The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-28
UNFOLDS ADARK TALE
WILLIAMSON LAYS A COMPLETE
PLAN OF MURDER BEFORE HIM.
JORDAN INFORMS THE OFFICERS
SPRUNG AS A WITNESS IN THE
CASE NOW PENDING.
Tells I'm Detail How Murder was Planned
and How Mrs. Leonard Would Re
ward the Slayer of Her Husband.

and How Mrs. Leonard "ould he-
ward the slayer of Her Husband.
A great sensation was sprung in the
district court yesterday by County At
torney Davis.
1t was sensational testimony which
if not proven absolutely and entirely
false, viii send F. Marion Williamson
10 the penitentiary for his natural life
for the murder of Henry H. Leonard
If true, and stands uncontradicted
and it is apparently not susceptible of
contradiction, it exposes the most damn
able conspiracy to murder thatwas ever
planned in this state. It corroborates
the theory Of the Eagle all along since
the very day the murder was commit
ted.
In the afternoon after Mrs. Annie
Baker had given her testimony and
the court said. Mr.. Davis call your
next witness" that the county attorney
III a loud shril voice said: Michael
home went on the stand.
None but the initiated understood
the importance Of the name Of Michael
Jordan TO this case.
A veteran Of 81 years Of age, low in
stature frail in appearance and wear
ing the uniform of the National soldier
went on the stand.
The crowd watched the uniformed
little man raise his right hand as if in
the cat Of Saluting a superior officer
in which position he took the oath to
tell the truth. the whole truth and
nothing but the truth" in the case pend
ing, wherein the state of Kansas is
plaintiff and Marion Williamson is de-
PENDANT.
II will" said Michael Jordan, with
the precision Of a soldier.
What is your name?" asked the
county attorney.
Michael Jordan was the prompt re-
Spouse.
"Where IS your residence"
AT the United States National Mill
tary home at Leavenworth county
kansas"
'Did you know F. NJ. Williamson at
the soldiers home?"
81 did sir"
''When did you leave there?"
f'He left there in October, 1885,
Ibid you ever have any conversation
with him there about one Henry Leon
ard of this city?'
Eyes. sir"
."TeIl the court and the gentlemen Of
the jury what that conversation was"
4 buzz of excitement ran through the
audience and Immediately every sound
was hushed SO that Mr.. Jordan's entire
story could be heard.
Il had a converse ton with William
son." he said. about a month before
he left the Soldiers Home. It was
about Leonard. ! first got acquainted
with Williamson in what the men at
the Home cali castle Garden" We be-
came tolerable intimate friends. One
day he said to me You are a fellow I
think I can trust; we are old comrades,
and we belong to the same labor orga-
niZation. / know a way a man could
make $500 pretty easy Five hundred
dollars is a pretty good stake" said l;
how can il be made%
Well said he, there is an old man
down at Wichita named Leonard, and
know a party that VIII give $500 to any
one that viii kin him. l don't want TO
do it myself, and l don't want any
body 70 know that had anything TO do
with it,.
How about the money said I?
You VIII get it, said he. when the wO-
man who wants him killed gets the in
Eurance on his life That IS too long
10 wait said l. He then told me thar
old man Leonard was a little old man.
that he was struck on the woman and
always carried about $500 or more in
his pockets 90 show the woman, so THAI
she would get struck on him that much
easier. He said that if l killed Leon
ard l could take that money out of his
pocket and that ii would do ME until
could get the Insurance money. He said
also that he carried a great deal of mon
ey about with him on account Of his
business-thaJ it was a business he
needed ready money i'm. He said he
was a secondhand furniture man. He
said the killing could be done easy
that ! could kin him in the back yard
of his store; that there was a hiCh
board fence around IL and no one need
See the act. lie also said that he had
great influence over the woman: that
he could get her TO induce the old man
TO live out in the suburbs somewhere:
that he always rode out TO ner home
in little wagon. and that as he was
getting out Of the wagon 7 could strike
him on the head and XIII him. Either
that. he told me- or the woman would
leave the door partly open some night.
that ] could slip in and Kill him and
then take the body away in the wogon.
Mr.. Jordan then recognized the priso-
ner at the bar as the man Williamson
Whom he referred To.
OSS-ENAAIINED BY HEM.
What is your name
Michael Jordan.
Are You a native OF this country?''
Yes sir.
Where We're You hOrn2"
IN ONEIDA county, New York
Have You family2"
Yes. sir: / have a son in Texas"
Where s your home ,"
Al 'he National Military home,
LeaNgnWorfh county. Kansas.
- mere did you live before that?'
IN NaiE weston county, Texas"
N-h21 did You do there?'