The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-08-27
SATURDAYS SENSATION
SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF A PROMINENT
CITIZEN.
Acting Mayor }. b. WaIkup's Sud.
den Demise.
The Cause Said to be From Doses of
Poison.
The COroner's Biographical
sketch-AIrs. WaIkup in Custody.
Iron Saturdays itailyi

r. WaIkup passed away from earthly /
troubles into that rest which Is never
broken. He was 20 years old. |
having been born on the 10th of August,
1895, in Marion county, Indiana. From |
Indiana Mr.. Walkup moved with his |
father and mother to West Virginia. /
He was married three times, his first wife |
being Annie n. Lee, whom he married |
at Manchester, Ohio, March 6, 1856. |
while residing in that part of the |
country. Mr.. and Mrs. Walkup then
returned to West Virgins, where /
MIR. Walkup's first child, Will
liam Walkup, was born in Feb
uary, 1857. In the following June
Mrs. Walkup died. In June of the next
year, 1858, he married Hannah Maddox
who came to West Virginia In 1858 with
her parents. While living with his second
wife MIR. Walkup was connected with the
West Columbia coal and mining cOm-
p1ny. Mr.. and Mrs. Walkup came to
Kansas in 1867, eighteen years ago, and
located on what Is now known as the
Fritts farm, near Armor's mill. Mr..
Walkup remained on the farm until five
years ago, when he moved into EmpOria
and became 8 railroad contractor, look
ing principally after the railway road
taxes. He engaged very extensively in the
work and became one of the largest con-
tractors in the state. Two years ago this
fall Mr.. Walkup bought the stock of
groceries owned by the Mercantile COM
pany. but soon sold it to Hughes & Co.
Mrs. Hannsh Walkup. the second
wife of the deceased, died May 1, 1884.
leaving two daughters, Miss Libbie
Walkup and Matte, now Mrs. Harry p.
Hood.
He gave his attention again TO
railroad work, and about two months
since formed partnership with Dwight
Bill to deal in wood and coal.
He was a member of the Knights
of Honor and of the A. o. u
W. Of the former order Mr.. Walkup
was at the time of his death dictator and
had been a representative to the supreme
lodge on several occasions. He wa.s
elected one year ago last spring to the
city council from the First ward and
at the time of his death was pres
ldent OF the council and acting mayor
In the absence of Mayor Whittlesay
Mr.. Walkup attended the New Or
leans Exposition in the winter and
spring, andwhile there met Miss
Minnie Wallace, whom he married at
Covlngton, Kentucky, on the 221 of
July, one month ago to-day.
He received an appointment from
Governor Martin last week as a repre-
sentative from Kansas tn the northwest
ern waterway convention, which meets
at st. Paul on the Sd of September. He
went to Topeka the latter part OF the
week and returned Saturday morning
last and complained then of being
slightly unwell.
Sunday night he was attacked by &C.
we're cramping, but was able to come
down town Monday to attend the coun-
Gil meeting that night. He was
taken worse on Tuesday and although
the physicians treated him for poison
and did every thing possible in theiI
power to save him, be died this morn
ing at ten minutes of eleven O'Clock.
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
1t was rumored on the streets early
this morning that Mr.. Walkup was dY-
ing from the effects of poison, admins
tered by the hands of his wife. Al
though last night was the first time
that suspicion of crime on the part Of
Mrs. Wslkup had been made public, ye
1t had existed with parties intimately
acquainted with Er. Walkup and hil
physicians. The symptoms which
Mr.. Walkup exhibited on Sunday night
indicated slrychnine poison and the IN
dicstions for fortY-eight hours or NOR
before his death are that of arsenic
poison.
On the 18th of August Mrs. WalkuI
applied to NJ. II. Bates for ten grains O
slrychnine. saying that she wanted
for medicine, as she used it in q com
pound she had been accustomed to maxi
IN the south. On Sunday she sent Il
the drug store for some more of thu
poison, writing q note, saying that sh
had left the first package on the counte
while trading at G. W. Newman's. Blu
\, as the party sent for the strychnine coul'
! not answer the questions asked satisfaC
: toriIy, Mr.. Bates refused to accommodate
her. Monday Mrs. Walkup again cam
S.s ~, Al,
y of the article, but was likewise re
fused.
On the 18th, one week ago last Fri
day, Mrs. Walkup stepped into Irwin
!, drug store and approaching Will Irwin
asked in low tone of voice for dime
h worth of strychnine. Mr.. Irwin was il
the act of getting the drug for heI
when she remarked in louder tone O
!, voice that he might give her fitteei
cents worth. Mr.. Irwin told her tina
she would have to sign the record, &
all purchasers of poison are required
do. When he asked her for what pul
d pose she wanted the strychnine she sal
that was something she coul
II uOG NCll1 July IA6b 6AO WOASoA
use it as an ingredient In q med
cine she was making. She stated Thu
while at Cincinnati she called for SON
8 strychnine, but that the clerk had mad
: a mistake and gave her quinine. VIII
g Mr. Irwin asked her to sign the reco
she remarked, "You do not think / e
going to commit suicide do your"
4 | Irwin explained TO her that everyC
5. was required by the law to sign the
L cord when purchasing poison. She
: piled by saying that she did not tn
e that would be necessary Of persons ii
J. were we'll known.
ID On Thursday, the Goth, Mrs. Wal
=. called at WheldOn's drug store and q
le for quarters worth OF arsenic, say
that she wanted to use it TO improve !,
Is eCmplsxiOn. Mr.. Wheldon finally s
- her four ounces of arsenic, and as q
10 as he heard that Mr.. Walkup was 8
he went to Dwight Bill and told l
"a that he had sold Mrs. WAlkup sc
~ arsenic, and from what he had ] Ie
tn SINCE had grave suspicious that cril nj
use had been made OF the poison.
nS; AN ARREST MADE
About three weeks ago WilEa N
Willis, cousin to Mrs. Walku p.
rived here from New Orleans, a. ID
SINCE that time been residing her e,
~ ing with Mr.. Walkup and workiI u
.he him IN the office The boys feth ar
uri mother are both dead and he
e1- hrs. WaIkup were brought up to gel
Q. y e . AN" " AAe
D. Why his aunt sent him here SET ms
an be unknown at present. Two
ent grams sent To the mayor of E mp
Ne from some gentleman unknown 10
81 one here asked II there was such q