The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-03
WILLIE BALDWIN.
His Attorney Claims to Have Discovered
Evidence Showing That He was Wrongly

His Attorney Claims to Have Discovered
Evidence Showing That He was Wrongly
Convicted of Numbering His sister.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, May 2S.-A special
to tie Times from Atch sOn, Kan, saws:
Interest in the Baldwin murder case has
been renewed and public excitement in
creased by the issuance Of a warrant for
the arrest of Peter N. Stokesberry, charged
by Mrs. Baldwin with the commission OF
the murder OF Mary Baldwin.
From the first majority Of the people OF
this city have believed that VIII Baldwin
was guilty of the murder OF his sister; but
a small minority have as cOnscientiOusly
considered him innocent After his con-
yiction and Imprisonment his attorneys
spared no pains TO secure new trial, and
In January last they were informed by John
Dougherty, depot master of the Union
depot, of facts tending to connect Stokes
berry with the murder. Stokesberry was
then in the county jail on a charge OF
burglary committed on the night OF July z,
1885, the night Mary Baldwin was killed.
With a view of aSceTtaining his character
and antecedents, the Hon. b. p. WaggeEer
Instituted an Investigation which led ~ the
discovery that StokesberTy was a profess
siOnal thief and had served term of three
years in the Iowa penitentiary for burg
larry. Soon after his release in 1854 he
married widow with three children in Ne
braska, and in the early part of 1855 re-
moved to AtchIson. He was sort of car
penter, and worked for Marshall & PARK, o.:
this city, during the summer of tina; year.
On the night of July Z, the time of the
preparation of the crime, StOkesberry and
his wife. with Mag Hoover aid a man
named John Bethel, went to a dance at
Harmony Garden, pleasure resort in tie
suburbs. StOkesberry remained there but
a short time. leaving about seven O'clncG,
and did not return until midnight. He told
his wife that they would have to start f0I
home Immediately, and left the garden ia
an excited and harried manner.
When Mag Hoover returned to her house,
which adjoined Stokesberry's. she found
that the premises had been burciaTzed and
quantity of clothing stolen. She did not
suspect StOkesberry at that time, but in
January following Mrs. StOkesberry sent for
her and told her that her husband was the
burglar and she had the stolen goods in her
possession. The premises We're searched
by the police and the properly found in a
feather bed, as described by Mrs. Stokes
berry, who also told Mag Hoover thai her
husband had committed another crime OF
an awful character, which she did nOt dare
to reveal.
StOkesberry was arrested for the burglary,
but acquitted OH the evidence of his wife,
who swore lie had been at Harmony Gar.
den with her from eight TO twelve U'cl"c'I
continuously or the night Of July :, 1855.
As soon as he was acquitted lie fed tic
town.
Il. p. WaCgener ore of RaIdwin's attor-
neys, attended this trial, having been adj
vi Ia do Inv Inl m fnr la
purpose of discovering some way of con-
meeting StolesJeIry with the Baldwin muir
der, but failed.
In April Of ;his year, one George Searics,
then confined in the county jail on a charge
of receiving stolen cattle. and subsequently,
arrested and sent TO the prHitentary, sent
10 MTs. StokeSncrTy a note which fell into
the hands of Baldwim's attorneys. The con-
tents of that note were as follows:
Mrs StokcSbcrry: when Pete left here iia
was afraid you would Z We him away in thar
BALDWIN trouble, want 10 see gOu hn fore |
20 To the pen" Pete told mo about when
he was IN jail. and / sad taar would not
tell. lat tn nix must. ont you think you
ought 20 tell All yOu know! Come Up 10 the
jail II you can GEGRC L SEH3LES
Shortly after this Ioie was received,
SeaIieS was sent to the penitentiary. just
before he left he sent Mrs. Baldwin q note
in which he said tina; he had something of
importance TO communicate, ard IN puiIse
to this note Mr.. Naggener went 10 the
LeavenwOrth reniteniiary and interviewed
Searles in The presence of the warden.
The ailidayitS of SearIeS and the wife OF
StOkcS6erry (whO is suing tor diyOrct) aie
published, both tending tn fix the murder of
Mary Baldwin on StoSeSberry.
The attorneys for Baldwin are reticent
upon the subject, bat say that they have aG-
dItiOnal evidence which leads them To be-
lieve that StolrSberry and not Will Bad
win murdered Mary Baldwin. 81 they ask
is an investigation before q competent tr:b-
unal o. this newly found evidence and the
release of Baldwin if found innocent of the
crime.