The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-03-21
iSIT MURDER +?
The Skeleton of a Woman Unearth-
ed Out on West Shawnee
Street.
4 Dark Mystery-A Bullet Hole in
the Head-A Long Forgot
ten Tragedy.

Yesterday young lad brought to tn,
residence of Capt. Burks, on West -Shawnes
street, beyond the second bridge, the leg
bone of skeleton, which he said he had
found near the bed of the creek, which wa,
a short distance from Capt. Burks house
The Captain told the boy to take the bone
back and put it where he had found it, and
shortly afterward party proceeded to the
spot and
DUG Up THE SKELETON,
which was entirely denuded of flesh and
had apparently lain there for some time.
As far as could be ascertained, the skeleton
was that OF a woman, although the exami-
nation was SO hurried that in fact little
could be found out which could tend to
throw any light upon the subject. The ex-
animation showed, however, that there
was hole evidently made by the entrance
OF bullet in the left side of the skull, and
the back part of the head had also been
fractured, from all appearance by
some blunt instrument. There is
DEEP AND TERRIBLE MYSTERY
connected with the finding Of the skeleton,
which is the sequel to a dark and bloody
tragedy which, il is believed, was enacted
where the skeleton was found. The partic-
ulars of the tragedy are very brief, from the
fact that so little is known regarding it. 1t
has been heretofore, until the discovery
yesterday, of the only solitary clue, mys-
terious an affair as the Maria Blackwell
or Anna johnson tragedies, but at this late
date there is little hope OF ferreting out the
murderer and bringing him 10 justice. On
h. 1Dtb ~ Avril 1872 ynunu uirl do
scribed by those who saw her, as being very
good looking, arrived in this city and tooS
lodging at fashionable boarding house,
where, two days later, she was joined by a
man, about twenty five years Of age, dark
haired and dark eyed, of a resolute but
rather
f. SINISTER CAST OF CoUNrENANCE,
who passed himself as her husband The
pair lived at the boarding house for a week
or more in a very quiet and secluded man
ner, rarely ever going out, and yet not act
ing in such way as to excite suspicion.
One Sunday morning an old gentleman
called at the house to see the lady, and
when they met quite stormy scene ensued.
Sne was his daughter and had ran away
with the man with whom she VIZ living,
but was not married to him.
THROUGH THE INFLUENCE OF DETECTIVES
he had traced her 10 her hiding place, and
had hurried to see her TO endeavOr TO in
duce her to come back to her home she had
dirgrac by her tdison with her so-called
husband TO the entreaties of her father
were added the advice of her brother, who
had accompanied his father, and after long
pleading the guilty girl al last consented 10
go home but not until after she had seen
her paramour The father and brother de-
parted, after having made arrangements to
come back that evening TO convey the erring
daughter and sister home. Her lover Ie-
turned shortly after and she informed him
of her resolution. He endeavored TO
DIssUADE HER FROM HER RESOLVE,
but her mind was firmly made up and
home she would 60. That afternoon,
toward evening, when the sun was declin-
ing, the pair went out for walk and
neither ever returned. They were last
seen out in the vicinity where the skeleton
was found Yesterday, walking slowly and
talking earnestly together, she walking by
his side swinging her bonnet in one hand
in a careless manner, vet paying close at
tention 10 the words of her companion.
Next evening when the father and brother
returned TO the boarding house to get the
girl, she was gone, and the subsequent
search brought no developments. The |
continued absence, also, Of her psramour,
excited attention, but the search for him |
was equally fruitless, what become Of the
two never was known. Whether they had
fled together, or died together, no one ever |
knew they disappeared like shadow upon
the wall and left no trace. Detectives were
put upon the track but nothing could they
discover, and at last, alter many days,
weeks and months of hearlrending anxiety
and suffering the search was abandoned,
and the father and brother returned to
their desolate and ruined home bowed
down with grief and care. Is the body
found yesterday, the evidence Of a murder,
and is it that of the girl? An investigation
may show. If it is, then the sequel 10 a
domestic tragedy which has blighted a
happy home will be revealed. The coroner
has been notified and will hold an inquest
this morning.