The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-07-02
NJ. NJ. MURDOCH. Editor
WICHITA, THURSDAY. JULY End. 1874
TIE GREAT CRIMINAL TRIAL.
joseph W. McNutt Found Guilty Of
Murder in First Degree.
MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL
REFUSED!
Winner and EcNu.t Bo;h Told They Nus. Die |!
JUDGE CAMPBELL'.s SENTENCE.
THE WIFE'S LETTERS TO HER
RECKLESS HUSBAND.
McNutt's Letter to Barnes which dis
covered his Hiding Place.
NcNut.'s Own Story Upoa The Witness Sznl !!
SPEECHES OF THE COUNSEL
McNutt's Letter to Barnes which dis
covered his Hiding Place.
HcNutfs Own Story Upoa The Witness Sznl
SPEECHES OF THE COUNSEL
A. Case That Cost The County First
and Last SO, 400.

The following Is copy OF the letter
received at the Wichita postoflice las,
Christmas, arriving about an hour be
fore the fearful tragedy. Ii helped tC
confirm suspicious of foul play, es
pecially The directions on the back o.
the envelope, which reads, "Let nobody
hare this JW The one that oU.s IL, ano
IL not called Tor ia three days retur,
same to name on the back, 81 Man
street, up stairs, only Mrs j. ". Nc
was written in anxiety and alarm, and
woman's heart and affections ar,
poured out in persuading the one she
loves. The ten cent silver piece still
remains in the letter, together with 8
few lottery circulars:
MRS. MNUTTs LETTER.
*. e., December "a, 1873.
My DEAR DOLL: Christmas eve is here ant
tomorrow Is Christmas day, and here am IN
trouble up 10 my eyes about how things art
going. Dear, got your letter dated the 18th
and have been waiting for your Sunday letter
got il Monday. Dear, am going to write
business and my opinion of rats, and that is,
the sooner you get shut Of Winner the better,
for he is pinch-back liar and mischief maker;
and now take my advice, il il is II fools advice,
and drop everything that he has anything to
say in aud let him s.idc--the sooner the better
for he will ruin you aud me both il IL is car
ried on. Dear. will sell my bed and every
thing that have got, n YOU Will let me come
TO you next week. Dear. now listen to me.
for business is business. am willing 10 burn
in fire and birthstone for you, but my words
never shall help him along. Now you can UNI
derstand me. am going 10 drop it all, on his
account. for If IL Is carried on we are ruined
sure. | saw Harrington yesterday, and he
said that he was most ready for the payment
on that policy. He said that you was making
lots Of money. and had lots Of work; that you
had 10 send Tor twenty-five dollars worth Of
gold leaf. Now. dear, II you should carry that
on, there il proof that he bought that gold
leaf; and then where will we 20 to, and look
at the ruin we will bring on our fond fathers
and mothers, brothers and sisters. My dear
sweetness, you may think that am talking at
random. but amt. Before would have the
name Of robbing and numbering for wealth,
will work until l drop dead on the place.
Well, dear. have a bargain to make you,
aud, dear, please do grant me the privilege Of
selling all have and coming down there. 1
will work, and help you make 4 good honest
living: and now, dear. let me have the answer
'-con;e on" Iryou don't let me come there.
l am going 10 >eil and leave here, fer am tired
Of Allie, and all that stock of people. My
dear. must tell you what happened the other
evening. WAS out sewing for fifty cents and
my board II thought that would be better than
setting doing notning), and. Of course, had
TO stay until O'clock. and went hoide and.
behold, was locked out from six TO halt past
SIX. What KIND of way is that of doing bust
nes>! Ii IL suits them. 1t don't me: - think
viii drop ofi. Well dear. I am feeling spien-
didly in health, bu; the thought OF things Is
enough To discourage the strongest mind that
ever hung 10 a body. Well, dear. am sorry
TO have Christmas come, and nothing to make
YOU present Of l have piiiful l:tie silver
ten cent piece that was give me in change, and
l will send you that 10 put with your other
silver money. o. my dear. sweet. little daI-
ling. would give fifty dollars, il had IL, il
coIld only get Christina, Kiss from your dear
lips. Well hoping the owner VIII soon come
and make Il glad heart think what we did to-
morrow night che year ago. | wish | could
only no the same with you tonight. With all
the blessings OF health and happiness the worlf
affords, am yours true and faithfully. now
aud forever, A. Il. MCNUTT.
4. S.-By by. dear one al my heart. until /
see or hear fru,a you, and let your answer be
come" Dear. have lots 10 tell you. and
will tell you things that will make you open
your eyes, If Winner does say | am a fool for
ever marrying YOU, and he wa, the cause OF
il all. For This line, only get rid OF Winner.
These facts that IN TIM arc from New York.
Answer so that san get the answer Sunday
morning. BELL.
The following is the letter written
by McNutt under the assumed name
Of Lahead, while hiding from the Off
GERS in New Garden, Ray county, Mis-
souri,, to Barnes, a former partner, at |
Liberty, Mo-, and after the reception
of which Barnes telcgraphcd to our
authorities, following which VIM.
Smith found and arrested McNutt:
NEW GARpEN, RAY COUNTY, Mo-,
February Sth, 1873.
FRIEND BARNES: You will doubtless he
surprised 10 know that am in this section Of
the country. yet, nevertheless. it is so, the
cstse OF which will cXplan. While in Wich-
ita my wife and partner (Winner) put up an |
internal job TO take my life for an insurance l
had on my life Tor $4,000. l detected il just
in time 10 save myself; hence my sudden alb
sence from that point. Winner, before we
left Kansas City, agreed 10 pay me Sl25 for
half interest in my business, 10 be paid the
10Th Of DECEMBER. Ills father being man Of
good standing. OF course thought ii would
be good. and accepted. Business not paying
In X. C., we went TO Wichita and built up
quite n business. / WAS the crack of the town.
winner did not suit those people down there,
and they spoke Ia me several times about il,
against his style, etc. SO concluded TO get
rid Of him soon as possible, a. he was more
!
The time was then up for him TO pay me Sl23.
but he did not have II, and no snow for il. l
told him TO 20 and get that money, and not re-
turn TIL he did get II. lie went 10 X. C., and
returned In few days. with note signed by
his father. payable Ia Inc the lst of January. l
had no Idea when hc went away that he would
be back. When he was gone I intended to
send TOR YOU. When lac returned, the thought
flashed across my mind that he was putting
mp job IN that way. l kept cool and thought
l would wait until the Let Of January and see
what that developed. The night Of the .ith
Of December. al midnight. he brings up W.
W Sewer Il think you have seen him IN X.
c.. unbekpown TO me. They were both tigh;
l saw the intention at once. They We're 10 Nil
me and get that money. They got into bed
with me. jumped out. got the iir,t clothes l
came TO. and fled for my lille. Those three
had il planned nicely, but missed. Now here
l am. l want Ia come ont and show them up. ,
! raw IN paper about two weeks ago about
me being murdered in Wichita. and the build
mg set on IRE, etc take from that. that they .
have Killed somebody. This is the only paper
or word have heard from them since left. {
l changed my name. as the wits were scared I,
out of Inc. did not know how many there
were concerned in il. write 10 YOU 10 know !
IL il is safe TO como out 10 show them up. ,
Have you heard anything of ity l have no
witness Ia prove that my story is correct. !
while they have two or three. Not having =
any witness in kaasaslity. they will beat me
there. 80 that want To know the ground am u
tramping on in this ease. l want 10 show \
them al up, hut in doing do not waut to
cut my own nose OF: yet will have revenge
sonie way. They put up job 10 murder me. n
and they have got that penalty 10 pay for. 1
am hating between two opinions-first. TO get
\ lawyer and go for them. or. secondly. to N
leave The whole business and get away from Z
them. But revenge l will have sooner or v
later. Under the circumstances. what do YOU
think had better do. My lawyer would cost
l expect and l have got no II
witness. Please write me what YOU think. a,
aud let me know if you have heard anything
about II. wan, to do whatever is best, hu; Il
10 not want 10 get in any scrape, a.. so far. -.
hank God. have \ clear conscience aud in. ~
END TO Keep So. I insured my life. as could ST
make il pay better than putting il in savings a.
bank also married that woman. because | W
MAS told II was against the law 10 live as did m
Trusting to your honor a gentleman 10 an ~,
wcr this and reveal nothing, I remain :"
Your friend, wM. LAHEAD. (MAcK.) Il
The interest of this great criminal W
uit eliminated in the appearance of r
!. w. McEutt upon the witness stand to
asst Thursday evening. He testified Ii,
n very cool and collected manner as W
ollows: Ia
l am the defendant In this action. m
nd am twenty two years Of age; have no
we'd in Wichita, Kansas from the first he
T November, 1883. Prior to that time m,