The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-01
WEST WAS In TOWN
KEENRY'S MURDERER STRUCK
WICHITA YESTERDAY.

shortly After Daybreak he Called At Vi.
| Galatians to Get Some Ground Coffee
| He Carried Cooked Winchester on IN
Lap-His Horse showed signs of a Hare
Forced Drive During the Night-Wher
He Got his Coffee He Drove Rapid,
South Evidsntly Headed for the Chsro
kee Strip.
Bill West, the notorious murderer who
broke jail at Topeka. Tuesday night
was undoubtedly in this city at an carly
hour yesterday morning.
Shortly after day break Vic Callahan
heard somebody calling him from
abroad and stepping out a light-haired
pale-faced young man asked him for a
little ground coffee.
The young man was sitting in light
cart pulled by a spirited horse ths;
showed signs OF extreme fast driving.
He had Winchester rife lying across
his lap and had small coffee pot and
gridiron in the carr. The young man
was very nervous and kept one hand
on the Winchester while the other held
the reins. Mr.. Callahan gave him a
half cup OF ground coffee and when
the young man received il he spoke 10
the horse and the animal gallopsd away
sweating and trembling.
Vic Callahan did not know anything
about Bill Vests escape from the To-
peka jail nor did he think the young
man could be Taylor whose brother was
hung at Carrolton yesterday.
He did not see Detective Sutton until
late in the afternoon when he told him
the circumstances and described the
man.
Detective Sutton almost dropped dead
when he heard the statement for the
description Tailed 10 a dot TO that which
he had received officially OF Bill West
He has no doubt in the world about IL.
No man driving such a good horse
would call at that hour OF the morning
and beg ground coffee II he was a iegit-
innate traveller. Such a thing may hap
pen in the country but not in a city
where he could buy coffee at any time.
Vic Callahan lives IN the southern su-
burbS of the city.
Then. again, Bill Vests custom al
ways has been, after a Jail break, to
steal horse and drive II to death, and
at night, TO get as far as possible from
his pursuers. The animal apparently
had been driven 20 or 80 miles dur
ing the night. In all probability he
drove the horse from Topeka or perhaps
he changed horses on the road. At any
ate he was three days distance from
Topeka or the distance OF three nights
forced drive from that place.
Bill West was being held for trial on
the charge OF killing Deputy United
States Marshal Keeny. at Quspaw
agency, 1 T. about two years ago.
Keeny had offended West by placing
him under arrest for some trif1ing vfo-
Iation of law. Upon being released
from jail Bill West and his brother
proceeded 10 Keeny'S home and shot
him down in cold blood. Bill was ar
rested IN Colorado some months later
and brought 10 Fort Scott 20 be held
until court time in the India Territory.
He escaped from the Fort Scott jail by
ga wing the bars, and for nearly year
his Whereabouts We're unknown. In the
mea nIIne, the brother had been arrest
ed for completely IN the murder OF
Keeny, and he also was taken 10 the
Fort Scott fail. where he died from con-
sumption before the date set for his
trial
About two months ago Bill West was
arrested IN North Dakota from desorip-
tons which We're sent out everywhere
by the United States marshal. A month
and four days ago he was brought 70
the Topeka jail by two deputy marshals
from Dakota They said that ives; bad
been a terror during his residence in
Dakota.
They credited him with two murders
and said he was regarded as a desperate
character by all OF his associates.
Bill West bears none OF tho earInsrks
OF the typical desperado. He IL a tall.
slender young man, rather good looking
and with a pleasant address. The only
feature which betrayS the devil which
is in him Is his eye. II Is keen and
and as restless as the
flicker OF birds wing. He - but -
years old. and his tough life has not
yet marked him with the brand Of
or vice
Sheriff kepley OF Shawn county has
offered a reward OF 800 for the capture
~ West and the attorney general Of the
United States has offered a reward OF
$500 These rewards will be paid on
the delivery OF West at any jail in the
United States.
IL - thought here that West did not
travel far south OF Wichita yesterday
but that he camped in some thicket on
the Arkansas river and waited there to
resume travel last night. II that Is so
he ought 70 be over the border n the
this morning