The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1895-05-01

n
Frank Thorpe, charged with the muir
der of the Englishmau, Frank Ledger,
were given a preliminary hearing yes
terday before Probate Judge Law
renee at the county court house
The room was crowded, as usual,
with morbidly curious throng
and the aroma which arose from the
pcrspiring bodies of the court touts
and hangerson was not as fragrant as
that which comes from parched coffee.
Judge George Green represented
Thorpe and Merrick S Fosterl the
interests Of Thorn and Seeley. The
witnesses examined were Marshal
baxter, DR.. Charles Smith, Louise
holland, John Nelson, Frank Thorpe
and Mrs. Ewing. Neither Thorn or
Secley was placed on the stand.
Aside from the evi lence Of Louise
Noland, the courtesan, who was an
innate Of Mrs Jackson's house on Sep
tember %, the alleged time and place
OF the murder,
No Damaging Evidence
was brought out against either of the
three defendants and the general
tory is bound to suffer unless more
and stronger evidence is brought
against the accused The principal
witness, the holland woman, has told
so many different stories, both on and
off the stand, that her testimony is
not regarded as git-edged, and taken
altogether the case is thought TO be
weak That there is something very
dark aud mysterious not only in the
murder itself, but in the covering up
Of tracks, cannot be gainsaid The
evidence adduced gives color TO the
theory that some
Parties are Being shielded,
or else some one is trying to work up
case by coercion. The various al
lusions Of witnesses to spiked drinks,
unusual meetings, etc, are queer and
dark, to say the least, and it is the
bounden duty Of the officers and citi-
zens TO go TO the very bottom Of the
case, regardless of pains and expense
We want no atrocious and mysterious
murders to spot the fair fame of the
city, and unless conscientious and
Jealous work is done by the officers Of
Logan county, the gruesome taking
of of Frank Ledger will always re-
main blotted in history.
Marshal Baxter was the first wit
ness called in yesterdays eNamina-
ton. lie simply testified to the
Finding Of Ledger's Body
and its condition. The second witness
called was the soiled dove of dusky
hue, Louise holland She was not
ratified in the least and told a straight
story as to what She knew of the
crime, and in her testimony sprung
several new statements, one regarding
a bottle found in Thorn's pocket; the
smell of "siclIly stun" throughout the
house, and the time Of the arrival and
departure Of Thorn, Secley and
Ledger As TO the DISCUSSES worn by
Mrs Jackson and Thorpe, on which
she had previously put great stress,
she said nothing.
She said she first met Thorn, Seeley
and Ledger last August; she was an
inmate OF Mrs Jacllson's house on the
east side of south Second street.
where the
Three Men OFTEN Called.
Ledger was always with Thorn and
Seeley; saw him last with them
Thorn and Seelcy did business with
the house; appeared TO like her; they
did not like Lady Jackson, and
wanted TO take her out and put her
into house of her own and pay her
50 a week. On the night Of the kin
ing Thorn, Ledger and Seelev came TO
the house at / o'clock and stayed until
3; Thorn had bottle in his pocket,
containg stun with smellcd sort o.
sickly;' 1Thorn wanted her 20
GO Riding and Drink Beer
But Mrs Jackson said no. At I
o'clock when electric lights went out
she saw Mrs Jackson and Thsrn talk
ing in front of the house That even
ing, while she was with other COM
pany in another room, she heard
Thorn, Seeley, Ledger and others talk
ing in room. The colored porter
Thorpe, was there. While She was
away the
whole Party Disappeared
so that when she came into the par
lor there was none there Thorn.
Seeley, Ledger and others had sul
been talking in that room after the
electric lights went out. When every
body had gone, the house smeued an
over that peculiar smell like she had
smelled in the bottle that Thorn had
with him. Following is the cross ex-
animation OF the woman by Judge
Green, as taken substantially from
stenographer's notes. Did not testify
before the coroner's jury at Justice
Adams court TO Thorn being a. Mrs.
Jackson's bagnio the
Night OF the Murder
Because Thorn said he would give
her money il she would swear he was
not present There was a fight that
night about o'clock ia the house be-
tween girl named Midget aud a
white man, her lover VIII Knowles