The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-04-11

Z
Case.
81 am glad to see you. You are one
of the first men with whom / became
acquainted in Sedgwick county," said
a large man who weighs 200 pounds
and with kindly blue eyes, high fore
head and short sandy hair and whisk-
ers. as he extended his hand through
the bars Of a cell in the rotary in the
county Jail yesterday TO reporter
for the Eagle.
The man was Anderson Gray of Sum
ner county who was convicted of muir
der in the famous hypnotic case that
has already attracted attention all
over the country. He wore a grey
suit of cloths and a checked shirt and
on the lapel of his coat was spray of
lilac which his daughter had brought
to him.
MIR. Gray was told that great deal
had been said about his case and the
readers of the Eagle would like to hear
what he had TO say for himself and
something of his history in Sumner
county. In answer to questions he
said:
Il have been one of the largest farm
ers in Sumner county and few men in
that county have done more than me
To- make the desert bloom. / have all
my life been energetic and ambitious
and of course a man of that kind has
his enemies.
Il own ,200 acres of land in Sumner
county and in 1892 I raised 22.560 BUSH
els of wheat machine measure. For tne
last five years / have averaged LOCO
acres of wheat Tt is hard for me to
remember everything as / have been
{. farmer and used TO an active life and
this Jail business turns my mind all
up side down.
Il came to Sumner county fifteen
years ago, in 1850. / have worked hard
and have been honest whatever peo-
pie may say of me. My worst enemies
in Sumner county now say that this
thing has gone too far. They now ad-
nit that it was impossible for Nc
Donald to have been innocent and me
guilty of murder.
Yes. there is truth in the statement
that | was convicted on the theory
that / had hypnotized Mcdonald. One
Of the lawyers employed against me,
Mr.. Elliott, used the hypnotic theory
and he kept the air surrounding the
jury charged full of hypnotic theory.
Il have always attended to my own
business in Sumner county and in addi-
ton to my wheat raisingI have handl-
n
cattle and used $4,000 of money be-
longing to the American National bank
of Arkansas City in eight months.
Il am So years of age and have wife
and four children. three girls and one
boy My youngest is now - years old
and the children are all married except
enc girl who is here in Wichita so as
to be near me.
Last November year ago 7 quail
cd in f--
listed my property and the attorneys
with pencils kept account and figured
out that ] was worth $50. Geo above all
liabilities and | think that was about
right but now / gueSs l am not worth
d cent.
Il have been in this case since year
next May but the time has covered two
crop seasons. My enemies have rob
bed me of my property, home. liberty
and family-everything / hold dear on
this earth.
NO, there is nothing whatever in
the story that | taught Mcdonald to
shoot in order that he might kill Pal
ten. He just lied about that to save
himself and that is all there is to il.
! am one of the poorest marksmen you
ever saw for the opportunities | have
had. / never killed but one buffalo in
my life and / think that must have
been purely an accident.
Il killed one buffalo out on the plains
in 1860. | was II years old then and
was carried away by the gold excite
ment and left home where my old par
ents still live in Jefferson county Iowa.
and went o Colorado to hunt for gold
and on that trip did shoot a buffalo
but | was always considered the poorest
marsksman in the crowd.
NO l did not believe that Mcdonald
would shoot L. T. Patten any more
than you have an idea of shooting me.
though | believe he did it in Self-defensc
l heard them quarreling and 1 ordered
Mcdonald to so into the house and
Patten To so on home.
There is no reason on earth why
should want Patten killed. He was
working for me at the time and was
good man. L thought a good deal Of
him. Yuo must have seen him here III
Wichita He was a fine, big, square
shouldered fellow nearly six feet tall,
and was "A good reliable man.
Why, the theory advocated by the
prosecution was that l wanted Patten
FILLED because he was an important
witness against me involving title 10
"a farm. but there was nothing in that.
He knew no more about the case than
YOU do He could not possibly have
known anything about il.
The land referred To was a farm
tflal bpuSnI OF L. - tdTlcT III 49,
After he sold the land Carter got mar
ried and after his wife found out that
he did not own the farm she raised Il
rumpUs and sued Carter for a divorce.
Judge Ray granted her a divorce and
gave her Carriers interest in this land
which he had sold to me as aiimony.
Well, then, the only question was what
was Carriers interest?
Il bought he land of Carter in De-
70 my MI 20
in January 1894 and was killed the fol-
lowing May and had no opportunity
to know anything about the trade with
Carter. This whole thing was worked
OPP against me for spite and I have
been surrounded by circumstances over
which / had no control that has been
used against me. | am innocent OF
this crime and il seems Impossible that
I should be sent 10 the penitentiary.
Il will tell you one reason why some
of my neichborS came 10 be against
ne. When the Farmers Alliance and
Populist idea come up there were
good many farmers who honestly be-
IieVed that every man should have his
share or land and that had more than
my share. These people beloved man
who owned a large body Of land must
have come by il dishonesty and hence
they were suspicious OF me- These
men who have Interested themselves
10 ruin me have done - without cause.
/ never harmed one Of them in my life"
During his talk Mr.. Gray showed
himself TO be a man Of great nerve
end at times he spoke with emphasis.
Only once did he show any evidence OF
sorrow AMI that wsS when speaking
of his family. Then he broke down
and wept bitterly. His last words 10
the reporter were: Il wish God could
be the Judge in this matter then these
prison doors would open 10 me for /
am innocent OF the charge for which /
have been convicted"
The reporter for the Eagle saw W M.