The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-30

last night and the murderer could have
been taken up Kansas avenue without
danger of mob violence. A few people
went down TO the Santa Fe depot to meet
the Atchison train, bat they were act
uated only by curiosity to see the pris-
oner.
IDENTIFYING THE MURDERER.
Details of What Took Place at Valley Falls
Inst Night.
VALLEY FALLS, Oct. 30.-The ideuti-
ficat:ou of David Coulter by Sturgis
Bechtol was complete. A large crowd
OF people followed the officials to the
city Jail, and Sheriff Burdge and Chief
Wilkerson would occasionally glance
back anxiously at the increasing size of
the crowd, and it took some reassuring
words from Marshal Stockwell to allay
their fears. They were afraid of Judge
Lynch presiding in case young Bechtol
should identify tho prisoner as the villain
that committed the cold blooded murder
of young Ills:on two weeks ago. No one
was allo we'd inside the jail except the
officials and the Journal correspondent.
When the marshal unlocked the door
leading to the steel cage in witch WAS
young Coulter, the young man who was 20
identify him was brought forward to a
position where he could get good view
OF the prisoner Coulter WAS lying on
his cot with his face covered, and when
he came TO the steel door and faced the
crowd there was no sign of fear in his
countenance. lie did no; seem to realize
the awful position he was in, or what
was wanted of him, bur when he saw
Young BechtoI his lips quivered and
look of fear and recognition came into
his eyes. He evidently had seen the
young man somewhere before, but no
word escaped his lips. Alter looking
silently at him for nearly a minute,
young Bechtol turned and stepped out
of the cell corridor. There were tears
il his eyes and his voice quavered when
he pronounced the wo,d3 that set at rest
al doubts as to Coulter being the muir
derer. The Identification was complete.
There was no doubt or hesitaacy about
it. When the, JOURNAL CORES oudent
asked Bechtol il he was certain he had
made no mistake in the Identification,
he answered:
"N sir, am az sure he is the fellow
as that l am living Do you think /
could forget his lace or how ne was
dressed. l would know him among Il
thousand. No sir, l have made no mis-
take, that IS the very same fellow I met
on the road that day, and talked with"
But you know you said in your de-
scription of the fellow to the officers that
he had II short mOu5tache, and that fell
low in there never had IL moustache, how
do you account for that?"
''Wen, l will tell you. ! was mistaken,
l see, by saying he had q moustache. l
thought he did have one, but he was so
dirty that must have thought the dirt
was moustache lie has been washed
and cleaned up since / saw him last, and
that makes a difference you know l
can now that | was mistaken in saw
ing he had a moUstache''
The party then left the jail and went
to the livery stable where Officer Stock
we'll had put the team and wagon The
| boy identified the property aud the last
link was forged aud the chain of identih-
cation was made complete
Last evening a JOURNAL reporter visit
ed the home of G. L. Coulter the father
Of the young man, who lives in a small,
unpre;entious house in the north pars of
town. The family were all at home, but
IN bed when the reporter called at
o'c ock. Repeated knocking brought
them TO The door, but the father said be
had no statement to make for pub
lication. lie said he could not
believe his son would commit murder,
although circumstances were against
him at present. David was eighteen
years old the goth of this month, and was
born IN Valley Falls. Nine years ago
they moved to Topeka, where they lived
several years. aud from there they moved
70 Osage City. They moved back here
about year ago, and David went to work
for a man named John Savage, near
Severy. Kan. He worked there until
some time in August. and since that time
he has been tramping around over the
country. He said that the boy had never
been in trouble before that he knew of,
and was Of quiet, retiring disposition.
lie had always been great BOY for home
and was never mean or vicious. He was
j great hunter, and always had gun.
On the 18Th of this month, about II
O'clock at night. the boy came hons.
driving the team that was identified yes
terday IS being the team stolen from
young Illston.
He gave it TO his father 10 use and
went to WORK for farmer seven miles
west of town. The father used the team
and the fact that he had not previously
owned team caused some comment
among his ueighbor5. Officer Stocxwell
became suspicious aud went to work to
hnd out where he got the team. When
the JOURNAL came out Monday evening
with an account of the murder of young
lAtson, and 4 description of the missing
team, the officer at once concluded he
was on the track of the murderer. He
placed young Coulter under arrest, and
took charge of the property. The sequel
proves that he Was on the right track
and that he has made no mistake.
COULTER IN LEAvENW ORTIZ.
TIc Murderer of Hist "a Placed Ia Leav-