Hemingford herald. (Hemingford, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1895-190?, August 09, 1895, Image 3

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THE TAYLORS GUILTY
OF THE MURDER OF THE MEEKS
FAMILY.
Jt Took the Jury but a Short Tlmo to
Como to a Conclusion Intense Excite
ment In the Court Arguments of the
Attorneys for Dofenso anil 1'rosecutlon
Very Strong Much Feeling Displayed
by the Taylors.
Jury Says They Are Guilty.
CAnnotLTON, Mo., Aug-. 3. At 2:10
o'clock this afternoon tho Taylor jury
returned a verdict of guilty of murder
In the first degree, amid tho most in
tense excitement.
CAkiiollton, Mo., Aug. 3. When
court opened this morning tho room
was crowded to tho doors with the
neighbors and friends of Colonel J. II.
Ilale, who was booked to make tho
first address. Tho Taylor children
had bocn left at home, but lined up
before tho jury were the two defend
ants, their wives and mothers and old
man Taylor.
Colonel Hale began by calling at
tention to tho address of Mr. Minnls,
which he characterized as brilliant,
but calculated to inflame the worst
passions of men. While ho was speak
ing, little Nclllo Meeks entered tho
court room with her foster mother,
Mrs. Pierce. When she saw Grandma
Meeks sho climbed into her lap and
then went over to Ben Pierce and sat
on his knee, facing tho jury.
Tho colonel called attention to his
declining years and said that he would
not ask for an acquittal if ho did not
believe his clients deserved it. Ho en
deavored to show that tho Taylors
after the murder showed no evidences
whatever of having handled bloody
bodies. He said that Nellie Meek
should have been put on tho witness
stand, for no one now known could
tell as much as sho about it. When
Nellie was rescued from her living
irmvo in the straw stack and went to
tho Carter house, tho Carters under
stood her, mid why should not tho
jury understand heiV It is clear that
she would tell something that would
not help the case against tho Taylors.
He took tho evidence relating to tho
blood on the wagon and picked it to
pieces, showing that tho blood was
blmply supposition and that it might
just as well have been red paint, and
probably was.
Colonel Hale, referring to the testi
mony relating to tho harrowing about
the straw stack, said that tho corn was
in good condition for the harrow and
tried to convince the jury that it was a
perfectly natural thing for George
Taylor to do as a farmer, and that tho
harroiv had been driven to the stack
and then to the house.
The speaker drew certain supposi
tious cases of circumstantial evidence
which authorized conviction, none of
them at all resembling tho Taylor
case, In order to mako clear to tho jury
4ust what circumstantial evidence was.
lie pleaded lor mercy ior mo xnyiurs
on behalf of their wives, tholr children
and their homes, while Bill Taylor
and his wife and mother wept. "Oh,
God, an awful thing it is to see the hu
man soul take llight!" he said. "What
will be the fate of these young wives
if you tako tho lives of their hus
bands? The linger of scorn will bo
pointed at their children."
iu reiernug io ximi: i'tmu uuuna,
the speaker said: "Sho was the daugh
ter of a convict and her associations .
were Of tho worst. Then her father
was taken away from her and she was
thrown into tho hands of Ben Pierce,
who will take good caro of her, and
she will grow up into a good woman.
She will not suiter tho finger of scorn
because her father was murdered,
rather will she have tho sympathy of
all mankind. She does not need ven
geance nor does sho need your sym
pathy." Colonel Halo closed with an earnest
plea for tho lives of his clients.
Mil. IJUKSNEHKN'r SUMMING UP.
It was 10 o'clock when T. M. Brcs
nehen, the leading attorney for the
state, arose to close the case. Ho said
that he had been taunted for receiving
a fee for prosecuting the Taylors. He
thought it as honorablo, to say tho
least, as accepting foes for defeating
justice. "I told yon, pentlcinen, be
fore this case opened," ho went on,
"that if tho evidence I should present
did not convict the Taylors I should
not come before you at this time and
ask for their just punishment. I am
here and ask for their convi'tion at
your, hands. I will show you tho mo
tives that prompted this crime and the
threats against tho poor victim bf it.
I will show you beyond a reasonable
doubt, by a" chain of circumstantial
evidence in which there is not a link
ruisslng, that the Taylor brothers mur
dered Gus Meeks and his family on
Jenkins hill on the night of May 10 or
tho morning of May 11. It was a
butchery. It were fluttery to call Jit
simple murder and its details are very
horrible. I will sliow you that these
men, William and George Taylor, are
the butchers of tho Meeks family, and
I demand their punishment."
Mr. Bresuehen next made a terrible
arraignment of the Taylors." As he
talked Bill tat white and nervous,
George's face was fiery, and Mrs. Bill
Taylor's lips trembled and she had
difficulty to keep from weeping. He
showed tho absolute certainty of tho
testimony as going to show the guilt
of the Taylors. The told of the om
nipotent hand of God raising llltlo
Nellie as a living witness. Ills argu
ment affected tho jury strongly, lie
wild: "Tho defense cannot bribe thoso
harrow tracks, those wagon tracks, or
tho blood on the wagon. They aro
witnesses that cannot be bribed or bull
dozed or intimidated. Tho doubt of
the guilt of these mon is the dream of
dream. They are guilty, do your
ditty, jurymen."
Mr Bresnehan's address grow
Kfrnnt'er us he proceeded and iust bo
foro he closed he rose to a height such
as is seldom seen in a country court
house. When he closed tho people
burst into a roar as they realized that
the case was all closed but the verdict.
IS TUB HANDS OF TIIK JUUV.
Sharp at noon the jury was locked
in the court room to deliberate.
After the case had gone to the jury
-Colonel Hale stated thai, he had looked
for acquittal, but tnought tho jury
would be out for one or two days.
Judge Brinklcy, for tho defense, said
he did not cxpoet acquittal, but rather
a disagreement.
T. M. Brosnohan, prosecuting at
torney of Linn county, said: "If that
jury is an honest one. as I truly be
lieve they are, they will convict Will
inm and George Taylor of tho murder
of tho Meeks family, and that speed
ily." As the Taylors passed down tho
court houso steps nfter the trial a re
porter walked with them and asked
Bill: "Well, what do you think of it
now?"
"I have had no reason to change my
mind," was tho reply. "If we get
justice wo will be acquitted."
Oeorirc. who walked behind, was
sullen and refused to say anything."
NO DOUBT ABOUT APPLES
The Crop Will He the Largest In Years
nml of tho Very Finest guntlly.
Chicago, Aug. 3. At tho annual
meeting of the National Apple Ship
pers' association, with delegates pres
ent representing all apple growing
states from Maino to Colorado, it was
announced that the July report of tho
department of agriculture Indicating a
short apple crop is entirely incorrect
and misleading. Local Information In
their possession shows that in New
England the crop is one of reasonable
firoportlons, and in New York, while
ight in .ome districts, the aggregate
exceeds last year, both in quantity and
quality. West of the Allegheny moun
tains tho crop Is declared the largest
grown In any recent year and much
larger and of better quality than that
of last year, tho only section being In
limited districts of Ohio and Michigan
and in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Those in attendance at tho meeting
unite in declaring the outlook to bo for
tho largest aggregate crop of best
quality in recent years.
Will Visit l'reslilentClm claim
Washington, Aug. 3. Mrs. Hatch
will visit Gray Gables to Interview tho
president In behalf of her son, Clyde
Mattox, who Is to be executed at Wich
ita October 11. She is encouraged to
believe that sho will secure an audi
ence with the president, by letters sho
has received here from personal
friends of Mr. Cleveland's, and it is be
lieved that tho president will hear
what she may have to say In behalf of
her son.
Taylor's Jlomlsiucn Much Worried.
Sioux Cm, Iowa, Aug. 3. Reports
from South Dakota aro that the sure
ties of W. W. Taylor, the defaulting
cx-stato treasurer, aro considerably
worried by their principal's delay in
turning his property over to them to
secure them against loss on his bond.
They aro threatened with executions
on the judgments against them.
Japuu Inclined to Kcslst.
Washington, Aug. 3. Tho diplo
matic corps is watching with interest
the settlement of tho question of the
evacuation of Port Arthur by the Jap
anese under the demand of Russia,
Franco and Germany that the entire
Liao Tung peninsula be evacuated
without reference to China's fulfill
ment of her part of the Shlinonoscki
treaty obligations. It is believed that
Japan will not accede without a vig
orous protest.
Coxey Nominated for Governor.
CoU'MiiLS, Ohio, Aug. 3. Tho wholo
forenoon to-day in the Populist stato
convention was spent In tearing lo
pieces the platform reported last night
by the committee on resolutions.
Jucob S. Coxcy orMnssillon was nom
inated for governor
Mr. Frey Stricken With 1'ar.iljsls.
Skdalia, Mo., Aug. 3. A telegram
was received in this city summoning a
physician to attend Mrs. J. J. Frey of
Topckn, Kan., who had been stricken
with paralysis at Colorado Springs.
Her husband is general manager of
the Santa Fe and is absent in Europe.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
Coinage last mouth amounted to
3,2-'5,OU() of which nearly Si,010,000
was gold.
Diplomats in Washington are very
much interested in the Port Arthur
entanglements.
Secretary Morton has been Informed
that Germany has established a new
form of live stock quarantine.
Permission to tee the North Atlantic
bquadron'b maneuvers has been Uenled
to officers of foreign governments..
Missouri will sue Iowa to bring
about a legal settlement of the bound
ary dispute.
Kansas City primaries chose silver
delegates to the Jackson County con
vention.
Thousands of dollars dainngo has
been douo by the Missouri river at
Sioux City, Iown.
Comptroller of tho Currency Eekel3
says that free silver sentiment is dying
out in Illinois.
Ben Howell, who Is charged with
aiding Cherokee Bill to escape from
jail, has been nrrestcd.
Reports from the flooded districts in
the West show that great damago was
done to property.
President Thompson of tho National
Lead company says he never saw bueb
crops in the West.
Judge Tnjdor of Terre Ilauio, Intl.,
decided that the Nicholson temper
auco law is inoperative.
Sheriff Tamsen and ox-keepers of
the Ludlow street jail. New York,
wero indicted for allowing three pris
oners tc cseape.
A London sport offers to back Peter
Jackson against Corbett.
Fitzslmtnons will do his final train
ing at Corpus Chriuti and Corbett at
San Antonio.
In tho United States circuit court
Judge Caldwell decided that judg
ments ngainst the 'Frisco took priority
over all mortgages, and that tho re
ceivers must pay them in full.
General Campos has issued a proola
mutiou absolutely prohibiting the pub
lication of news about the wur in
Cuba if it is not of official origin.
The nntl-oleomargarlne laws aro
practically inoperative.
John Garrett, deputy United States
marshal and a Creek sheriff, was assas
sinated from ambush by three Creek
Indians near Okmulgee, Creek nation.
TIIE TOWN ENGULFED
SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO, DADLY
WRECKED BY WATER.
Wares From tho Mountains Wipe Out
Many Lives Three Feet of Hushing
Water Huns Madly Through the l'rliirl
pal Streets, Carrying Away l'lfty
Houses Vivid Lightning, Crashing
Thunder and llllndlng Storm.
Cloud-Hurst In New Mexico.
Socoitno, N. M Aug. 2. A tremen
dous roaring startled tho people of
Socorro Tuesday afternoon about 4
o'clock. Shortly after hugo waves of
water came rushing down an nrroyo.
which drains tho eastern slope of the
Magdalcna mountains, and almost en
circles tho town. At first it was hoped
that tho flood would bo confined to tho
lower uortlon of the city, but soon tho
water came over abovo tho town and
three feet of water began to rush
through the principal streets. It en
gulfed women and children, mingled
with tho crashing of falling houses
and dying walls of souls swept Into
eternity. For two hours tho work of
destruction continued, tho horror be
ing Increased by vivid Hghtnlng,crnsh
ing thunder and blinding rain.
All night long homeless pooplc were
being brought In and cared for. Yes
terday morning a scene of desolation
was presented. Tho majority of tho
business houses escaped heavy damago
or destruction, but hundreds of poor
Dcople lost everything, being home
less and without money, and almost
naked. More than fifty houses nro
known to have been destroyed, while
almost every residence in tho city Is
damnged. Slnco tho water reeeded
many auooo nouses navo union ami
many others must bo abandoned. Two
bodies recovered have been Identified as
members of the Duran famlly.scveral of
whom aro mUsing. Four moro bodies
were taken out and identified as thoso
of tho Durans, making six recovered,
Other bodies nro reported as being
seen, but owing to tho treacherous
nature of the ground they cannot bo
readied. Tho destructive waters
spread over tho entire city and carried
death everywhere. Many aro missing.
Reports coming from towns north and
south of hero tell of heavy losses.
For twelve miles south destruction of
property was terrible, frame houses
and crops being entirely swept nway.
The Santa Fo tracks were washed out
botweon here and San Antonio in sev
eral places.
NEW SILVER MOVE.
Clio Financial Tollcy of tho Present
Ad-
ministration to He Attacked.
Chicaoo, Aug 2. A special to tho
Post from Washington bays: "Politics
in the stato of Virginia are beginning
to assume a now phase, and the silver
members nre all preparing for a form
of campaign which they believe will
have tho effect of changing the char
acter of the present controversy be
tween the factious of tho party. They
propose partially to abandon free coin
age as the leading ibsuo of the cam
paign and to pluce the sound money
men upon the defensive by attacking
what they regard as tho most
vulnerable points in the sound
money doctrine. To do this they
propose to use the president's message
to the last congress upon tho financial
question, the report of Secretary Car
lisle upon the bame bubject and the
bill which Mr. Carlisle prepared and
submitted to the house, together with
the bill which was afterward sub
stituted for tho Carlisle bill by tho
banking and currency committee, to
show that the administration and its
followers would retire all of tho
greenbacks, the treasury notes, nnd
ultimately the silver dollars, thus
causing a contraction of the currency
by the withdrawal from circulation of
moro than SS0O,O0U,O00. They will
further nttempt to show that the
definition of sound money given by
the advocates of sound finance means
gold coin and national bank notes."
SWAMPKD 11V A rilKSIIIST.
Alouutiiln Cloudbursts In Colorado Derail
u Freight Train.
Chiitli: Ciikkic, Col., Aug. 2. A
freight train on tho Florence and
Cripple Creek railroad was caught In a
freshet and derailed near Adelaide.
A succession of cloud-bursts occurred
at the head of Eight Milo creek, about
twolvo or fifteen miles north of Adel
aide. Engineer Ben Gove and Fireman
Maurice Lyons saw tho water coming
dow n the creek. Lyons managed to
escapo by climbing up the side of tho
mountain. Gove is supposed to havo
been drowned. Hrnkemnn Dolau is
known to have lost his life in tho
water. Tho ilocd struck the town of
Adelaide, doing great damage. The
hotel Is said to have been swept away,
and Mrs. Carr, Lee Tracey and a man
named Watson drowned.
Six persons nro known to have been
drowned at Adelaide, and two others
arc reported missing. Tho railroad
for ten miles near Wilbur has been
washed away. It will be at least a
week before the railway can bo re
paired, nnd the damago is estimated at
100,000. More destruction is reported
at Camp McCourt.
Claim for S'.'S.OOO Damages.
Honolulu, July 23. James Durrcll,
held a prisoner for seven weeks after
the last outbreak, hati filed, through
United States Minister Willis, a claim
for 925, OOo damages for false imprison
ment. Tim Thousand
PlTTSJlUlJO, Pa.
Men Locked Out.
Aug. 2. Thero
wero fifty factories represented at tho
green glass conference yosterduy. It
was dioidod to refuse the demand of
the United Gi eon Glass Workers' leagu6
for a robtoration of tho fourtocn per
cent out made in 1801, and to doolare a
lookout In all union factories, thus
throwing out 10,000 men.
Strikers Drho Away Non-Union Men.
Blukfiklds, W. Va., Aug. 2. Non
union men arc being forced to leavo
the coal fields by tho strikers who
threaten personal violence to
who won't quit work.
thoso
THINK CAPTAIN BECK FAIR.
Settlers Hold n Meeting and I'.nilorse the
Indian Agent.
BAxcitorr, Nob., August 2. At a
meeting at tho Omaha agency resolu
tions wcro adopted and accepted by
tho settlers sustaining Captain Beck in
his action and declaring that they have
always found him to bo honorablo and
just in what dealings they have had
with him. T. R. Ashloy of Decatur, a
large leaser of Indian hinds, was olect
cd secretary of the meeting. Mr. Tib
bies, chairman of tho meeting, thqn
opened tho meeting by an luforranl
talk and said that tho conduct of Cap
tain Beck as agent of tho Omahas was
just and honorablo. Ho had never
heard of any complaints In his neigh
borhood by white settlers, and furthor
remarked that tho Pender pcoplo ac
cuse tho renters of Omaha lands of con
spiracy against Pender and Us good in
terests, which wnB false in every res
ncct Ho said tho renters of tho Flour-
noy lands have been notified tlmo and
time again that they aro In tho wrong.
Other renters made speeches, after
which tho following resolutions wero
unanimously ndoptcd:
First, Wo whoso names aro hereunto
affixed hold Indian lands upon tho
Omaha reservation under leases recom
mended by Captain Beck, United States
Indian agont, and under regulations
prescribed by tho Indian department at
Washington
Second, That many of us prior to tho
enactment of tho law under which said
leases aro mado held private leases with
tho individual Indians not approved bv
tho Indian agent, and upon receiving
tho printed notices which wero served
to all renters by Captain Beck to vacato
tho promises or tako leases through
him under tho law of tho government
and tho rules and regulations of tno
department, at onco cancelled our in
dividual leases and took leases as di
rected by said notice.
Third That in tho procurement of
said leases through Captain Beck wo
have each received from hlmeourtcous,
fair, justand honorablo treatment, and
we can see no reason why tho Indians
or leasers can complain at tho treat
ment of Captain Beck.
Fourth That bo far ns our knowl
edge extends wo know of no complaint
from persons holding under leases
recommended by Captain Beck, and
that complaint only comes from thoso
who are unwilling to tako leases under
tho recommendation of Captain Bcclf
and the laws of the department
SHADY BOND DEALS.
Money Used to Securo tho Furcluuo of
Some Kunsas Securities.
TornicA, Kan., Aug. 2. Before tho
permanent school fund investigation
commlttco yesterday afternoon, N. D.
McGiuley, for a time bond clerk in tho
office of tho state superintendent of
public Instruction during tho Republi
can administration which preceded tho
Populist rule, and since then agont in
the sale of securities, gave sensational
testimony concerning negotiations for
tho sale of bonds of various Western
counties, to tho stato school fund com
missioners, no said that ho sold Harper,
Hamilton and Wichita county bonds to
tho Populist board. Tho Wichita
county bonds amounted to 35,000, nnd
it was not until after he had divided
his commission with thrco Populists
whom ho believed wero in tho con
fidence of the board that he was ablo
to mako tho sale. Two of tho threo
wero O. O. Osborn, s jn of R. R. Osborn,
secretary of statu (a member of tho
board), and Grant Gaines, bond clerk
and a brother of II. N. Gaines, statu
superintendent of publla instruction
(nnothcr member of the board). Tho
name of tho third person he professed
not to know. In all ho paid $1,100 to
mako tho Wichita county salo go
through. He testified, also, that ho
paid money to Grant Gaines and 0, O,
Osborn to help in tho balo of tho Ham
ilton county bonds lato in 1894, about
which such a scandal was raised at tho
time.
LIONIZING DURRANT.
Foolish Women Make a Hero of tho Frls
oner In San Francisco.
San Fhancisco, Aug. 2. -Two addi
tional jurors wcro secured yesterday
to try Theodore Durrant for the mur
der of Blancho Lamont. The third
panel of toventy-five names having
been exhausted, an order was issued
for a veniro of 150 now names. Tho
additional jurors secured aro M. R.
Dempster, a commission merchant, and
Nathan Crocker, contractor. Four
jurors It) all have so far been secured.
Counsel for both the prosecution and
defense are pleased at the character of
tho men thus far chosen to try tho
case.
Instead of boing driven, ns hereto
fore, from tho county jail to the city
hall in tho sheriff's private buggy,
Durrant was conveyed in tho ordinary
prison van with the less notable pris
oners. He still continues to bo the
subject of much hero worship. As ho
was leaving tho court room a wfil'
drcsscd and handsome woman rushes
toward him with endearing word,
and attempted to embrace him. Thit
sheriff protected Durrant from this
admirer, and also refuses to deliver
the quantities of flower sent to his
cell by strangers.
For Kissing Another Man's Wife.
Wichita, Kan., Aug. 2. John Fnl
Ham, one of the wealthiest farmers in
this comity, was urrostcd to-day on u
complaint sworn out by a neighbor,
G V, Wentz, which charges that "on
July 30 defendant disturbed )ls p".aco
by kissing his wlfo, Martha Wentz. In
a loud, boistetous, felonious, malicious
und unseemly maimer, against tho
peace and dignity of tho stato and
couttary to tho statutes thereof."
NEWS IN BRIEF.
Mississippi Populists met nt Jackson
and nominated a state ticket.
Secretary Carlisle will spend part of
his vacation sailing on tho lakes.
Fourteen moro negro colonists havo
reached Eaglo Pass from Mexico.
Tho oporatloii of tho now mineral
law is proving very unsatisfactory.
Tho agricultural department is going
to experiment with flax growing.
Shin reiristrv taxos for last year
I Were S532.234, against 8529,000 tho year
I previous.
GHASTLY NARRATIVE
OREWSOME STORY OF GUI
CIDE AND SWINDLING
Holmes, tho Alleged Murderer, Tells of
1'leUcl's Death Ue Itelates In Detail
How the Matter Was Worked Up to
Collect tho Insurance Money Does
Not Admit that Ho Was Responsible
(or rioltcl's Death.
The Story Told by Holruoi.
Philadku'iiia, July 31. An entlroly
new statement has just bcon mado by
II. II. Holmes, tho supposed murdorer
of tho Plotzol children. In It tho man
of many crimes gives In dottill his ver
sion of how Pictzol camo by his death
last Soptombcr, and also stntes his
(Holmes) connection with tho tratredv.
Holmes says that on Saturday night
preceding tho death of Pietzol tho lat
ter camo to his houso on North
Eleventh street, where ho was staying
with "Mrs. Howard." Plotzel told
Holmes of heartrending story of his
pecuniary dillleultles and of tho sick
ness of his daughter in .St. Louis. "I
must have money," he said,
or words to that effect, "to
Bond to my wlfo In St. Louis."
Holmes remonstrated with Pietzol as
to his spendthrift habits, and spoko
substantially to him as follows: "Then
you havo been a good friend of nilno;
I'll admit It, 1 havo mado lots of
money through you, but lean not keep
this thing up. Where is that $50 I
gavo you tho other day? If you don't
quit driukiug you and I will havo to
Boparato."
This conversation is said to havo
been carried on along Eleventh street
tho men walking 'north until Morris
street was reached. When thoy ur
rlved ai tho corner Plotzel exclaimed:
"I am of no benefit to anyone. I will
soon get rid of my dillleultles. Life
has becomo a nuuanco to me." Holmes
thon avers that ho jokingly remarked:
"Well, your body
Is as good as any
other, but I would
rlr, ,, 1 1,1,, r tMiul, '
not ndvlso you to
A UllJUUIUf, ...oil.
Holmes accounts for making this ro
mark by saying that ho and Plotzol
had under consideration tho defraud
ing of the Fidelity Mutual Insurunca
company. Holmes, says Plotzel then
became angry and again vowed that
ho would commit suicide. Holmes
then explains that Plotzel loft him
with tho intention of going home.
Holmes Bays ho gavo Pictzol no money
that night, but promised to meet him
at tno tallownlil street nouso tno fol
lowing morning.
It was about 10 o'clock tho follow
ing day (Sunday), Holmes goes on to
Boy, that no went to visit rietzei at tno
Callowniu street house, wnon no
reached tho plnco no one nppaiently
was about. Holmes Bat in the kitchen
for almost twenty minutes waiting for
Plotzol to appear Tho latter, Holmes
supposed, had gone out for breakfast.
Time ivoro on, and "Ben" wnsnot to bo
seen. Tho consnlrator thon says thatho
becamo anxious about his friend's
whoreabouts and began to search tho
houso for Pictzol. "As I aroso to go
upstairs," says tho criminal, "I noticed
a nolo lying on tho counter in tho front
part of tho house. It was addressed
to mo." Then Holmes explains that
ho opened tho note. It directed him
to go up to tho second lloor and to
open n closet, in which ho would find
a largo blue bottlo containing another
letter nddicssed to him. Holmes fol
lowed tho directions.
He found tho note in the bottlo as
described, and was horrlflod when ho
read it. It was from Benjamin Plot
zel, nnd advised that hlb dead body
could bo found in tho house. Tho let
ter pleaded that Holmes look aftor
Pletzel's children and suggested that
thero would be no difficulty in getting
the Insuranco money from the Fidelity
company now that tho dead body of
Plotzel could bo produced In evidence.
Holmes then told his friend of tho
appenrnnco of tho corpse, and said ho
Bat in tho room with tho body for over
an hour. He was dazed, and hardly
knew what course to pursue He final
ly mado up his mind that since Plotzel
had taken his life thero would bo no
harm in destroying any evidence of
Buleldo, that he might bo able to get
tho insuranco on Pletzel's life without
any difficulty.
Holmes has confessed that he there
upon dragged tho dead body to tho sec
ond floor, laid tho corpse on tho floor,
pried open tho mouth of tho dead man
with a pencil, und poured In a quantity
of explosive chemicals. He then, ho
says, placed a lighted match to the
man's mouth when the explo
alon which so horribly disfigured
tho corpse followed. To give
tho moro forcible impression that
Pietcl camo to his death by an acci
dental explosion, Holmes stated to his
friend that ho got a pipe of Pletzel's,
filled it with tobacco, lighted it, and
then blow out tho florae after the to
bacco hud been partially consumed
and placed the pipe beside tho dead
mau's body.
It was nearly 4 o'clock Jn the after
noon before ho loft tho Callowhill
street house. Ho put on a hat of
Pictzel's lo partially conceal his iden
tity and placed his hat, which was a
felt, under his coat. Ho and his wife,
Holmes alleges, loft for Chicago that
night.
A California Legislator Skips.
San Fhajvcisco, July 30. H. L.
La n gen our, a member of tho stato
legislature who disappeared from
Woodland last week, after drawing
$10,000 from a local bank, is bald to
havo gone to Chicago with a young
woman of Sacramento. He was elected
to the assembly last fall. Recentiy he
camo into possession of a largo for
tune, but unfortunate businons invest
ments are said to havo involved him.
LltfHl Ucr Flvo Scoro Years.
BuiiLiNOAMK, Kan., July 30. An
drew Franklin, alias Audrew McKeo
of this city, died this afternoon, aged
10ii years. Ho was born in Lancaster
county, Pennsylvania, on December
25,1701. He was in tho war of ltl'i,
Mexican, and lsCo-6. Mr. Franklin
cast his flrbt voto for James Madison
for president, and has voted at every
presidential election since,
A Flood Visits Cripple Creek.
CnirTLK Ckkkk, Col., July 30. ThlB
camp was visited by u flood about 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon. A score
of stores were flooded.
KANSAS INDIANS,
they Drlvo OB n HIiorltT and Pone JTrOm
the Reservation.
TorxKA, Kan., July 30. Sheriff Nny
lor of Jackson county arrived hero last
evening and reported that ho and a
posse of deputies, accompanied by
Indian police, wero 'driven by fifty
armed Pottawatomie Indians from the
reservation when thoy went there to
arrest red men for refusing to allow
lessees of reservation lands to make
hay. It was reported that tho sheriff
would ask thogovernor for state troops
to aid him In enforcing tho law, but ho
loft this morning without doing bo.
Thero is a question about tho right
of tho governor to send stato troops to
tho reservation, ns it is under the
Jurisdiction of tho federal courts.
Tho troublo has arisen over ' a sec
tion of reservation land whlchnpartyof
white mon claim to havo leased from
tho Indian agent. Last Saturday tho
white men began making buy and an
muian named Aiatarasnan and several
others drovo them away. Warrants
wcro put In tho hands of the Indian
police to bo served and Sheriff Naylor
and a posso accompanied them. When
tho party reached tho reservation thoy
wero met by Matarashan and about
fifty followers all heavily armed.
They refused to bo arrested and tho
sheriff and party wero obllghod to
loavo,
END OF THE SILVER TALK.
Mcssers. Horr and Harvey Wind Dp
Their Long Debate.
Chicago, July 31.- Tho last day of
tho Harvoy-IIorr silvbr slcgo opened
yesterday afternoon. Tho day'a at
tacks wero directed at the question of
tho feasibility of independent action
by tho United States on tho rcmono
tlzation of Bllvcr and its frco and un
limited cotnngo at a ratio of JO to 1
with gold, regardless of tho action of
other nations. Mr. Harvey argued for
such action, Mr. Horr against it.
The dobato closed by Mr. Ilorr
presenting Mr. Harvey with two coins
of two different metals becauso Mr.
Harvey was a blmetalllst. Tho debat
ers then thanked each other for tho
courteous treatment nhown by both
and the debate camo to an cud.
It should bo said that tho attendanco
nt tho session of tho discussion was by
card only and was limited to tho ca
pacity of tho hall, which was about
200. Tho space was generally fully
occupied.
A WOMAN PUNISHED.
a.'ho
Itecrenut Wlfo of a New Yorker
Mobbed on Her Iteturn Home,
Watkiitown, N. Y., July 20. Mrs.
Hattlo Covey, wlfo of Bert Covey of
Jayville, eloped Juno 23 with John
Kirch, superintendent of a sawmill,
leaving one child. Saturday night Mrs.
Covey returned home. Sho was told to
lcavo town by tho first train Monday
morning, and did bo, but went to Har
rlsonvlllo for legal advice.
Armed with a peaco warrant the wo
man returned to Jayvlllo where hor
parents live, nnd was mot nt tho door
by a crowd of mon, women and boys,
who stripped hor of her clothing nnd
beat her bo badly that she may die. No
arrests have been made. Jayvlllo is a
small backwoods village, consisting
mostly of huts.
NEWS NOTES.
Mrs. Wilhelmino Ganz, an sged
widow, committed suicide by hanging"
herself near SS. Peter and Paul's cem
etery, St. Louis.
Tho copper output of tho United
States for 1804 is estimated at 108.0UO,
000 pounds.
Ex-Congressman DoForost says with
the financial issuo beforo the pcoplo
tho sound money men can havo but
ono caudldato for tho presidency
Presidont Cleveland.
Tho department of justice had Its
dignity shocked by numerous applica
tions lor tho place of tho lato united
States Marshal Stowo of tho Indian
Territory, who died Saturday.
Four horses wero killed by lightning
at Smlthton, Mo.
Durrunt had tho prodnctlon of a
play based on tho Emanuel church
murders- enjoined.
Tho courts havo given tho Topcha
Daily Press a chance to settle its diffi
culties before appointing a receiver.
It comes out now that Stambuloff
predicted his death months ago.
General Alfaro has fortiOtd tho
height of Guaranda, Ecuador, and a
battle- It expected soon.
The warehouso of tho Bonded Spirit
Company at Hamburg was burned,
causing a loss of J, 000,000 marks.
Citizens of Nevada, Mo., have re
fused to grant a bonus to tho EI Dorado
Springs road.
Governor Culberson's edict, adverse
to pugilistic encounters in tho state of
Texas, docs not 6eem to have had
much effect on the sports, who take a
deep interest in pugilism. They all
believe- impllclty l Dan Stuart's
ability to bring off the big- fight at
Dallas.
Tho Chlckamauga Park association
has received notice of tho contemplated
attendanco of twenty governors of
states with their staffs at tho dedica
tion, September 18, ltt and 20.
J. W. Wills of Ccntrnlin, Mo., was
fined 5350 nnd costs for forcing Editor
Rodemlro of that town to sign a re
traction of an article attacking Will3
and a Mrs. Sadler.
A new bank has been organized at
Harwood, Vernon county, Mo., with a.
paid up capita' Btock of Sl0,000. Tho
stockholders nro some of the most in
fluential men of tho county.
busio Riley, nn unmarried white
womun, was urrcsted at South McAl
ester, Ind. Ter., for cutting the throat
of and burying her new born infant la
a cornfield.
The freo silver Democrats of Aud
rain, Buchanan, Clinton and Sallna
counties, elected delegates to tno state
convention. Resolutions for freo sil
ver coinage were adopted.
Ten thousand people at Seattle,
Wash., witnessed tho inauguration of
work on the Lake Washington canal.
Governor McGraw, ex-Governor Serapla
and others spoke, Tho work will cost
go.ooo.ooo oni will be la progress eUt
J years.