Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-06-16
ANITALIAN MURDER
Rivaline the Annals of Crime
in the Past.
The River Gives UP Its Dead and Ke-
veals Shocking Crime and HoT-
rible Spectacle.

murder oil SnicaSo Oi "a le" Aioi.ei-7 IS " |
deed the crime is in some features similar to
thai affair, as wired to all parts OF the coun-
try, from the fact that the victim and the
supposed murderera were Italians, and from
the best evidence, SO far obtained, bearing
similar relations to each other. The reveal
tons of this crime bids fair to be OF the |
most sensational and tragic in the history OF
our CITY, and the interest manifested In ev-
ery detail is eagerly watched by the public
and the officers are straining every nerve to
unravel all its details.
On Wednesday last there appeared IN
West Wichita, an Italian mendicant VINO
disclosed but little knowledge of the English
language, asking aims a. different houses
on Chicago avenue. He had paper
setting forth information that the
bearer bv reason o. misfortune was an
object Of charity aud that aims given HIM
would be well bestowed as he, the bearer
was one worthy of kindly charity. Inc
name purporting to be the bearer was
Antonio Jourdone. The paper seems 10
worthiness of the applicant as his manner
was humble, grateful and harmless towards
those who ministered to his wants and be-
slowed a trihe on him. He was, perhaps
rising co years, stopped with age and on
whose head the frosts of time had lett Their
mark, leaving him bald and gray. lie was
about 100 pounds in weight and ieet o
| inches in stature. Residents in this portion
of the CITY conversed with him and bestowed
| small sums and food to help him. His route
was prc,ty clearly defined Wednesday and
Thurday By subsequent investigation ana
shows that he visited most Of the stores and
residents in the Fifth ward. Among places
visited NAV be mentioned Moore y Sons
store. the West Wichita Hotel, where he had
been given dinner; that he had stopped al
| Mrs. Elizabeth Garrison's where he asked
aid and stated that he was uhah'e
10 work and was asking aid TO get back 10
his family in Italy-a wife and four child
r., He was later seen below the county
bridre. on the river bank, with a companion
who manifested much friendship towards
him and spoke ofhm as an old friend whom
he was glad to see, stating at the same time
that the old man WAS going back I" ltaiy
in July. When this man was asked how hf
was going back to Italy SO poor the man re-
plied. she has some money. THIS com
nanion was seen by sew e-al and was de
scribed BY them as dark Mexican lookin:
man, claiming to be a Frenchman ou
speaking the language ofthe old man
0 Probably the last man other than th'
murderer who saw the old man alive wa
Mr.. A. NJ. Cain, who on Thursday evenin!
n v.s fishing near the west end of the For
Scott bridge. Here he saw and converse
U with the old Italian and younger con
! ranion and saw them at intervals until n
went home about o'clock. While the OLE
man was lying under a large COTTONWOOD
tree he heard his companion trying |
ret him up and though he bear
At loud talking did not distinguish the WORD
The two strangers who were seen with II
old man are described by those who sa
them as different individuals, but both ca
be identified should they be brought face
- face with the witnesses.
IL When next seen the body recognized
n that of the old Italian was IA lifcless corp
in living in the river with its CHASTITY swoIi'
face and protruding eyebals meeting t
l.. rising sun of the peaceable sabbath NOR
,is ing, rising like an nyenging spectre 70
cuse and discover its foul and unnatur
murderer. Gray hairs, feeble body I"
homeless position had not deferred his CO
blooded murderer from his dastariiy p'
" pose, and its lifeless body revealed tn" e
dance of a most horrid murder.
is Mr.. j. VI. Cain, mail agent. bad discoV'
Us ed the dead body and hastily gave !
alarm. Citizens FASTENED - the spot a
-. landed the body upon the bank OF the riH
- lust above the wagon bridge when an eNcl'
H. number soon congregated and looked III
the victims body. The matted hair a
beard.-gray and aged-the ghastly wou'
or on the head that time had shorn Of iot
on and deep cash in the neck showed
So appalling sight that might well startle
awe the most callous. \ new three-iou
red inch grass rope encirclcd the bare b
tho around the abdomen and to it was attacl
,ua A heavy iron bar, evidently one OF
agents of death. The back of the head
fearfully gashed in three places and
cry skull broken in. The right temple
We crushed in and the right eye5all was crus
Don out and lay on the right cheek, the TIN
WIN was cut with deep cash and one ci
ears was crushed nearly OF. The
ulv looked like "a very feni had done
the deed and buried the evidence of It benz
.ion The waters of the Arkansas. But a hi4
as po ysr had ruled that this deed should
fire be left unknown and unavcngcd and vi
\ very few rods Of where the act WAS Pc
tra,ed the .hastly spectre arose to cent
IN, light Of dav to furnish the evIt
'7 that will sometimes vindica;e justice
ga" bring 10 punishment; the murdercrs.
Investigation showed that under 81
cottonwood tree. near the rver banA'
murderer had taken his victim by sur
nth. and inflicted the death blows. and tina
ugh had. as he thought. by sinking the body
WAS liberated all evidence OF crime. b
finds marked earth around the Tree A''H ''''
the led TO the river, showing which way
BODY had been dragged to the river.
eral things were picked up pertaining t
es OF murder. such as the dcceased's
-ieu- walking stick, and piece Of paper con
the ing names Of places from Newton
call Louis. indicating that the deceased Wa:
anne tending TO take that route east.
Coroner {. NJ. Garrison AT once orsa
a Jury Of inquest. composed Of K l.
A. I. Baker, .Ino. Conway, Dr. ). L.
nov.P. II. Middleton and Chas.lismbrc
viewed the dead body an! proceeded
ves,igate 70, clue TO rs inurdereE- Al
time several clues have been followed
been proved not reliable, but no
can be found ofthe man OF men who
vered last seen with the deceased, nor csn tn
~ of located or identified by any Of the i
il, IN residents Of the place. NJ hrst Z; was
ming. posed that the name Of the deceased
rcible been discovered by letters and papers
ppor- below the bridge, but this proved TO
clue as the letters were shown 10 be
let there BY OreS:e Mattel whose cam
I ! y