The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-04
NELLIE BAILEY's CAREER.
The Strage Story Told by the Heroine of a
Kansas Sensation.

CnlcaRo TrlDune
There was yesterday at the Palmer House a
guest Nellie c. Bailey, of Wichita Kan, who
has story of personal experience to relate
which illustrates the saying Truth is stranger
than fiction. and puts poor, plain, matter fact
fiction to the blush. She is the woman who last
January, was tried in Wichita for the murder of
a wealthy young Englishman in the Indian Terri
tory as they were clipping to Texas. A reporter
found her in the paror, young woman of about
twenty-three years, of medium height with a
good complexion and abundant hair, expressive
eyes, and prepossessing appearance in general.
She was richly dressed. The story is as follows:
81 guess I'd better go back to 1879 when my
parents, in Newton, Kan, compelled me to
marry banker named Bailey He was over
forty years of age and was seventeen, and had
not known him more than two weeks. But he
was rich, and was compelled to marry him on
two hours notice. l had previously known
Clement Bothamley, young Englishman who
owned sheep ranch near Sedgwck City, Kan.
and for whose murder was tried l was mis-
cradle with my husband, and, in 1881. when we
met Bothamley, and he proposed that we should
60 to Texas together. He was to return to Kan
sas and make all preparations / was to
disguise myself and meet him there. He
would treat me as sister in word and deed,
and after we got to Texas would get divorce
and marry me. She said nothing of having OBJ
tanned a divorce. from her husband, or having
thought or talked of the matter. He would
deed me all his property before leaving, and my
husband should never find get me if it took
his life. We started Aug. %, 1883, from Empo-
ria Kan, with 2, 500 sheep. The party consist
ed of Bothamley, German servant girl, two
boys and myself. We had been journeyiEg about
hve Gays, and were at a point about twenty miles
from Sedgwick City, when Bothamley was
and sclatic rheumatism. After getting
down into the Indian Territory, where
we camped, Bothamley was very sick indeed.
About Ii O'Clock the night of Oct g. 1888 he ap-
peared to be asleep, and as | was tired out from
watching. / lay down for nap. I was awak-
ened by the report of pistol, and springing up
in a fright, found Bothamley with smoking
pistol in his hand and hole in his head
rushed out and gave the alarm to the boys.
They wouldn't let me re-enter the house, and in
sisted upon sending for help. They went back
back eight miles to party of campers we had
passed the day before. The campers returned,
looked at the body and said he had committed
suicide, and we buried him near Skeleton Ranch.
Saturday four men appeared and put US all
under arrest, exhumed Bothamiey's body and
took it and US to Wichita We were kept in
jail six weeks before we could obtain prelimi-
nary hearing / swore that was the only per-
son In the car when the shot was fired, and the
others were discharged. / was held without
oall, and was allowed to become an inmate of
the sheriff s family until my trial, which lasted
eight days The jury was out five minutes. and
wnen the verdict was announced the whole town
went wild, and the Englishmen who were man
aging the prosecution were given twenty min
utes to leave town Three weeks ago my suit TO
recover my trunk and diamonds, which had
been con6scated lby the prosecution was decided
in my favor, with $500 damages in addition. |
am now suing for the possession of the sheep
and am also in litigation over the title to the
ranch decided to me by Bothamey. The case
comes up at the January term of the court"