Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-04-14
MURDER MOST FOUL
Myrtle Hofmeister Fatally Shot By Fer
Fathers Hired Man.

Fathers Hired Man.
About 7 O'Clock Friday evening, the
9Th inst, at the home of VIM. Holt
mclster, a prominent farmer IN the
south part of Barton county, between
= and 8 miles southeast of Great Bend.
a farm hand named John Becker Tor
Bakery murdered Miss Myrtle Holt
melster, aged between Is and 10 years.
He and Myrtle and daughter OF Chas.
Barstow, a neighbor, were in the yard.
The girls were hitching up to go to
singing school. Becker wanted to go
along, but the girls objected' He was
working for Hohmeister, and had been
making advances TO the daughter but
had Been spUrned. He was between
40 and SO yerrs old, and of Brutal aP
pearance. Myrtle had a bride in Der
hand preparing to put ii on horse. when
he drew revolver and shot at her.
She ran to the house, followed by
Becker, who fired again as she ran.
AS she reached hef mother she cried
20, mother. save '>me?" The mother,
with an infant in her arms, stepped be-
tween the brute and his victim, but he
pushed her aside and as the girl fell to
the floor already mortally wounded, he
fired two more shots into her body.
iIe then jumped out of the window, ran
TO the barn and set it and some hay on
FIRE, and then skipped out. He dropped
his hat and the revolver as he went
through hedge. The gun was six
shot. and had four shots fired and two
still in it. Each of the four shots had
taken effect, and the victim died in her
mothers arms.
Ne1ghbors were attracted by the fire,
and quickly gathered from all points.
and by heroic efforts saved the house,
although all the other buildings were
consumed. The authorities were notl-
ed, and possess imediately organized
for a man-hunt.
Up TO Tuesday night, the 18th. the
fend was not captured, and there was
feverish spirit of uneasiness and dis
gust that such an inhuman brute still
remained at large.
- Wednesday morning the feeling
changed. The fugitive WAS caught
On farm near St. John Tuesday, a
boy went to a,stack for some hay when
a man crawlei out OF the stack and
asked how far it was to the nearest
town. He was stiff and sleepy, had a
handkerchief tied about his head, and
no hat. He asked the boy to get him
a hat, but not securing one, started off
into the Sand hills. The boy gave the
alarm, and in a short time several hun
dred men were out and on the fresh
trail. He was caught Tuesday even
ing and taken to 81 John. Word was
sent all over the neighborhoo1, and by
daylight Wednesday morning deter
mined but quiet farmers by the hun
dreds were gathering into town.
Word first came up that the officers
of Stafford county had him in charge,
but that a couple of hundred people hs
assembled and were determined tina
the fiend should be delivered to the peo-
pie of Barton county, and not to the
officers. Sheriff Aber started to ST.
John at'4 a. m. Wednesday. By p.
m. definite word reached Great Bend
that the culprit had been turned over to
Aber by the Stafford authorities at in
the morning, and that, in company with
John Dawson Aber and the prisoner had
started for Great Bend. By4 p. m. as
We close up the forms telegram was re-
ceived from Hutchinson that the sheriff
has him there in JAIL
FROM THE KI.ONDVKE