The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-28

TOPEKA. Kan, June 27.-Mrs. S. n.
Wood has written a letter to one OF the
newspapers here giving an account Of the
murder of her husband at Hugoton,
Stevens county, last Tuesday. Mrs.
Woods version of the killing comedies
with other reliable reports so far, as IT
shows that the attack upon her husband
was made while his back was turned, and
that all of the wounds were in the back
and side. Mrs. Wood gives long circum'
Stantial account of the murder, and states
lhat she has evidence in her possession
that the death of her husband was the
result Of conspiracy by his enemies TO get
him out Of the way. She accuses Judge
Botkin, of the Stevens county district
court, against whom Mr.. Wood caused
impeachment proceedings to be brought
IN the last state legislature, and County
Attoruey O'Connor, whose election Wood
was contesting in the state supreme court.
with being the chief conspirators. James
Brennan, the murderer, she says, was only
their willing tool. In support of her
theory of conspiracy Mrs. Wood recites
the following incident: "a little son of
ex-Judge Nash said in the presence of Mrs.
Fleming of Ulsysses, as we drove into
town, There comes Sam Wood, and they
are going to kill him today A little girl
quickly told him to keep still; that he was
talking too much"
In conclusion Mrs. Wood says: 81 have
not he slightest hope that any of these
murderers. whether in official or unofficial
stations. will ever be brought to justice.
But do know, and thank God, that His
eternal justice never fails. l shall try to
be patient and strong | can only hope
and pray that time may fly swiftly, and
that we shall not be sundered long"
KANSAS CITY, No, June IA special
to the Journal from Topeka, Kan, says:
Governor Humphrey today took the
Wood murder case out Of the hands of the
local authorities of Stevens county and
ordered Attorney General Ives to proceed
there at once and take the case in hand.
BURIAL OF WOOD.
STRONG CITY, Kan, June 27.-The re-
mains of Col. s n. Wood arrived at this
place at o'clock this morning. They
were accompanied by delegation of six
citizens of Woodsdale, composed of J. l..
Thomas, James Gerrold, +. NJ. Watrous,
w. p Mcclure, Lewis Farmer and J. J.
Smith. The mourning party included
Jonathan Wood and John d. Wood,
brothers of the deceased; and Mrs. Wood
and her two sons, William and David. The
trip has been very trying on Mrs. Wood.
The funeral procession left Hugoton
Thursday night for Hartand, a distance
of seventy-five miles, where the body was
placed on the train Friday morning. The
story of the murder was told on the train
over and over again. Mrs. Wood seemed
to have a morbid desire to tell her story to
every newcomer, and the unfortunate
woman, unnerved by the trying ordeal
through which she had passed, refused to
take any rest. All arrangements for the
funeral had been neglected and when the
remains arrived no one knew where the
services were to be held, at what hour, or
who was to conduct them.
The story of the shooting, as related in
the letter written to Col Mackey, of To-
peka, is corroborated by the statements of
each of the funeral party. Brennan has
been forgotten in the Indignation against
Botkin. J. J. Smith, when asked if there
would be any further trouble over the
Stevens county affair, said: IF there is a
fair and impartial trial they say that no
bloodshed will follow. If the trial is n
farce they declare that they will no longer
submit TO the law" The members of the
party say that it will be impossible for
Brennan 10 establish his theory of self
defense Mrs. Carpenter. who was seated
IN the buggy with Mrs Wood, aud half
dozen other witnesses will swear that
Brennan remained at the door of the court
house until Wood came ont, and that he
was then shot from behind. BY other
witnesses they expect TO prove that Wood
was not armed.
According to the story told bv Mrs.
Wood, Brennan was never at any time
more than five feet from Col Wood As he
came out of the door of the church Bren-
nan turned and held his revolver within
eighteen inches of Woods body and shot
him IN the back just below the left
shoulder. Wood ran, with Brennan after
him, shooting him through the right
thigh, at one time Brennan getting within
three feet of Wood. They were running
along the side Of the building and Mrs
Wood, who had gotten out of the buggy.
overlook them at the corner, and, grab
bing her husband by the shoulder. turned
him around, when Brennan, thrusting his
revolver right into Woods face. shot hin,
just below the right eye The bullet
came out of the back of the head. The
powder burns from this wound are plainly
visible, proving the close proximity of the
two men. J. +. Thomas, who was on the
jury, Corro5orated Mrs Woods
story. The verdict OF the corore-'s iury
was that the shooting was premedItated,
The arrangements for the funeral were
at noon. People began to arrive
in town at 10 o'clock. Short services were
held in the Odd Fellows hall at 1880
after which the procession started for
Cottonwood Falls. There were NO
religious services, except prayer bv the
Rev. Mr.. McClain OF the Methodist church
and a few songs by the choir. The Rev T
NJ Wood, of Ponca, l. r., a brother of the
deceased. made 4 short talk. and was
followed by w. +. Rightmire and .Judge
Webb, Of Topeka. The remains were
at Cottonwood cemetery.
KANSAS WHEAT.
TOPEKA, Kan, June 21.-The Rool- /
Island has compiled statement of the /
wheat yield in fifty counties tributary r..