Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-04-26
THE MeTTMAN MURDER.

The Mystery Apparently Being solved-Tho
Daughter and Her Paramour Telling on
Each Other.
LEAvENwORTH, Kan, April 23.-The
mystery Of the Mettman murder is dis
PEELED. Con lecture and doubt hs,C seen
replaced by facts and confession. What
promised to battle the best efforts OF
trained detectives, has been made clear,
and the perpetrators Of one Of the most
atrocious murders and butcheries In the
history OF Kansas are now known. One
is already under the strong hand OF the
law and the others can not escape.
c. A. Benson. who is thought to be
the actual murderer and has absconded,
is married man. his wife and child re-
siding in this city, supporting them
selves as best they could without his as
sistance, his wife occasionally sending
him some OF her hard-earned savings In
response to his begging letters. and
when he became aware that Mrs.
Rautzahn had betrayed his presence at
the Mettman house on the night pre-
ceding the murder he became fright
ened and angered and determined to
throw the blame OF the murder upon
Mrs. Rautzahn. He wrote number OF
letters to his wife, telling her OF his in
trigue with Mrs. Rautzahn, and claimed
that he was married to her under the
name of Richard Waldo. He described
the time and place and gave the resi-
dence as 5l1 Bluff street, Kansas City,
room No. 8. He gave the furniture in
the room to his wife, and requested her
to come to Kansas City and take posses
sion OF it, and gave her the names OF
parties who would substantiate what
he said about Mrs. Rautzahn. Mrs.
Benson took the letters she had re-
ceived and turned them over to the po-
lice, and she, in company Of Sergeant
Murphy, of the police force, went to
Kansas City on April IL to examine
room 9 of No. 51l Bluff street.
Upon their arrival there, they found
every thing mentioned by Benson, to-
gether with quantity of female wear
ing apparel and number of love letters
written to him by Mrs. Rautzahn. The
letters were dated Burlington, ILL.,, but
bore the Leavenworth post mark, and
were in the most endearing terms.
The police have letters that passed
between Benson and his wife going to
show that Mrs. Rautzahn. Mrs. Nett
mans daughter, knows more than she
is willing to tell and Mrs Rautzahn has
sworn to the following statement:
MRS. RAUTzAHN's AFFIDAVIT.
State of Kansas, County of Leavenworth-ss.
Mary Rautzahn, of lawful age, being first
duly sworn, deposes and says that she Is the
daughter of Theresa Mettman. who was
found murdered on the United States reser-
walton ut Fort Leavenworth on the 18th day
of March. 1897. That on the 22d day OF
March, 1890, ut ten O'Clock p IN. one Charles
Benson called at her mothers house and
stayed until sunday morning at one O'Clock
a. m. That on the Tuesday following, I'D
of March, 1890, between nine and ten O'Clock
y. m, said G. A. Benson came to the
house: went out and met him: he said good
evening; said TO him, "Richard. my mother
is gone; can you tell me where she is?" He
said, How do know where your mother IL;
am your mothers keeper hen he said
TO me, "Mary. give me that money and don't
keep me waiting here" Then l said.
Richard, can not give you the money, 1t is
not mine." He said, "Where Is It; go get It
immed lately"
then walked to the house, took the money
from q bureau and gave II to him. don't
know the amount; II was very weighiy. II
was in white sack and had calico rag
wrapped about II. Don't remember how he
found out had the money. he kissed me
od.bye and have never seen him since.
have received three letters from him since
] last saw him. don't remember what was
in the letters. have known A. Benson for
nj laoo az fhraa ya n ~ A
Richard Waldo Twas never married to Rich
ard Waldo, but have gone by his name. /
believe that the muller shown to me by the
city marshal was L. A. Bensons. G. A. Ben
son mentioned to me that my mother was
going to visit her daughter, Katie. G. A.
Benson told me that my mother had SlS7. On
the Tuesday night gave him the money he
was terribly excited and was afraid OF him.
MARY RAUTzAHN.
Subscribed and sworn to In my presence
the I'D of April, 1890.
WV. BLACK, Notary Public.
Ny commission expires hay %, 1891.
Chief Doane is Of the opinion that the
murder OF Mrs Mettman occurred at
the Mettman house, and that the body
was mutilated there and then thrown
into the river. He is satisfied that the
evidence he has succeeded in getting to-
Cether will be the means OF bringing to
light the whole truth concerning the
butchery, and exposure OF the culprits.
He believes the Rautzahn woman has
not begun to tell all she knows about
the horrible affair, and that it was the
intention Of herself AMI Benson to live
together at Kansas City under the name
of Waldo