The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-06-29
THE aEURDER CASE.
The CorOEer's Jury Returns q Yer
dict Accusing Nobody.
The investigation Closed without Dis
eeHerIno the Murderer

The investigation Closed without Dis
covering tEe Murderer.
The cororner's jury in the case OF the
murder Of Return j. 81. Lutz held secret
sessions every day from June 21st TO Goth
Inclusive, and finished its work ON the
18th with the following verdict:
State Of Kansasl
Lyon County,
An InQuIsItion holden in the county OF
Lyon on the goth day OF June, 1877, and
concluded on the 18th day OF june, 1877,
before me coroner Of said county, ON the
body Of Return J. H. Lutz, there lying
dead, by the jurors whose names are here
unto inscribed: The said Jurors upon
their cashJ do say, that he came to his
death on the morning OF June 10th, 1917,
from wounds received on the left side OF
the head on the night Of June 18th, 1877,
caused by some instrument in the hands
Of some person or persons to us unknown,
and we believe the same to have been
done felonously.
In testimony WHEREOF the said jurors
have heFeunso set their hands the day
and year aforesaid.
T. G. DAVIDSON AS. SMITH
JOHN ID. COWAN VAN r HOLMES
7. l.. RYAN H. B. LOWE.
Attest: h II. CHITTENDRN, Coroner
We have since the verdict was render
ed read through the most Of the testimo-
ny sworn to before the jury, and commit
ted to writing, and have been favored with
other information attained by the jury
which dOes not appear In the manuscript
evidence. The investigation Of this case
has been very thorough, the jury and coll
iner having held secret sessions day after
day, assisted by County Attorney Sedg-
wick, Police Judge Bachelor, Sheriff
Conner, Marshal Fleming, Constable t.
johnson, and other officers, and many
citizens, who ali labored earnestly to Sc
cure information that would be Of use TO
the jury. While we know that the pub
lie will be greatly disappointed at the
failure OF the inquest to solve the terrible
mystery Of This murder, we can assure
our readers that the jury labored faith
fully and resoiutely to ascertain who the
guilty party is, and to collect all attaina-
BILE evidence in every direction where any
suspisions were aroused. Our report
last week closed with the account Of the
first "wednesday days session Of the
jury, and the funeral on Thursday. On
Thursday afternoon and every succeed
ing day I'm til it reached its verdict the
jury held secret sessions, and all parties |
concerned labored assIduouSly to collect
evidence.
Thursday 3 number Of people went out
to the scene Of the murder to investigate
Tor themselves, and on Friday q party
OF eleven went out, and ID. G. McMur.
trie went along and took three pumps,
with which the well near the Lutz build
Ing, said well having In It 20 feet OF wa
ter, was pumped out. No tool or other
object having any bearing upon the MUIR
der, was discovered. This party report |
ed having seen hanging on the side Of the |
house an old broken plowshear, which,
from the size and shape, could easily |
have caused the wounds on Return Lutz's |
head, and on Saturday It was seat for
and brought in. 1t is very ugly weap- |
on, stained with something that may be |
blood, and We should think it would
have made the two wounds behind the
ear as well as an AK could. That even |
ing Charles MedarIs, the young man who |
was in company with young Lutz, was
arrested and held as q witness the same
as Henry Anderson and Albert Saffer
had been on Wednesday. The Witnesses
were divided, Mrs. Anderson being kept
under strict supervision at Sheriff Con-
ner's house, Erastus Safer was attended
by guard, anc Henry Anderson and
Albert Safer were kept in separate rooms
at the jail, and Charles Medaris was kept
by himself. All were examined and re-
examined, and the salient points Of their
tas In init
which we have read through, and we
haYe also been favored with information
as to other evidence not recorded which
had an important bearing on the case,
and believe that we are correct in stating
that the jury finally and unanimously
agreed that there was no reasonable
ground for charging the commission Of
the crime upon Henry Anderson or any
Of the Safer family. Upon the rendering
Of the verdict the witnesses, including
Anderson, Albert Safer and Charles Me-
daris, were discharged from further GUS
tody or supervision, and as various cir
cumstances had combined to direct sus-
picion toward Anderson it is but justice
to say that the more his case was investi-
gated the more it appeared In his IA.
yOr, and he and the Saffers are now be-
heved by those best acquainted with all
the Information attained, to be innocent OF
any participation In the murder, or any
knowledge Of it more than the general
public possesses.
The jury has pronounced that the muir
der was committed with some weapon
and by some person to it unknown, and
as no one but the murderer knows more
about the matter than the jury does, we
do not see but that the community will
have to accept the verdict as correct, and
trust to time and providence to reveal the
criminal. There is NO lessening Of the
horror and indignation caused by this
most coWardly and cold blooded assassi-
nation OF an unoffending young man, and
the people OF the city and county are
unanimous in their desire to have the
AS we said last week we cannot justly &C
cuse any party Of this crime who is not
OfEici ally indicted for 1t, and as the jur
has been unable to present any perso for
prosecution, no one else will feel author
lied to do so unless additional evidence
Is st some time obtained. That the MUIR
der was wiIfllly committed without any
provOcation or cause, il evident, and that
the murderer is at large unknown and
unaccused, is also evident. 1t is to be
hoped that tor the sake Of justice, and the
welfare OF this community, he will yet be
detected and such proofs OF his guilt be
obtained as will convict him beyond all
doubt. Meantime, If he has conscience,
or heart, the torments Of the damned
must gnaw upon his soul and every glim-
mer Of the pale moonlight bring before
his eyes the CHASTITY scene OF his atrocious
crime. Suspicion will dog his footsteps
wherever he may go and detection will
hang over him night and day. The sad
fate Of the murdered boy Is happiness in
comparison to the jsyless life and hope
less death that now await the murderer.