The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-01-01
A Fire. a Mystery and a Murde,


"iarke.t hour before day was INTERESTINGLY
misty fog which had settled down upon the
town. The millinery shop belonging TO The
Misses Fairly and Iianiey was found to be OH
lire. Prompt action upon the part OF the lire
company. assisted by citizens, prevented The
flames from spreading to adjoining buildings
but not until the building abo?e mentioned
was consumed ard those along side had been
considerably damaged.
Every available foot Of that part Of Tie street
is packed and crowded with buildings. The
stationery and book stock of Mr.. Reiner wa'
considerably damaged in removing ii, a. also
the goods and tools Of a gunsnfth. A con-id'
cradle portion OF the goods belonging to Tue
millinery were also ruined and burnt
This all would not have proven 80 bad and
could have been speedily meided but for The
SEQUEL. The upstairs OF The building had been
occupied by two young men, Joseph W. DE
mutt and Arthur Wianer, as paint shop and
sleeping room They had been in The cit!
only a few weeks. Sign painting nas lhcli
speciality. SO quiet, unobtruSive and gentle
manly had they acted, and 80 earnest were
they in their endeayors to establish Themselves
that they won upon the good graces and well
wishes OF all with whom they came IN contact
Entcrp:sing, clever ,nd industrious. We sci
them down a. mo>l likely 10 sgc-ecI IN c-tab-
fishing themselves in good business. Bat, 81
the fatal morning Of The IRE, and during it'
progress, Arthur Winner vas discovered iyin-
at the rear of the building and at the foot o
the stairs leading to the room, in his night-shirt
wounded and bleeding, and 10 all appearance
in a semi-conscI0us state. In few moments
more the falling of the upper floor rcveale,
amid The curling flames the Willie and gia,il!
face and the head Of a corpse which soon lei
with dead thudto the joIsts below. TheeXcit
ed feelings Of the crowd gave place to those o
horror Athousand question, and conjecture
followed few of which have been answered 81
uHavelcd nj this writing. Winner could give
no satisfactory explanation Of has own cohdf
ton, the origin of tie fire, or a. TO the where
abouts of hi, partner. Daylight came on apace
when Or. owens, the coroner, summoned ;
Jury. the dead body, burned beyond recogni
ton or Identification, was hauled from III
smoulderimg fire and viewed, Witnesses were
summoned, and Tor two days everything thai
could be done 10 ferret out the mystery, IL
which nothing but the murder seemed certain
was done. \ large Plumber Of witnesses vert
swora and examined on Thursday and Friday
last whose testimony we have carefully taken
down. but which, at the reque,t of the officers
we viii not publish at prs NJ.
Believing it will not defeat the ends of jus
tice nor yet prejudice the caas; 0! any olc,
We will give few undisputod facts. together
with The statement Of Arthur Winner, made
under oath. two days ailer the calamity. Al
we before stated j. W. McNutt and Arthur
Winner were painters. They came from han
sas City to this pace some six or eight week.
ago. They had been boarding at The Southern
Hotel and sleeping in room adjoining thci
paint shop in the building that was burned
McNu;t was probably about twcnty-siX Z"
twcnty-cight years of age; Winner twenty
MtNult has wife liying in Kansas City
said TO be, by Winner, Il delicate young woman
McNult formerly lived in Leayenworth, an'
90. probably. Winner. some ten or iiiteei
DAYS since " inner went 30 Kansas city. Sine
ms raiarn he hal sent TO Topeka for one Sea
Der. a caiciminer and paper hanger, bat whc
lived in kansas City. \ telegram WAS receive,
from Scaber on the 2lIh announcing that III
had cot The money sent him aud that he Woui,
be down that night. That same day noon j
appears that McNutt had received 500 in car
rcuey. Seabcr has not been seen Al ili' wiring
The body found in the burning ruins was 81
nearly CONSUMED - 20 defy ail effort at reros
milton or Identification. and whose remains
tIcy were no one knows save the IN lrieicr Oh
mar,lerers and their God. McNuu's memo
randum book, several Of his papers and th'
envelope in which he received the money Were
found after the fire, some hundred feet baci
of where The iire was. Everything is wrarpe'
in mystery. Theories and conjecturcs we have
in abundance. but 10 facts that are at AL salts
factory. MeNutt held = life policy for 5000
in ad lition to the 500 in his possession. IN
ner when ,olni had large scmi-circle "o'in'
in his side. which presented The aprt arance o
having been done by some duh instrument o
jac,, d .,,as-. a cut upon thc top of his hca'
nearly two inches long. q bruise above tn
tcmplc, scratches on the hach % the neck' AM
A black and blue bruisc on his left arm nea
hi, shoulder. resembling the effects Of ter
bile grip by n strong hand. AS aman has bee
my>teriou,lg and most fouily murdered. 10
The commission Of which crime some one vi
be- pat upon trial, We withhold the testimony
The coronci's jury consists of II. i. AleNai
der. g. 4. smith, James Anderson, job
Tucker. J. \. Bragg. Conn lud.ym, good, hon
est citizens, who, in conjunction with our OIL
Ger, and citizens. win leave no stone unturnc
in discovering the guilty party and seeing III
law ,indIcatcd. so many outragcs aud mu'
der, have been Improperly laid At The doors q
Wichita that soric might think such Gar
Iced A, this would 50 unnoticcd. but not Z
Arthur W mner's own story, apon The STAN
in response to questions, is this IL reside
Wichita: was very well acquainted with j
seph ". McNult la his life time; have bee
acquainted with him the Whole time Of b
residence in this place. was engaged III I'll
business OF S:gu painting al No. 81 Main stree
We occupied the upstairs. There were Nv
rooms upstairs the back room was used for
shop. and the from, room for sleeping. ! W:
in the rooms on the night OF the 9th AMI morl
lrs Of the 18th of December. 1873. saw Nj
Mutt on the afternoon and night OF the cath
We went 10 bed at about l. o'cloe&; both
us. in the east room; hal no clock, but il va
not far frcm that time of night. As near rs
can julre, il was about 3 O'Clock IN the mori
inc whe4. last saw him. knew he was thci
aflcr that. as had talked 70 I'm. AT or lbo,
! that time McNuu went TO window IN frol
! and looked out When he got back into be
/ he remarked. THAT rooster i a fool. or wort
/ 10 that effect. referring to rooster that la
/ croWrG. lie did moi put On ANYTHING excel
/ his shoes. was awake when lie got up. {
I he walked me in getting up. a. hc had 10 elm
over me in getting out ofhei. He did not tab
/ of his shoes when he got back 10 bed. and }
d. Mt cover up. | conNcrsed with him te
moment, ancrwarIs. After lying a fe
minute, McNutt ,.,..;'l the women below stan
come in when he reaiar.cJ. there II l. IL
50 late as YOU expected" Ate, Sat WEI
to sleep for very few minutes, seeming
when awoko. did not know what woke N
but in turning over 10 speak to McNutt. som
thing hit me in the len side. ! sprang out
bed and called 10 Joe. who made no reply.
/ started to ran to the back door, but Is pass
through the petition some one struck me oN
the head. The last blow seemed Ike from
heavy instrument and appeared 10 20
through M. Tie first blow felt Ike Ii.
striking upon the outside % the cover with i
;i,t. but as raised knew | was WOUNDED
the side. Our heads were we>t-jus again
thc petition. As jumped cat of bed | h
lrrtd look out. Joe - Aller | was stru
the second blow | didn know what followe
hut suppose | icu unconscious. The ne
thing remember was see,ng some oue On I