Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-01-06
TERRIBLE CRIMEl
County, Arrested for Aurderino
Oscar G. Krusen, In Kansas.

CATION before Justice Smythe into
whose hands it came upon Justice
Kiplinger retiring from office before
whom the action was commenced.
1t is a proceeding begun to hold
two persons (professedly man and
wife, )Orlin Lariway and Hattie Lar
iway for a requisition by the COVER
nor of Kansas upon Gov. Pierce for
their delivery to the Kansas author
tiles, where they are accused Of the
murder Of Oscar G. Krusen, near
Eldorada, Butler county, Kansas,
sometime in May, 1885, and of be-
ing fugitives from justice from that
State. Below we give a quotation
from the Kansas Western World pub
lished at Wa.keeney, Kansas, on
Aug. 29th, 1885:
"A man was found buried in a
ravine near FL Dorado, Butler coun-
ty, and indications pointed to a foul
murder. The man had been bur-
led face down under about a foot
and u half of earth and, the job
was 50 we'll done that but for nh &C
cident the body would never have
been found. A shallow grave had
been dug in the grass, the body put
in face downward, the grave filled
up, the sod placed in position, and
a fire built or the spot. There was
nothing about the man to identify
him. He had on a white shirt,
brown overalls, ane without shoes
or hat. He was about six feet in
height, and apparently about 80
years of age. The body had been
buried nearly if not quite two
months. A spade bearing the ini-
tials of o. G. K, had been found
near the spot some time ago, and
alsa a frying pan, and the charred
blade of a butcher knife. A blue
shirt and a red flannel under shirt
were also found near the spot sever
al weeks ago, but it was thought
they were thrown away by campers.
The body WAS discovered by a dog
belonging to a stranger by the name
of Hamilton, who camped near the
spot. The dog began to dig and
whine at the spot, and finally
scratched ont the knee bone of a
corps. There are some suspicious
circumstances connected with the
murder. All we can say is, that a
terrible murder has been committed,
and that the murdercrs have cover
ed their tracks so well that they
may never be d~iscovered.'
Some time in February, 1885
Oscar G. Krusen an old resident of
Union county, left his home in COM
pany with his family consisting of
a wife and two child rem, a boy by
a former wife about four years of
age, and a babe n year old, and
one Orlin Lariway, a cousin of Mrs.
krusen, and had for his terminal
point for the winter Usage City Kan
sas, where he expected to find en-
ployment for himself and team I'M
til spring when he expected to 60
further south and find land and a
home near Honeywell. After arriv-
ing at Usage City he frequently cor
responded with his friends here and
continued so to do until about
the tenth Of May when he notified
his brother that his wife had be.
come dissatisfied with him and with
travelling over the country and
would return to her people in Dako-
Ia. On the same day that his broth
er, (Mr. Frank Krusen of Westfeld,
Iowa. received this letter he went
20 Akron and met Mrs. Krusen who
that day arrived from Kansas, and
proceeded to her fathers, Mr.. Isaac
Bachelor Of this county. In the
same letter Oscar Krusen expressed
his intentions to start in a few days
for Honeywell his original and
prospective point and that his lit
tie son and Lariway would accom-.
pany him. This was the last ever
directly heard of Oscar Crusen or
his little boy. However about two
weeks after the return of Mrs. Kru.
sen Orlin Lariway appeared upon
the seen and at once began prepare
ton for marrying Mrs. Krusen. First
coming to a Justice of the peace,
(Mr. McUmbel of Virginia twp.,)
who he asked to perform the mar
riage seremony. Mr.. McUmber be-
ing being well acquainted with Mr..
krusen began making inquiries Of
Mrs. Krusen concerning the where.
| abouts Of her husband and asked if
he was dead. To this she answered
that she did not know where he was
but that she was a widow and that
| Oscar would never bether them.
Happening vlso to know that Mrs,
Krusen and Lariway were cousins,
he refused to marry then on that
account reading them the law of the
territory prohibiting the marriage of
cousins and the penalty affixed for
such marriages. Apparently very
much displeased at the worthy JUS
tees lack Of accommodation they
la ,, D~--. CsA..