Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-05-12
Brutal Murder.
sharon Springs Times.


One of the most brutal as well as the
most shocking murders ever heard of in
this part of the west, was the killing Of
81. S. Corley. whose home is Is miles
north of Sharon Springs.
About two years ago 81. S. Corley met
a Miss Mckinley and the two were short
w afterwards made husband and wife.
This so enraged the relatives of the bride,
that threats were made upon the life of
Corley at that time. Time run on, but
the flag of peace was never hoisted by
either side. until some few weeks ago,
Fred Mckinley, the IL year old brother
of Mrs. Corley, made friends with Cor
ley and began working for him. Mon
day, after the noon hour, the two left
Corley's home and went to where they
were working on garden and hot-beds
about so rods from the house. Corley
did not return home that night and, as
his wife was visiting at the home of her
parents, nothing was thought of his abb
sence. Tuesday morning Corley's wife
returned home and his mother accom-
panied her. After the noon hour had
passed and he had not appeared. his
mother became uneasy and finally walk
ed down to the garden where he was
supposed to be at work. There horri-
BILE sight met her eyes. Her son lay
covered in two feet of sand with the ex-
ception of his head and hands. He had
been brutality murdered and his MUIR
derer had attempted to bury him in or
der to hide his crime. His skull was
mashed into jelly and the hogs had
eaten his brains, his right ear and part
of the flesh upon his face and neck. The
old lady was almost overcome by the
sight, but finally managed to get to the
house and the neighbors were soon mott
fed.
A closer examination showed that
the fundamentally of death was q
heavy garden hoe, which had been
welded with power enough to Stay an
oxe. After Corley was dead, the sur.
roundings went to show that he had
been dragged about 25 feet and his re-
mains dumped into small ditch, made
by water washing out the sand. Here q
spade came into use and he was quickly
buried beneath the sand, but it was evi.
IDENTIFY either after dark or his murderer
became scared and fed, because the
hands were left uncovered as stated
above.
This murder, no doubt, stands with.
out peer when it comes to brutality
The murderer of Henry Brown, which
occurred in the same neighborhood on
February Is, was drunk, and there is q
reasonable excuse to believe that it was
done in fit of passion or by man in a
drunken, maudlin condition; but this is
no eX cuse for crime, and had the muir.
derers of Henry Brown been serving
time, we honestly believe that this hor.
rible butchery would not have occurred
When Henry Browns murderers were
left UNPUBLISHED, it was simply placing g
premium on crime and a reward Of
merit upon murderers.
Sheriff Fleming and Deputy NJ. J
Gerard arrested Fred Mckinley twenty
five miles south of Cheyenne Wells Sat.
urday, and he is now in the hands of the
law.
Later we learn that the young mar
confessed to the murder and implicated
his father and older brother. Last Sun
day the father and brother of the boy
were arrested and brought to Sharon
Springs where they had preliminary
he lring Monday. All three of the Nc
Knleys were bound over to the next
term of court. Early Tuesday morning
party from Corley's neighborhood came
to Sharon Springs, broke open the Jail
and took the father and older brother
out and hanged them from the railroad
bridge, leaving the boy Fred still in the
ha nds of the sheriff.