The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-06
ONE SIDE IS DONE.
The State Rests in the Nevels
Murder Case.
Sheriff Burdge Gives the Prin-
cipal Testimony.
RESTS On ONE THING.
The Slungshot Still the ALI
Important Link
In the Evidence to Prove NeveIs
Guilty.
NEVELS' HOPEAN ALIBI
Which His Attorneys Expect
to Prove.
They Seek to Throw Discredit
on doc" Wards Testimony.

The Nevels trial is half over, or is sup
posed to be. The prosecution examined
its last witness this forenoon, and the
state rested. A recess of half an hour
was taken to give Nevels' attorneys q.
chance for consultation, and then the de-s
fense began on its list of witnesses.
Although the state has rested, it is
said that it has not offered all of its evil
dence.- 1t is stated that they are saving
some of their strongest evidence to use
i'll rebuttal to disprove Nevels' state
ments.
Chief WiIkersOn's Testimony.
Chief John NJ. Wilkerson was the prin-
cipal witness at the Nevels trial yester-
day afternoon. The chief is an excel
lent witness and what he said was of in
tense interest.
At times when he was telling what he
knew about the case the court room was
as quiet as a church, Notwithstanding
that hundreds of eager listeners crowded
every seat and every inch of standing
room in the hall.
The need of new court room was
strongly suggested by the trial yester-
day. The ventilation was poor and the
dav was hot
Notwithstanding this, men and women
were content to stand for hours and peek
over somebody's shoulder in order to see
the witness and the prisoners, and catch
every word
Chief Wilkerson testified on the more
important points as follows:
Q-When did you first hear of the
murder of Mrs. Matson?
Al was out of the city the day the
body was found, and 1 did not hear of it
until about eleven o'clock the next day.
Q-When did you first go to the Mat
son house?
A-That afternoon.
Q-Was that the first place you went
in connection with the murder?
A-No. l went to the undertakers first
to see the body "Doc" Wnrd showed me
the slung shot he had found and l com
pared it to the wounds on Mrs. Matson's
head.
Q-Which wounds?
A-The place on her nose where she
had been struck with some such instru-
ment and also the scars upon her fore
head
Q-How did the slung shot snd the
wounds compare?
A-They tailed exactly.
Q-When you went to Mrs Matson's
house, did you go inside?
A-NO, l was refused admission.
Q-Then what did you do?
Al borrowed the slung shot of Ward
and struck out to see if l could find the
murderer
Q-Who went with you?
"A colored man named Wesley
Hale. l wasn't very we'll acquainted in
that neig borhood and 1 took hin to di-
rect me.
Q-Who did you meet?
Ave met sevsral people, but we
went some distance before we saw any
one l cared to talk to.
Q-Who was it?
A-SAm Milton.
Q-What did you say to him?
Al asked him if he had ever seen
that slung shot before?
Q-What did he say?
Ale said yes, that it belonged to a
man named Frank Nevels.
Q-Then where did you go?
Ave went to Sam Millions house
Q-Who did you talk to there?
AIRS. Milton. She declared that
the weapon belonged to Nevels, also
Q-Where did you go to from there?
A-Back to the Matson house.
Q-W hat for?
A-To tell the Sheriff and the othe rs
what had found out
Odd you go to Nevels' house that
day?
Ayes, at about dusk
Q-Who went with you?
A-Sherif Burdge, Dan Jones, Doc
Ward, l don't remember who all Their g
was a JOURNAL reporter along
Q-Who did you find at the house?
A-Nevels and his wife.
Q-Did you show Neyels the sIung
shot?
A-Yes. He said he had never seen
it before.
Q-What else did Nevels say?
Ale said he left Topeka Decem ber
10, and went to Gainesville, Texas, and
just returned that morning.
Q-What route did he say he took?
Ale said he took the Book Island
because he used to be a cook for Dinner
Brothers, and all the brakemsu would
let him ride free. told him he couldn'r
get to Gainesville, and then he said he
had taken the Santa Fe.
Odd you search the houseP
A-Yes. We were looking especially
for an apron that Mrs. Milton said would
compare with the rags on the slung
shot.
Q-Did you fad the apronsP
| A-NO. Ars. Novels said she had