Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1897-09-18
FleldsIlGaTlate.
The Notorious SlaffIsDacls
Charged with uuTdsE
after muTdel!
Shafts at 0alena Being Searched
for Bodies of Their Victims.

1t developed during the trials Of
the notorious Stafilebachs in the
district court at Columbus this
week that murders without number
have been committed by this gang.
Cora Stafflebach. wife of Geo. Stat.
flebach, has told the officials that
Ed. and Mike Stafileback a few
months ago murdered two girls
and man and threw them into an
old shaft near their hOvel. Acting
on this story force of men was
put to work TO clean out the shaft
she designated. A pump was put
in and the shaft was cleaned out.
but no bodies were found. II is be-
lieved she was mistaken in the
shaft, as there are several old holes
near by, and another will be search
ed-a few yards away-for the body
of peddler alleged to have been
thrown in there before the murder
of the two girls. This is the shaft
out of which some bloody clothing
was taken Tuesday. The only ex.
PLANTATION of finding these things,
other than the supposition that
bodies are there. is that these shafts
have been used as receptacles for
the articles used in connection with
the Galbreath murder and as n gen:
eral dumping ground for as tough
n residence district as there is in
any part of the state.
A special dispatch from Coluni.
bus Thursday said: The county
Jail is crowded to the doors with
criminals of all descriptions. in.
cluding nine murderers of first de.
gree. The Jail is small and inse-
cure, but is guarded by large
force of deputies. II was rumored
Tuesday night that mob was
coming from Galena. When in
formed of this, Mrs. Wilson. mother
of the Stafllcbachs, tainted for over
an hour, and Ed. and George Stat
flebach spent the entire night on
their knees in prayer. Other GRIM
inals were uneasy and restless, as
they believed the mob would not
confine its attentions to the Staffie-
back family.
Mrs. Wilson is trying TO get Geo.
Siaffleback TO make an open confes-
sion of all his crimes. but the man
refuses and the officers say that his
confession would be open to ques-
tion. il made. for the prisoner has
acquired the reputation of being
the worst liar the jail has ever held.
sheriff Forkner says the vigi-
lantes will not probably succeed in
getting the men they come after. as
he is prepared for their coming in
various ways. The scheme of the |
sheriff, in all probability, is TO re-
move the prisoners TO some hiding |
place, which he can do on twenty |
minutes notice. 1t would be ex-
tremely difficult TO arrange sur
prise party from Galena, owing to
the distance, nineteen miles, and
the fact that the sheriff has men in
GaleEa looking out for the interests |
of law and order. Nothing is ex-
pected TO occur unless more victims |
of the Stafilebachs are discovered,
and even then il is doubted in Co.
lumbus whether public sentiment |
can be brought To a head sufficient.
ly TO result in demonstration"
The work of investigation goes
steadily on and there is absolutely
no doubt that bodies will be found.
Word from Joplin is to the effect
that shafts on the Oswego ground
will be drained in search for the
body of an old soldier named Ru-
dabaugh, who disappeared while
the Stafflebachs were living at that
place.
The metropolitan press is full of
all kinds of reports concerning the
different crimes charged to this
h h=llish gang.