The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-26

little church had been signally blessed in
having as It's shepherd a man OF such Chris
tian resignation and absolute faith.
FLED DURING THE NIGHT.
Next morning a few of the faithful were
discussing the affair." ard, after roundly de-
nouncing the editor. had about decided to
call an indignation meeting to express our
faith in our pastor and our adherence at
the charges made against him. But a
change came over the spirit of our talk
when one of the brothers rushed breathless-
ly into our midst with the startling infor-
nation that Pastor West had disappeared
in the dead hours of the night
1T afterwards developed that West re-
tired as usual after the meeting OF whi III
and Mrs. West was kept up later than
usual. At II o'clock. when she retired, her
husband was sleeping calmly. When she
awoke next morning her husband was gone.
All his wearing apparel was just where II
had been placed when he retired. Then two
factions appeared. One contended that the
publication of the scandal had driven the
fpastor to suicide; the other that he had
/ taken flight and in so doing had made
confession of his guilt The rest of the
story is a matter of record. We now feel
that we are the dupes OF clever cTim-
nal. The shreWdness and daring with which
the crime was planned and perpetrated
were not outdone in his brazen efforts to
face his accusers and take advantage of the
mystery.
@As the real facts developed revulsion
OF feeling spread through the little COM
munity. Subscription papers were started
and funds raised to send detectives through
the country in search of the murderer. The
ST Louis end was closely watched and a
prominent citizen sent to the inquest
TO identify the body and tell what he knew
of the elQpement. One of the St. Louis de-
tectives came to Chesterton to watch the
parsonage, but no one has ever seen the
pastor since"
Mr. Taylor said he would know West il
he saw him. He was much disappointed
when he learned that his former pastor
was not in St. Louis, but arranged with
Chief Harrgan and Detective Niehle 10
Guthrie to identify the prisoner when he is
brought through that place en- route to 81.
Louis.
The story of Vests crime is told in de-
tail in the transcript of the evidence at the
inquest held over Susie Beck &Nhumed
corpse The cleverness with which the crime
was planned the implicit faith OF the VIC
tim in her murderer and the method re-
sorted to to cover up his guilt are detailed
in a strong Circumstantal chain of evil
dence. The inquest was held Aug. 3, 1887,
three weeks after the victims death. She
was described in the VolumtnouS records
now on file at police headquarters as Susie
Beck, alias Annie Abbott, twenty-foQr years
old. single and born in Indiana. a bakers
dozen or witnesses appeared before the jury
and nearly every move of West and ms
victim from the tixe OF the elopement was
traced with such accuracy that the jury re-
turned this verdict: Susie Beck alias An
ME Abbott came to her death at about 2
o clock a. m July is 1887, at No. 7l3 JEFF
ferson avenue, from the effects of arsenical
poisoning, and we, the jury. are of the
opinion that the arsenic was administered
to her by William Thomas Abbott West
alias Thomas Abbott"
LONG SEARCH FOR WEST.
West disappeared from st. Louis the day
after the funeral of his victim, leaving let
tiers that were intended to lead the police
to believe he had committed suicide by
drowning. Many efforts have been made to
capture West and several times residents
OF Chesterton have reported that they saw
a man answering his description, but the
clews, although generally followed because
of the rewards offered, have heretofore re-
suited in nothing. Detective Archambault
went to Canada and believed for a Time that
he was hot on Vests trail In July, 1891,
a constable at Osgood, Ind, wrote letter
to Chief Desmond nquiring whether Abbott
West was wanted for the murder of Annie
Beck, but nothing came of this clew, eX-
cept fruitless chase.
p!con of being Rev. W. t. West, the pris-
oner, j. G.. Williams. said My life is open
to he b PSP in County 70
vania. l was thirty-five years old on the
4th of last April. | left my mother when
1 was nine years old and my father when
l was twelve. j went to PottsVille. Pa,
and lived there until | was fifteen years old:
Then 1 went to Philadelphia and worked
for the American Wood Paper and Pulp
Company for thirteen years. rising from %
cents per day to the position of beater
me. l worked there thirteen years until
the firm failed. Sam Egolf. Spring City,
Pa, was my superintendent during this
time. He. is at present alive and can be
communicated with either there or at
Buena Vista, Va I then went to Buena
Vista, where MIR. Esxlf and | worked for
nine months, when cloudburst swept
away the building and the firm failed
II then went back to Philadelphia on q
visit From there / went West TO find my
sister Mrs. James Mclaughlin, whom |
found at Maryvile Mo. and made myself
known to her. When MY father died my
home, and so / did not know their where
abouts / stayed with her three months
and went back to Philadelphia, and from
there to Chicago on a visit, and from there
to Alpha, S. D., where ] farmed for nearly
four years. Then | went on the road sell
ing goods in the furniture line for Hugh
Menagh, of Alpha. then of Stopping county,
Indiana. / worked for him Off and on for
nearly two years. when / went to Mary
Vile Mo-, and saw my sister again, and
from there went to St Joseph, Mo. where
/ worked for Fred Squires as dairyman
From there ] went to selling goods on
street corners. and sold soap, bark and
electric spitfire for Sam T. Black. Of Kan
sas City. I worked my way to St Louis,
selling these goods, and worked for the st.
Louis car and foundry works. South Side.
l worked in the yard first, and then in the
machine department. This was two years
ago, and just before / came here. / quit
the car company in June and worked my
way over the Louisville q Nashville system,
selling goods for myself. the goods being
to Texas and to Seguin