Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-05
A LIFE SENTENCE.
A Han Convicted of Numbering His
Brother-C Charged with MUIR
dering His Parents.
Well Which Probably Contains the Bodies
Of Several Persons-Diiigent InVesti-
cation Instituted.
special to the Gazette.

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, April "A sem
sationsl story reaches here from Rawlins
county, IN the northwestern part of Kan
sas. About four miles west OF Atwood,
the county seat, is what is known as the
"Old Horn farm" This farm has been
deserted since 1879, and the improve
ments have gone TO rack and ruin. On
the place Is a well $50 feet deep. which
WAS formerly noted for its excellent va
ter. The farm is away from the public
thoroughfares, and there is little passing
that way, the nearest house being T. r,,Ia
and q half to the south.
In 1879 the place was Goor,iad br .
man named Swift am, his daughter, a
young woman of sl5out twenty wears. 1t
oeSHn " % 90 ""nTspered that all was not
LlLnt VI TUG i.rm, and finally Swift was
eIIes'eu u convicted for incest. While
F.n Jail a number of masked men
- IFe, saying they were his friends, and
s-Ssook him away from the prison, osten-
sibly to release him. From that day to
this no trace of SEit has ever been
gained, and it is currently believed that
his pretended friends murdered him and
threw his body IN the "'Old Horn well. -
Swift was known to have $500 on his
place, and this is given as the motive for
the crime by those who have this theory.
year later q man named Chlebeard
with his family lived on an adjoining
farm. Suddenly the mother died and
suspicion pointed TO the fact that she was
poisoned by the husband, but as there
was no tangible proof of his guilt the Ru-
thorities took no action. Then the old
man disappeared and the Oldest son gave
st out that his father hsd gone to Ger
many TO look after an estate which had
been left him there. Nothing has ever
been heard of him since and it began to
he whispered in the neighbOrhood that
he was murdered by the son, who de-
sired to own the property. Again the
Old Horn well was made to bear the
burden Of the CHASTITY crime and the peO-
pie believe that two bodies rest at the
bottom.
A few years later one OF the three
brothers, lad going TO school, mysteri-
ouslv disappeared, and the elder brother
gave it out that he hCd gone TO Nebraska,
but he has never been beard of since,
and this makes the third body supposed
10 be resting at the bottom OF the well.
Last December another brother, aged
about fourteen, came home from school
in the evening apparently in the best or
health. His brother gave him an apple.
and In fifteen minutes after eating il he
was in commissions and died i'll three
hours, Immediately after the boy was
taken with the commissions the brother
threw him across his shoulder and started
out in the direction OF the fOld Horn
well'' with his burden. He was met by
neighbor, whom he told that he was
taking his brother TO neighbor q to be
cared for while he went for doctor.
The boy died before medical assistance
could be obtained, and then the neigh
Dor told his story, showing that there
was no neighbOr within four miles in the
direction which Chlebeard WAS taking
with the boy, while there was one within
a half mile in another direction. Chile
beard and bis wife were arrested, and
are now lying in the Rawlins county jail,
awaiting trial at the coming term of cir
cuit court The state had a chemical
analysis made of the contents of the boys
stomach and strychnine was found in
large quantities.
Tho nature OF the case and the fact
that Clebeard was caught in the act OF
throwing the boy III the well has revived
the old stories, aud il was determined TO
search the well. 4 party of men went
thers and found that II had been lately
partially filed mp. The appearances
the attempt TO put the boys body in,
and il is supposed that Chlebeard was
afraid some investigation might follow,
ana took this means of preventing any
unpleasant discoveries. The Tiled well
only whetted thei appetite of the people
and q systematic search will be begun at
once.
Rumor is now rife with many peculiar,
happenings which have occurred IN they
neIghborhoOd in the past ten years, and
there are many ready to believe that
sensation equal TO that of the famous
Bender family will be revealed.
LIFE IMPRISONMENT.
Special to the Gazette.
KIr CARSON, COL, April 4.-Grooisn
Chlebeard was yesterday sentenced by
the Judge of the district court in Raw
Iins county, Kan, to life imprisonment
In the peuitentary for the murder of
his young brother, Joe, by poisoning,
the colo blooded details OF which have
been referred to in these columns. Mary
Chlebeard, held as an accomplish, was
cleared of the charge, but will very
likely be arrested for other murders.
The body of the mother, whose recent
mysterious disappearance caused a great
deal of talk has been eXhumed, and
Bn examination of the stomach
made. In its argument the state proved
beyond the shadow of q doubt that Gro
clan Chlebeard was on his way TO the
deep well, referred to heretofore in these
dispatches, for the purpose of throwing
his brother In it when he was stopped and
asked what he was carrying on his back.
II il Is proved that Grocian Chleboard
murdered his father and mother, Of
which there Is no moral doubt, nothing
more can be done with him, as under the !
laws of Kansas capital punishinspt % lnss
recognized.
Grab it;aHick-s special bargain for
yoBs 1t5bsjts s. Eastou, real estate