The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-05

rooms as to being orderly or disturbed?
A-Everything was upside down.
Q-What was in the kitchen?
"A cook stove and big supply of
kindling. It seemed to be sort of store
room.
Odd you notice clothes rack?
Al remember seeing a row of nails
that served as one.
Q-What was on them?
"A couple of cloaks and old dresses.
Q-What did you do when you entered
the house?
Al Immediately found that the shoe
which stuck out from under the pile of
rags contained human foot, and l
began taking the things off the body.
Q-What were these things piled on
the body?
"A lot of bedding and rags.
Q-Are these some of them? Hold
ing up bundle of bloody cloth.)
A-They seem to be.
Q-What of these came first?
A That blanket, or quilt.
Q-What next?
"A white bedspread
Q-What was under the spread?
"A sack of coal?
Q-What next?
A-That piece of rag carpet.
Q-Where was this carpet?
A-Wrapped about the head and
shoulders.
Q-Was it wrapped very tight?
A-Nes sir, so tight [ thought at first
she had been choked 1t was tucked in
under the shoulders and abou. the neck
Q-What came next?
"A shawl was wrapped about her
head.
Q-What cuts or bruises were there on
the body?
A-Rer skull was crushed in, in fact
the whole top and front part of her head
as though it had been done with an axe.
Her hands were also scratched and cut
Odd you recognize the body as that
of Mrs. MatsOn?
Al did not.
Q-What did you do then?
Al put all the coverings back just as
had found them and sent Charley Lind
! sey over to the Missouri Pacific depot to
| telephone for the coroner Badger went
! with him and telephoned to the JOURNAL
| SO they could have the news in that
nights paper.
Q-Was there any blood around?
A-Yes, there was big pool of blood
where her head had lain, and there were
drops of blood in the kitchen and sitting
room.
Odd you find any weapons?
| A-There were two axes. One was a
new one and one was old and had a
handle made of native wood. They were
both stained with dried blood.
Q-Was the house disarranged?
A-Yes everything was upside down,
and letters and papers were scattered
| everywhere, and all of the drawers had
| been broken open.
Q-Did you go upstairs?
| A-Yes
| Q-What did you find?
| A-There was a bed in each room. In
the south room the bed hadn't been dis
Iurbe1, but the bureau had been broken
| open. In the two north bed rooms the
beds were mussed and the trunks had
been broken open and their contents
dumped out on the floor.
Odd any one shake the rags that
were over the body?
! A-Not in my presence.
Q-How long was it before the coroner
came?
| About half an hour.
Then the defense took Sergeant Dono-
van in hand.
Attorney Ensminger went over the
same ground given above in every de-
tail, with view to rafting the sergeant,
but the wary officer refused to fall into
any legal traps.
Coroner Bailey on the Stand.
Coroner F. W. Bailey was the second
witness.
County Attorney Stafford asked him:
Q-How long have you lived iu Tope-
ka?
A-Thirteen years.
Q-What official position do you hold
in Shawnee county?
A-That of county coroner.
Q-How long have you been coroner?
Alive years-a little over.
O-Did Won know Mrs MatsOn?
A.-No.
Q.-Not even by sight?
A.-No, sir.
Q-When did you receive word of this
murder?
About o'clock on the afternoon o.
December 90
Q.-How did you go to the house?
An the patrol wagon with Captain
Gish and another policeman.
Q.-Who was there?
A-Sergeant Donovan, Charley Lind
sey and several JOURNAL reporters.
Q.-What wounds did you find on the
body of Mrs. Matson?
A-There was a hole in her skull from
what is called the crown of the head tC
the bridge of her nose. It was foul
inches wide at the back and narrowed
down to an angle in front. On one side
the wound seemed to have been made BY
a sharp instrument and on the other sid'
by blunt instrument 1 judged tha
both the edge and back of the axe were
used in killing her.
Q.-ShOw US the extent of the hole OF
your own head? This created laughte
IContinued on Fifth Page.l