The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-28

terry. and the jury found that the boy
came to his death at the hands Of per-
son unknown
One of the wounds was about an inch
in front of the left ear The other was
on top of the head little to the left of
the center. 1t showed that the shot had
been fired after the boy had fallen to the
ground. The handkerchief WAS probably
stuffed into the boys mouth after the first
shot was fred for fear that he would cry
ouf. In the telegraph pole near
where the body was thrown over
the fence was found a small bull
let hole. The man probably shot at the
post aud then invited young Illston to
get oH the wagon to see where the shot
took effect and while he was examining
the spot deliberately sent d bullet into his
brain. Tho murderer was evidently in
great hurry, for he made almost no attempt
whatever TO conceal the body and left it
but fifty feet from the road.
While he was doing this he was in
plain view of farm house a quarter of
mile east and it is strange that the eyes
of no one were directed 10 the spot. The
murderer when he left the body drove
the toam on past the house to the east
and then turned north and little farther
on left part of his load. The boy was
killed almost at the spot where he would
have turned south on his way home, and
the man vino murdered him drove east
instead of south
1t was mile south and three miles
east to the home of the boy. There the
IIlston family live on little farm of
thirty acres. They are considered poor,
but Mr.. Illston had saved some money,
and with this he intended TO build the
stable for which his son Edward was
hauling the sand when he lost his life.
Though the horses were not valuable,
they were the only ones the family had
The description given by Sturgis Bech-
tol corresponds very closely with that of
L man who has worked in the neighbor-
hood as farm hand, and whose name is
familiar in the police court in this city.
There was some difference, however.
Young Bechtol said the man he saw was
not over twenty years of age, while the
man suspected is thirty. lie said that
the man had no fingers missing, and the
index hnger the right haud of the
farm hand IS gone.
About one o'clock yesterday a man
who answers the description given ex-
cept that he wore different clothes STOP
ped at Berryton which is fifteen miles
from Topeka on the Missouri Pacific
railroad He stepped up to man and
said:
Wasn't boy killed in this neighbor-
hood two weeks ago?"
No" replied the person addressed
but boy is missing. He had not
heard of the finding of the body.
We'll" said the stranger. 81 had bet
ter 60 on, or l may be arrested" He
spoke in half laughing manner and no
weight was attached to what he said.
The man was seen near Highland
Park later in the evening and several
people came from Berryton to notify the
police and lookout was kept for him
during the night. No one however at
taches any importance to this circum-
stance.
The body of the murdered boy was
taken to the Episcopal church one mile
north of his home yesterday afternoon as
the condition of the mother is such that
it would not have been safe TO have TAX
en- the body home. At 2 o'clock this
afternoon the funeral was held from the
church and the body of Edward Illston
was laid to rest in Zion cemetery.
This murder is the most heartless and
cold blooded one that ever took place in
Shawnee county. 1t stirs anger and in
dignation to its highest pitch that such
deed can take place near Topeka and
the murderer get away and perhaps
escape punishment. No punishment is
too severe for the brutal wretch. Con-
finement in the penitentiary for life can
scarcely expiate such crime. No ef-
fort should be spared 10 capture the
murderer This earth ought to be too
small to hold such villain III safety.