The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-08
SHE WAS NOT DEAD
FALSE REPORT CAUSES A PRETTY
MESS WITH TIE OFFICERS
hris Spellman Held for the Murder OF
Lizzie Felix while that Young Lady is
Smiling at Home-County Attorney Or
ders Coroner and County Physician to
Hold q Post M0rtem-Dr. Huffman was
Red Hot-Speilman was Told to Go
Home-He Employees Counsel to Com
mence a Damage Suit Against Beacon.

1t would be hard to imagine more
disconsoIate loking man than Christie
pher Spellman of $50 North Washington
avenue yesterday as he stood in Chief
Masseys office held by an officer on the
charge Of murder.
Spellman had been arrested some time
ago for beating a colored girl, Lizzie
Felix, at her own home, 40S Mosley ave-
nue., but on trial he proved an alibi and
went clear.
On last Saturday he was arrested on
Grafton, and was allowed to go on his
own recognizance.
The evening paper night before last
published a sensational account of the
whipping and yesterday morning the po-
dice claim that someone telephoned into
headquarters that Lizzie Felix had died
from her injuries.
Officer Harry Sutton acting on this
informa ton went at once 10 Spellmans
home and arrested him. County AttOr-
ney Davis was notified and he put in
his appearance a the police headquar-
tiers and told the officers to hold SPELL
man until he investigated the case.
Ii the HlSdI tliuc SpcuiIldl iolu d re-
porter for the Eagle that he had been
in Wichita for four years, but that
there We're men who had known him
for thirty years.
Il never had any trouble with this
colored family" he said, land I do not
know thing on earth about this whip
ping. L never touched a member OF
the Felix family and it is simply awful
that L am accused of murder
in raj md hrrf 10 yvoa n
this country when a child. l have
wife and four children and have been
working to earn them living.
When there is work 10 do on the
sewers / work on them and when there
is not I sell spectacles. 1 have never
committed a crime in my life that l
ought to be arrested for"
County Attorney Davis instructed
the coroner and county physician TO
make a complete investigation and if
possible learn the cause OF the child's
death.
Learning that the county attorney
had given this order the reporter for
the Eagle beat the officers to the Felix
residence and raped on the closed
door.
A colored woman answered the sum-
mons and in answer to the question if
Lizzie was dead said, mo she is alive
yet. come i'm
Miss Lizzie was propped up on some
pillow on a bed and a young colored
woman was tanning her.
She seemed to be about twelve years
old and her round face and steady eyes
did not show any signs Of disease.
The, reporter told Mrs. Felix that
Lizzie was not going to die and in
very short time she would get up in
her usual health.
Lizzie sat up in the bead and broad
smile covered her face as she looked to
her mother for an Endorsement of the
prediction, but her mother doubted that
and Lizzie threw her head back on the
pillow.
The reporter went back to police head
quarters and reported the results of his
investigation but he had scarcely fin
ished his story when telephone came
informing the officers that DR.. Huffman
had just shaved Lizzie FELIX'S head
and reported that she could not live
but a short time.
BY the time the officers were through
telling what the reporter did not know
about dead people officer Harry SUIT
ton came in from the Felix residence
and said as he threw his hat on the
table: DIR. Huffman is red hot. He
says there is nothing on earth the mat
ter with that girl only she is nervous
and / know she is not dead
Du lhe uoctof shave Hef Hedu.
asked officer Draper.
MAN, what's the matter with you?
Spellman you can go home and report
here tomorrow"
Then Mr.. Spellman would go over and
employ Amidon and Conoley TO bring
suit against the Beacon for damages
Mr.. Conley was seen in the after
noon and admitted that his firm was
employed by Spellman and that the
papers in the case would be served in
regular order