The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-11-14
HIS TERN is ENDED
BARNEY GIBBONS REPORTED To-
HAVE DIED AT LANSING.

Davis that Barney Gibbons had Died at
the Penitentiary on supday-Thus Ends
One of the saddest Murder Cases Ever
Tried In Sedgwick County-It is the
l. General Belief that the Man was Insane
at the Time of the Crime-He still Re-
tanned the "Don't Care" Expression.
one Of the principal witnesses in the
Barney Gibbons insanity case before
the probate court, Barney Gibbons has
appealed his case for the murder OF his
wife to the highest tribunal.
Mr.. Freeman informed County At
torney Davis that Mr.. Gibbons had died
at the state penitentiary on last Sunday
after slight sickness of only few
days The case is too well known in
Wichita to need much of review at
this time. On the morning of Jan. 10,
the citizens Of Wichita were startled
by the announcement that Barney Glib
bons had shot his wife.
Officers at once started for the scene
Of the reported crime and on the way
met Gibbons walking on the sidewalk
still carrying the smoking revolver in
his hand. He was in a dazed condition
and acted as though IN dream.
On reaching the residence of Mrs. Glib
bons the woman was found to have been
shot six times and all the bullets had
passed through the body with the ex-
ception of one. The woman was con-
veyed to the st. Francis hospital where
she died after three weeks Of suffering.
A suit was commenced in the probate
court before a jury as to whether Bar
ney Gibbons was sane at the time OF
the crime. The testimony was very
conflicting and many were positive that
Gibbons was not in his right mind at
the time of the commission Of the crime,
and was in this condition for many
months previous to the shooting, but
the jury held that he was able to know
right from wrong and he was forced TO
stand trial for his life.
During the trial, both IN probate and
district courts, the man did not seem
to realize his condition and sat per-
fectly unmoved. At the Jail he obeyed
all orders given to him, but showed no
signs of interest in anything about him.
When he was ordered to stand up by
Judge Reed the same stolid expression
was on his face. He seemed to know
MS 1r1enOS Wnen Cney spoke TO MIN,
but this was all the intelligence given.
He claimed that his wife was always
about him and while in the cell would
converse with the supposed woman by
the hour.
He had lived in Sedgwick county since
its first settlement, and previous to six
years before the shooting was always
considered model man, both to his
family and neighbors. About this time
he sold his farm southwest Of the city
and with his family moved to Wash
ington territory. The move appeared
to have been an unfortunate one, and
finally the family returned to this coun-
ty, but from this time on the man was
changed being. He became quarrel
some and finally Mr.. and Mrs. Gibbons
parted and at the time of the shooting
were living apart.
When Gibbons was taken to the peni-
tentiary, where he was sentenced for
ten years, he still remained the same as
he had during his trial, apparently IN
concerned of all about him. He was
given position or gatekeeper and was
continually failing each day. He could
not bear to be left alone.
The word was received by Mr. Free
man that the man had been found dead
in his bed, and Mat Langan wrote to
Warden Lynch for full particulars Of
the death which will be given at a later
do "a