Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-19
ANITALIAN MURDER
Rivaling the Annals of Crime
in the Past.
The River Gives Up Its Dead and Re.
veals Shocking Crime and Hor-
rible Spectacle.

The River Gives Up Its Dead and Re-
veals Shocking Crime and Hor-
rible Spectacle.
Sunday morning revealed the victim and
evidence OF one of the most diabolical and
atrocious murders that has ever blackened
the criminal calender of the state for years,
and rivalng in cold blood the Italian trunk
murder of Chicago Of a few months ago. In
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 murderers were Italians, and from
the best evidence, SO far obtained, bearing
similar relations to each other. The revela-
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-
cry 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 who
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 by reason of misfortune was an
object of charity and that aims given him
would be well bestowed as he, the bearer,
was one worthy of kindly charity. The
name purporting to be the bearers was
Antonio Jourdone. The paper seems to
have been true in the statement of the
worthiness of the applicant as his manner
was humble, grateful and harmless towards
those who ministered to his wants and be-
slowed trihe on him. lie was, perhaps.
rising 60 years, stopped with age, and on
whose head the frosts of time had left their
mark, leaving him bald and gray. He was
about 100 pounds in weight and feet =
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 pretty clearly defined Wednesday and
Thurday by subsequent investigation and
shows that he visited most Of the stores and
residents in the Fifth ward. Among places
visited may be mentioned Moore & Sons
store; the West Wichita Hotel, where he had
been given dinner; that he had stopped at
Mrs. Elizabeth Garrison's where he asked
aid and stated that he was unable
to work and was asking aid to get back to
his family in Italy--a wife and four child
rem. He was later seen below the county
bridge, on the river bank, with q companion
who manifested much friendship towards
him and spoke ofhim as an old friend whom
ne was glad to see, stating at the same time
that the old man was going back to Italy
in July. When this man was asked how he
was going back to Italy so poor the man re-
piled, "he has some money" This COM
panion was seen BY veral and was de-
scribed by them as dark Mexican looking
man. claiming to be a Frenchman but
speaking the language ofthe old man.
Probably the last man other than the
murderer who saw the old man alive was
Mr.. A. NJ Cain, who on Thursday evening
was fishing near the west end of the Fort
Scott bridge. Here he saw and conversed
with the old italian and younger COM
panion and saw them at intervals until he
went home about o'clock. While the old
man was lying under large cottonwood
tree he heard his companion trying tc
get him up and though he heard
lond talking did not distinguish the words
The two strangers who were seen with the
old man are described by those who saw
them as different individuals, but both car
be identified should they be brought face t.
face with the witnesses.
When next seen the body recognized a
that of the old italian was lifeless corps
living in the river with its CHASTITY swolleI
face and protruding eyeballs meeting tn
rising sun of the peacesble Sabbath morn
: ing, rising like an avenging spectre to &C
cuse and discover its foul and unnatura
murderer. Gray hairs, feeble body AM
homeless position had not deferred his coli
blooded murderer from his dastardly pur
pose, and its lifeless body revealed the evi
dence of most horrid murder.
Mr.. J. NJ. Cain, mail agent. had discover
ed the dead body and hastily gave thu
alarm. Citizens fastened to the spot an
landed the body upon the bank of the rive
Just above the wagon bridge when an excited
number soon congregated and looked upol
the victims body. The matted hair an'
beard,-gray and aged-the ghastly wound
on the head that time had shorn Of lock
and q deep cash in the neck showed al
appalling sight that might well startle an'
awe the most callous. A new three-fourtI
inch grass rope encircled the bare bod
around the abdomen and 10 it was attaches
heavy iron bar, evidently one OF tn
agents of death. The back Of the head wa
fearfully gashed in three places and tn
skull broken in. The right temple wa
crushed in and the right eyeball was crushe
out and lay on the right cheek, the throa
was cut with a deep cash and one of hi
! ears was crushed nearly off. The wor
looked like very iend had done tn
deed and buried the evidence Of it beneat
the waters of the Arkansas. But highe
DO yer had ruled that this deed should nc
+ be left unknown and unavenged and With
a very few rods of where the act was perpe
trated the ghastly spectre arose to confror
the light of day to furnish the evidenc
that will sometimes vindicate justice an
bring to punishment the murdcrers.
Investigation showed that under an oil
cottonwood tree, near the river bank, tn
murderer had taken his victim by surpris
and inflicted the death blows, and that h
had, as he thought, by sinking the body OF
liberated all evidence of crime. Bloc
marked earth around the tree and the ira
led to the river, showing which way tn
body had been dragged to the river. Sc,
eral things were picked up pertaining to tn
murder, such as the deceased's knit
walking stick, and piece Of paper contain
ing names of places from Newton to s
Louis, indicating that the deceased was in
tending TO take that route east.
Coroner Z. N. Garrison at once organize
jury of inquest, composed of K. b. Sikei
A. T. Baker, Jno. Conway, DIR. j. L. Var
noy,P. H. Middleton and Chas. Hsmbro, VIII
viewed the dead body and proceeded to il
vestigate for clue to its murderer. At thi
, time several clues have been followed an
been proved not reliable, but no trac
can be found of the man or men who wer
last seen with the deceased, nor can they b
located or identified by any of the Italia
residents of the place. At first it was SUP
posed that the name of the deceased ha
: been discovered by letters and papers foun'
below the bridge, but this proved TO be n
clue as the letters were shown to be thos
left there by Oreste Mattel whose camp wa
on that ground some weeks ago. Next
was ascertained that some one had purchas
ed of Moore Bros. about ten feet of gras
rope answering to the description of tina