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Admits First That He Passed Woman’s House Shortly Be fore 4 o’clock In Morning and Saw Smoke Coming from Roof, but Afterward Insisted That He Walked Out Guenther Road and Saw Smoke Across Fields---Chain of Circumstantial Evidence Against Lamphere Tighten ing. The home of Mrs. Belle Gunnerson, one mile north of town on the Mc Clung road, was destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning. A great deal of mystery sur rounds the fire, this being augmented by the fact that for several weeks Mrs. Gunnerson had been having much trouble with Ray Lamphere, whose arrest she caused a number of times for annoying her. Officers are trying to find Lamphere, who is miss ing, in order to learn if he can offer any solution to the mysterious affair. Mrs. Gunnerson, who was a widow, lived with her three children, Myrtle, aged 11, Lucy, aged 9, and Phillip, aged 5, in the two story brick house, long known as the Mattie Attic place. She employed Joseph Maxson as a feral man about the place to do the heavy work. He is the only person alive of those who were in the house last Monday night. To a Herald representative, who was early on the scene, he told the following story: “I can't tell you anything about how the fire started. Al I know is that I was awakened about 4 o'clock this morning by a lot of smoke in my room. I slept in a bedroom over the kitchen j in the rear part of the house. When I opened my door I found the house filled with fire and smoke. The roof was burning, and the whole house was afire. I rushed to Mrs. Gunnerson’s room and tried to open the door, but I found that it was locked on the inside. I thought I heard a noise, but it was very faint. I had to get out of the place to save my own life. After I had gotten some fresh air, I rushed back and made another effort to open the door to Mrs. Gunnerson’s room, but I could not. It was locked, I heard no further noise, and so left, getting out as quickly as possible, for I was almost overcome with smoke and feared that I would lose my life if I remained much longer. I went to bed about half past 8 last evening. Mrs. Gunnerson and the children were just getting ready to go to their bedrooms. That was the last I saw of them.” When Maxson was asked when last he saw Lamphere around the place he thought a minute and then re plied “Several days ago.” He was sure he did not see Lamphere around the place Monday night. Maxson was much overcome next morning as a re sult of the fire and the probable death of the Gunnerson family. He had worked for Mrs. Gunnerson about a year and had found her perfectly square about everything. As soon as he had recovered from the effects of the smoke Maxson hitched up a horse and came to town and notified Sher iff Smutzer, who made a trip to the scene shortly after 5 o'clock in his automobile. The first person to reach the scene of the fire from the neighborhood was William Clifford, who lives a short distance north of the Gunnerson place. He told a Herald representa tive that he was awakened about 4 Tuesday morning and on looking out of a window saw the Gunnerson house afire. He rushed to the scene and was met by Maxson, who by that time had gotten out. Clifford asked for Mrs. Gunnerson and the children and was told by Maxson that he didn’t seel them and that he had tried to get into their room but on account of the smoke could not. A ladder was then placed against the north wall and Clifford rushed up and broke in the window of Mrs. Gun nerson’s room, but he could see noth ing, excepting the iron parts of the beds. The whole room was aflame, and the fire and smoke drove him back. The whole house by that time was enveloped in flames Neighbors began coming to the scene, but noth ing could be done, for it was impossi ble to secure water to throw on the fire. When Sheriff Smutzer reached the scene he took charge of the fire. About 7 o’clock, when the flames had died down considerably and only the ghastly and blackened walls remain ed where once was a beautiful coun try home Chief Whorwell of the fire department, with a corps of firemen and ladders. ‘hd hooks from the hook and ladder company, began tearing down the walls, in order that the res cuers would have a chance to work in the rains without apte r excellent views of the falling walls. News of the fire spread rapidly and it was not long before hundreds of persons were wending their way to the Gunners on place afoot, in car riages, on bicycles and in automo biles. There was nothing the people could do, excepting watch and offer comments, as well as to theorize on the various rumors that were afloat. The work of digging over the ruins, which had fallen into the cellar, was commenced by a gang of men, work ing under the direction of Sheriff Smutzer, who was acting in conjunc tion with Coroner Mack. From § o’clock until noon a half dozen men with shovels and picks worked in the ruins, but aside from bringing to light pieces of the bedding, bedsteads, an old pistol and articles of that kind, the men were not able to discover the bones of any bodies. The work of digging was accomplished under diffi culties, for the ruins were a hotbed of coals, from which smoke and steam constantly poured. Considerable wa ter was thrown on the fire, with small appreciable effect. The Gunnerson house has been a place of mystery for years. Fifteen years ago it was known as the Mattie Altice place. One night, after return ing from the theater in town, Mrs. Altic dropped dead of heart disease. Up to that time there was no better known establishment of the kind in Northern Indiana than the Attic place. With the death of the mistress it changed hands, and afterward came were wired, with instructions to ar rest Lamphere, if caught. Just what information Lamphere might be able to give and what light he might be able to throw on the case is a ques tion, but the officers believe that a talk with him would have results. The fact that Lamphere could not be found Tuesday looked bad in the eyes of Sheriff Smutzer. The latter learn ed from conversations at that time with some of the neighbors that Lam phere was alleged to have made threats against Mrs. Gunnerson. One woman, a neighbor, said that Lam phere had once remarked, “I'll get her yet.” Lamphere was known to be madly infatuated with the woman, but, so far as known, she had turned away all his attentions and had re fused to have anything to do with him. The acquaintanceship between the couple commenced last fall, when Lamphere did some carpenter work at the house. That Lamphere had an noyed the woman since Saturday is believed, from the fact that no longer ago than Monday afternoon she vis ited her attorney, M. E. Lelster, and talked to him of the persecutions to which she had been subjected by the fellow. Mrs. Gunnerson was a woman past 40 years of age. Since the death of her husband she had taken excellent ,care of the place and during the past six months she had made a number of improvements on the house and sur roundings. The improvements must have cost between $1,000 and $2,000, into possession of Mr. and Mrs. Gun nerson, who moved here from Minne sota. Five years ago Coroner Bowell was Called to the Gunnerson place by the announcement that Mr. Gunner son had died an unnatural death. In vestigation showed that the man had died from a wound in the head. Mrs. Gunnerson was the only person who could throw any light on the circum stances. She testified that a sausage grinder, which had been hanging on a hook, had fallen down and struck Mr. Gunnerson on the head, inflicting the wound which caused his death. Many theories were afloat, but Coroner Bowell, after carefully going into the case and subjecting the widow to a severe cross examination, declared himself baffled and so did the only thing left to do—rendered a verdict of accidental death.’ Mrs. Gunnerson collected considerable life insurance on her husband's death. The woman did not figure in the public prints again until about six weeks ago, when she complained to the officers that she was being annoy ed by Ray Lamphere, aged 35 and’ 800 of ‘Squire Lamphere of Spring field township. He was arrested for trespass, and as a result of the trial it was believed that he was insane, but a commission, after examining him, decided that he suffered from the effects of Hquor more than a dis ordered mind. In spite of warnings given and days and nights spent in jail, Lamphere is alleged to have con tinued his persecutions of the wom an, as a result of which he was ar rested on various occasions, getting off, however, either with a fine or a reprimand. The last time he was on trial for annoying Mrs. Gunnerson was Saturday, in Justice Grover'’s court, when he was found not guilty and the costs were assessed against Mrs. Gunnerson. As soon as Sheriff Smutzer could get a fine on the case, he commenced a search Tuesday morning, assisted hi m for she had made arrangements to se cure a loan of about $1,500, although she explained that she had that much money on deposit in a bank in Minne sota, but could not get it now, be cause of the loss of the interest. How ever, by the time the improvements had been completed Mrs. Gunnerson received her money and 80 did not make the loan that she had arranged for.It is understood that she had on deposit in a local bank about $700, which was probably the sum left over from the money she received from Minnesota, after she had paid for the improvements on the house. Mrs. Gunnerson carried $4,700 worth of insurance on her place, of which $1,500 was on the house and contents. This is a complete loss. The insurance was placed through the Fogle agency. The house and con tents must have been worth close to $3,000. Mrs. Gunnerson made the statement once that her household furniture was worth about $1,000. Among the improvements recently made in the house was the putting in of hardwood floors. Little is known of Mrs. Gunnerson's family or relatives. That she had relatives in Minnesota or Dakota is known, but the officers do not know their addresses and so have been un able to communicate with them. Tuesday Sheriff Smutzer learned that Mrs. Gunnerson had a step-daughter of an adopted daughter, about 18 years old, who has been attending school in California. It is a singular coincidence that the young lady is supposed to be on her way here, being due this week, according to the un derstanding of Mr. Maxson. Instead of a happy reunion the young woman will face a tragedy when she arrives. Although the woman was generally known as Mrs. Gunnerson this was in reality not her correct name, accord ing to her own statement some time ago. Her right name was “Gunness.” It became known Tuesday, in the in vestigations being conducted by the authorities, that about 4 o'clock |Mostley. _ afternoon “Mrs... Gunnerson ‘had tears in‘her eyes, but she ap peared relieved as she “walked out. , Slowly the‘ coils are tightening around Ray Lamphere, who Tuesday was arrested by Deputy Sheriff An stiss and Marr at the home of John Weatbrook, in Springfield township, because it is believed that he can give a lot of information regarding the fire which early Tuesday morn ing destroyed the residence of Mrs. Bella Gunness (alias Gunner son) and caused the death of the Woman and her three children. Lam phere has made a number of fatal admissions, but it is believed that he has not yet told all that he knows. About 50 persons surrounded the ruins of the Gunness’ house Tuesday afternoon when the workmen came upon the bodies of the four victims. The men had been turning over the debris and had reached the last cor ner—the southeast corner—of the big cellar before they discovered any vestige of the bodies. Just before that Sheriff Smutzer and the men were becoming mystified, for they be gan to think that the bodies were not in the ruins, and yet they could not harmonize such a belief with the ex isting facts. Just as they were ready to give up, the shovel of one of the workmen struck something soft, it s place. He is alleged, to have admit ted, that on the way he saw smoke s coming from the roof of the Gunness house, but considered that it was none of his business and so went on, without giving any notice to the peo ple in the house or the neighbors. He says he told John Ross, whom he met some miles away, that he had seen smoke coming from the roof of the Gunness house, but had not given the alarm. The annoyance which Mrs. Gun ness suffered at the hands of Ray Lamphere, who is about 35 years old and a son of ‘Squire Lamphere of Springfield township, forms an inter esting chapter of the tragedy. Lam phere is alleged to have annoyed Mrs. Gunness for some time before she finally made complaint to the officers. This resulted in Lamphere’s arrest on March 12 on the charge of tres pass. He was tried before Justice Grover and was found guilty, being fined $1 and costs. ‘The fine was paid by Mrs. Elizabeth Smith. The annoyance continued. On one occa sion Lamphere, according to Mrs. Gun ness’ story, cut some new barbed wire fencing, doing it in her very sight while she was begging him to go away and leave her alone. Be lieving that Lamphere was not right proved to be a few burned rags. The next moment the man had uncovered the charred and burned body of a child. The removal of some of the bricks and burned mortar disclosed the bones of one of the girls, with the charred flesh hanging on them in places. Beside this was the burned body of the other girl, and alongside these were the bodies of the mother and the little boy, the latter apparent ly being clasped in his mother’s arms, for he was lying on her breast. It looked as though the mother in des perate efforts to save the children had gathered them to her side and with the youngest clasped in her arms had met death bravely. The sight of the four bodies, that of the mother so badly burned that the head was gone, both feet, one leg and both arms, was such as to wring tears from even the most stony hearted person there. The four ‘blackened and charred bodies were placed on boards, where they remained until Cutler’s black wagon reached the scene and brought them to town. They are now at the morgue. Coro ner Mack viewed the bodies soon after they were taken from the ruins he having been promptly notified by Sheriff Smutzer through Deputy John Marr, who was the first to bring the news to town. The arrest of Lamphere at the home of John Weatbrook, north of town, was accomplished without much diffi culty. Although it was reported to the officers in the morning that a person answering Lamphere’s de scription had been seen to board an eastbound Lake Shore train, it was decided not to leave any stone un turned to get trace of the man, and so, although they had no real expecta tion of finding Lamphere there, Deputies Anstiss and Marr left for the Weatbrook home. Just before they reached the house they met a farmer, who took them to the place in his rig, as the automobile was left behind for two reasons, one being that the road was pretty muddy and the other because they deemed it best not to approach the house in an automobile. Lamphere was found and though he endeavored to express surprise, or rather to make the offi cers think that he supposed he had been arrested again at the instance of Mrs. Gunness for trespass or an noying her, he readily accompanied N THE FIRE. mentally, Mrs. Gunness on March 28 filed an affidavit in Justice Grover's court that she thought him insane, as a result of which a commission, composed of Justice Grover and Drs. Bowell, Annis and Burleson, was ap pointed. Mrs. Gunness in her affi davit said that she had known Lam phere since last August and that he had worked for her about six months. She said that he told her many things she knew were not true and were un reasonable. In her complaint she added: “He comes to my house ev ery night at all times of night and looks in the windows, commits mis demeanors, was fined for the same but continues it. He gets intoxicat ed.” Dr. Bowell said: ‘He has been and is a drinker. I do not consider him Insane.” Drs. Annis and Burle son declared in their statement that ‘we find the patient quiet, clean, neat. He is slightly nervous. His memory is good for both recent and remote events. Speech is intelligent. We do not consider him a_ fit subject for treatment in a hospital for the in sane.” All of this had no effect on Lamphere, as a result of which Mrs. Gunness was forced on March 31st, to file the second complaint against him, again charging him with tres pass. This case was taken to Justice Kincaid in Pleasant township on a change of venue. Lamphere was found guilty and fined, the fine being stayed by John Weatbrook. Previ ous to that time written notice had been served on Lamphere to have him keep off the premises of Mrs. Gunness, but this had no effect, for the very night that the notice was served on him he appeared at the Gunness house and made a nuisance of himself. This second conviction had no effect, apparently, for the an noyance became even bolder and so on April 22nd Mrs. Gunness made an affidavit that she had just cause for fearing Lamphere and to fear that he would damage her property. The trial of this case took place last Sat urday, and, as already stated in The Herald, Lamphere was acquitted, friends of Lamphere testifying that she was with them at the time Mrs. Gunness claimed he was on her prem ises and subjecting her to annoyance. Previous to these troubles, Lamphere was once arrested on the complaint of Mrs. Smith, for jumping aboard bis, SCENE FROM the officers back to town. On the way he was asked regarding his movements Monday night and Tues day morning. He said that he came to town Monday afternoon with Mr. Weatbrook, but did not return home with him. Instead he went to the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, cor ner of Railroad and Mechanic streets, where he says “he spent the night. He set the alarm clock for “between THE FIRE. _ The result of all this was that Mrs. Gunness was driven distracted and on Monday she came to town and fol lowing a consultation with her attor ney, M. E. Leliter, as already told in The Herald, she made ‘her’ will and, ‘this, with certain valuable papers, she placed in a safety deposit: Cox:nd the State’ bank. Yesterday ‘Weely Fogle, whom she named as executor, took ‘possession of ‘the property, and will look after the arrangements . C tlement ly to her three children, and in the event of their deaths without issue the property is to go to the Nor wegian Orphanage association in Chi cago. As the children died with their mother, the property will go to this association. To people with whom Mrs. Gunness talked on Monday she expressed fear for her life and for her property, because she said Lampher?e had repeatedly threatened her. Her death at this time under all these cir cumstances is a tragic ending to the case. Coroner Mack last evening held the inquest over the four bodies, tak ing the testimony of all persons who have any knowledge of the facts sur rounding the fire and the deaths. Lamphere was given another sweat ing yesterday by Prosecutor Smith and Sheriff Smutzer and with what was obtained in previous swear ings enough evidence has already been secured, in the opinion of both Prosecutor Smith and Sheriff Smut zer, to warrant the filing of a serious charge against Lamy here and hand ing him to the grand jury. The death of a person in a fire, set by another, makes the person who set the fire an swerable to a charge of murder in the first degree. If the officers be lieve that there is sufficient evidence to show that Lamphere had some thing to do with the fire an affidavit for murder will be filed against him in Justice Grover’s court and he will be held without bail to the grand jury. In his first admissions Lam phere said he passed the Gunness house and saw the fire, but afterward he changed this and said he went out the Park street road, and saw the smoke across the fields. Yesterday Attorney Leliter had the will probated and Wesley Fogle, the executor, filed his bond in the sum of $2,500, which is double the value of the personal property. The real estate is believed to be worth $8,000 or $10,000. As already stated the will gives the property to the three children, Myrtle Adolpheus Sor ensen, Lucy Berghat Sorensen and Philip Alexander Gunness. The two girls were daughters by the first mar riage and the boy by the second mar riage. After the death of the chil dren the property goes to the Nor wegian orphanage. Mrs. Gunness stipulated also that she was to be buried In the Forest home cemetery, Chicago. NEWS. OF THE CHURCHES, Editor Herald: Evangelist Shel burne seems to be a pleasant young man, but his arguments sometimes prove too much, for instance, his ar gument that “the New Testament was written in the Greek language, and that the Greeks knew what the word meant,and that 90,000,000 members of the Greek church had never to erated anything but immersion. Without disputing about the original language of the N. T. or whether the Greek church used any other form than immersion, we pass at once to the fact that the Greek church knows the meaning of the term, and we may also say that 200,000,000 Roman Cath olics, and 50,000,000 Anglican Cath olics also know the meaning of the word, and that they do tolerate anoth er form than immersion. But if, the Greek church is worthy of being: ha rhest, teaches and practices the bap tism of infants. But Evangelist Shel burne has not yet used this excellent argument for the truth of the prac tice. CATHOLIC. Joseph D. Oliver and sister, Mrs. Geo. Ford, of South Bend, have pre sented to the First Presbyterian church in that city a magnificent pipe organ in memory of their mother who was a member of the church for many years. The Methodist Sunday school has been growing so rapidly that Sun day morning before the beginning of the sermon Dr. BE. A. Schell took a subscription to buy some new chairs for the infant class and to provide additional accommodations for the in termediate scholars. Max Blair's class numbered 70 and the total for the school was exactly the same as Easter morning—314. At the adjourned session of the an nual meeting of the membrs of the B’ne iZon congregation Sifday the following officers were elected: Mar cus Henoch, president; Hascall Ros enthal, vice president; Arthur B. Stern, secretary; D. W. Stern, treas urer; and Martin Henoch, Joseph ,Swinewind and Ralph Davidson, trus tees. The members of the LaPorte Lu ther League will go to Michigan City this evening on a special inter urban car at 7 o’clock for the purpos of giving a program before the Luthe league of that city. An interesting program, consisting of readings, reci tations, dialogues and vocal and in strumental music, has been prepared and will be presented. Rev. E. M. Shepard has resigned as pastor of the Christian church at Wanatah and preached his farewell sermon Sunday morning. The change of pastorates by Rev. John Peters of Colorado City, Col., and Rev. A. J. Waller, pastor of the Methodist church, Michigan City, will take place within a few weeks. The following list of pulpit sup plies has been arranged by the sup ply committee during Dr. Schell’s ab sence attending the general confer ence at Baltimore: Sunday, May 10th, Rev. A. P. De Long, Indianapolis. Sunday, May 17th, Rev. F. W. Hix on, South Bend. Sunday May 24th, Rev. D. D. Hoag land, Rockville. Sunday, May List, Rev. E. W. Strecker, Knox. Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Ruple will enter tain Mr. DeLong whom many will re member as a pastor here seven years ago. Dr. and Myga Wilcox will have Mr. Hixon as test, while Mr and Mrs. A. J. §pi Dr. and Mrs. Sutherland will tax: land and Mr. especially fortunate: in first class list of preach cares of the pulpit during | lay For Home Coming: Week.: SCENE FROM THE FIRE. SCENE FRO
Newspaper Details
La Porte Weekly Herald
La Porte, Indiana, US
Thu, Apr 30, 1908
Page 7
Full Page
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USA 02 Jul 2026
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