The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-11-17

The Murdered Han and the Murderer
Old Scho0lnates.
The Flight, Pursuit and Capt1se.
The Coroner's Inquest and Verdit Of
the Jury.
PLEASANT RIDGE LEAv. Co., Nov. IA.
Totse Editor cfhe Times:
notice in your issue Of Sunday morning
an account of the murder and robbery perpe-
trated near here on Saturday evening, and
as the facts, in the excitement and hurry Of
the moment, could not but be given to you in
an imperfect form, and consequently con-
tanning many errors, l have concluded to re-
late the particulars as they have been fully
developed.
Nothing in the annals of crime can exceed
in atrocity the murder and robbery Of John
T. Lykins, by Joe Reddick, near this place,
(which is in Leavenworth County, on Satur-
day evening last. The particulars are as fol-
lows: The victim was q single man, about
twenty five years of age, and resided with his
aged parents, in Platte County, Mo-, and
about five miles from Weston. Being in
debted to Mr.. Henry T. Roach, farmer re-
siding near this place, in small sum of
money, he proceeded to the bank in Weston,
and drew from his deposits the sum of six
hundred dollars, and started for this side of
the river. Joe Reddick, q rather rough
character, but an old acquaintance and
schoolmate of Ly kins', seemed to make it a
point to be in the bank when the young man
drew the money, and to follow him out. He
seemed to make it point also to have bust
ness himself in this direction, on that day.
Under these circumstances the two started,
on horseback, towards the ferry, the father
of Mr.. Lykins, who, it appears,
was present, overbOrne by the weight Of pre-
sentiment which forced itself upon his mind
concerning the coming evil, remarking rs
the two rode of, E" l shall never see nv boy
again alivew How wildly we sometimes
see calamities approaching, and through an
awful consciousness Of the minds uncertainty
in correctly interpreting the mystic meaning
of drifting circumstances, our faculties are
locked up and human nature is rendered
powerless to avert them! And when they
do come how little We are disappointed!
Young Lykins paid his companions fare
across the river and asked him as he did 20
how he expected to pay his ferriage back.
To which Reddick replied that he expected
to collect some money before he went back.
What a terrible collection! The parties were
noticed by the citizens all along the road-at
Mr.. T. J. Hines, near the bridge, on the
Military road, in Salt Creek Valley; by Mr..
Geo. w. Mitchell, Pleasant Ridge, and Mr..
Herley's folks, at the Eight Mile House. 1t
seems that the alleged murderer frequently
stopped men along the road to con-
verse with them, and used all dilatory
means Of which he could avail himself
to prevent an arrival at the point of destina-
ton before dark. 1t was dusk when they
reached and passed the Eight Mile House.
Here they took the northern, or Atchison
fork of the road, the road at once beginning
the descent of a hill, the foot of which is
not reached under some hundreds of yards.
After the ravine is crossed, q few yards
brings the traveller to the top of a ''bench,"
about 800 yards north of the Eight Mile
Il
ROach's, nearly northwest This was the
spot selected for the commission of the des-
Perate deed. Suddenly the attention of the
neigborhood was called to the firing of three
shots, which was accomplished almost in a
twinkling, but no particular thought was
given to to the occurrence, as the sound of
firearms is quite frequent A short pause
ensued when the stiffness of the air was
broken by fourth. 1t is supposed that the
three first shots rendered the victim helpless,
when the money was cut from his pants, and
that the desperate, to make sure of his
fiendish work, then fired the ball
which was found in the top of the head.
But few moments elapsed before
this same man was seen by the same citizens,
or a portion of them, flying back over the
same road along which they had come.
1t was five on ten minutes before any per-
son passed and discovered the body Of Ly- 4,
kins. His horse was found standing BY the |
body. The alarm was Immediately given, |
i'm pursuit of the murderer. The Coroner |,
arrived at II a. m. on sunday, and held an
inquest, citizens having watched the body |
during the time and left it in the road undis- |
turbed. Besides the bullet found in the top !
of the head, one was found to have penetrated |
the side, passing nearly through, another |
was found in the back of the neck, while |
fourth appeared to have grazed the corner of
the mouth.
Late in the evening the young mans |
father arrived to take his body home. His
grief melted all hearts with pity. 1t is re-
lated that when the messenger sent to the
late residence of the deceased approached
with the sad tidings, the old gentleman said:
"Don't tell me the news. Is not my son
TIE ALLEGED MURDERER CAUGHT.
The party who started in pursuit of Red
dick consisted of Geo. w. Mitchell, Henry |
Shines, a young man named also Joseph
and some others.
They followed on as rapidly as possible,
and could hear of the flying assassin until
they reached Salt Creek bridge. Here they
ceased their inquiries, or lost track of Linn.
The ferry at Rialto (Weston) was, Of
course, placed under strict scrutiny at once,
as was also the Leavenworth ferry.
1t now appears that Reddick rode into
Woods livery stable, in Leavenworth, that
evening, about O'Clock, his horse covered
with foam, where he engaged stall for the
night. He seems to have taken his own
lodgings at house of i'll fame in the north
ern part of the city, after drinking and
making merry with some companions about
town for some time. 1t is reported that he
was at Woods stable when some Of the pur-
suing party came up, and that he had the
audacity to ask questions concerning the
crime, in the coolest manner imaginable.
On Sunday morning he was down town
early, but the man Col. Jennison had put on
his track did not happen to find him. He
had attracted the Colonels attention the
night before, and as soon as that gentleman
heard of the murder, his suspicious were
quickly aroused.
About l o'clock a. m. he approached
the ferry. A portion OF the pursuing party
him, and with him went upon
the boat, BY assembling, they managed
to avert his suspicious, and quietly followed
him to Weston. Here he took to the livery
stable and gave up the horse, which he had
hired, whereupon, Mr.. Henry Shines stepped
up and said to him, "You are my manv'
4 search was Immediately commenced.
Nothing being found in his pockets, some
one began to pull of his boots. He managed
to make it appear that the lining was ripped
loose in one and proposed to run his hand
down the leg to obviate the difficulty. When
he Withdrew It, it was seen to be closed. OF
course, nothing was found in the boot He
was then requested to open his hand, which
he refused to do. Two men, By their united
strength, then forced him to do 90, and it