minute lie de-
tector quiz, and she was released yes
terday.
Capt. Mulbar said there were
I'd istur bling elements" during
Thompson's two and half-hour
quiz.
These disturbing factors were no
admission of criminal offenSe, how
ever, but in some instances seemed
to show he hasn't told the officers
everything" Capt. Mulbar declared.
Sheriff Thomas said Mrs. Budnik
was eStranged from her husband, an
Army captain recently returned
from overseas. A divorce action is
pending, the sheriff said.
A new angle was injected into the
case late yesterday when Highland
Park Police Chief John A. Hoffman
said he was investigating a report
that Mrs. Thompson had thrown
acid into the face of an unidentified
woman in bar there three months
ago.
Wife Threw Acid.
Chief Hoffman said his informant
reported the Thompsons and the
unidentified woman were seated at
a table when Mrs. Thompson arose
and threw the acid at her. The
victim was given first aid but no re-
port was made to police at the time,
Chief Hoffman added.
Sheriff Thomas said Thompson
admitted he had paid the girls doc
tor bills and $500 for a fur coat and
some dresses. The sheriff said the
automobile man declared he could
not remember the girls name.
Sheriff Thomas and Prosecutor
Don Noggle indicated Thompson
probably would be freed today or
tomorrow after checkups on his alibi
for Thursday. the day Mrs Thomp-
son was believed slain.
The body of the Russian born
victim, who worked in her small
commercial laundry daily and COM
muted to her palatial 100000 sum-
mer home near here, was found Sat-
urday in a wooded section of White
Lake Township, II miles from here
and a short distance from her sum-
mer residence.
Autopsy reports showed her killer
had mutilated and nearly decapi-
tated the body with knife and a
small AK or Ratchet. =,
Identity of the victim was estab-
lished Monday.
Friends Two Years.
Sheriff Thomas said yesterday
that both Thompson and Mrs. Bud
mix told him they had been intimate
friends for two years and that their
friendship had been a factor. in the
separation three months ago of
Thompson and his wife.
L wanted to break up last spring u
the sheriff quoted Mrs. Budnik asl
saying, but he kept bothering me.
Finally, early last May, I went to
visit a sister in Florida.
"A few days later he telephoned
me from Georgia and I agreed to a
meeting in Miami. We had adjoin-
ing rooms in hotel there"
She then told of Mrs. Thompson's
arrival and said the wife threat
ened to kill herself, the sheriff said.
i told her I would never see her
husband again. She then agreed to
go back to Detroit with him." the
sheriff quoted her as saving.