The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-30
N DENSEST MYSTERY
Is EnShrouded 0klahama
City's Murder Case.
INQUEST ON NULKS BODY
Shows Robbery the Motive
But Reveals no CuIprit.
INQUEST ON NULKS BODY

~ed IN broad daylight ana within nile
Of the city limits, the murder of old man
NuIk remains as deep a mystery as
though shrouded in impenetrable, Stygian
blackness. The last seen of the old man
alive was yesterday afternoon. when ne
drove past the Orickyard west of town
and was recognized and spoken to by
two witnesses who were in charge of a
Deputy United States marshal It was
not more than half an hour later that his
team was discovered trOtting along the
highway without a driver and in the bot
tom Of the wagon his crushed and bat
tered head, covered with a macintosh,
was the body Of John Nulk.
About o'clock w. J. Pickard, / farmer
living twenty-one miles northwest Of the
city, accompanied by his hired man, Mart
Horn, were coming TO the city with a
load Of wheat and had reached a point
about three miles from the city north
west when they saw approaching from
the east 4 wagon and team trotting with
70 driver. Mr.. Packard alighted from his
wagon TO stop the team. At the same
time James Chester ran from his home
for the same purpose. The team was
caught and in the back Of the wagon lay
a man with a macintosh wrapped about
his head Unwrapping the overcoat, the
arties were mortified to find man dead,
MS head Gaping with terrible wounds
and his hair matted in blood hat soaked
the floor of the wagon. The team and
wagon was driven 10 the city. the dis
coverers Of the CHASTITY find accompany
ing.
1t was some time after the parties
rachel the city before tire coroner could
be found, so that an authorized investiga-
ton could be ebgun. In the meantime
several neighrbors Of the dead man identi-
fed the body. In the wagon was found a
package wrapped in druggists notion
pink paper, a sack half full of wheat, a
horse collar, a suspender buckle, white
hat and black macintosh The body
Of the dead lay on its back with its head
TO the rear of the wagon The hat, a
white one, was lying near, but no blood
marks appeared on it
The body was taken to an undertaking
establishment and closely examined.
over the right eye were two parallel cuts
about an inch and a. half in length and
an inch apart, slanting perpendicularIy
The blow that made these wounds crush
ed the skull and undoubtedly caused
death. The right ear was cut and torn
as though by a blow and behind the right
ear was a bruise.
The removal of the body disclosed other
things Under the body was found an
iron bludgeon that was square on the end
and had a round handle. This bludgeon
weighs about six pounds and with it a
terrible blow could be dealt The square
end of the bludgeon was bloody. About
The three last fingers of MIR. Nulk's right
hand was a rubber band. No marks on
the bondy were found.
The clothing of the body was searched
and the following articles were found:
A copper cent, a paper sack, containing
four cigars, a sack Of candy, a package
OF smoking tobacco, a bandRna handker-
chief, a few staples and nails. After dis
closing the facts related above the
coroners jury adjourned until 9 o'clock
This morning.
The coroner's jury reconvened this
morning and number of witnesses, in
Guiding the members of the murdered
mans immediate family, were put
through a rigid -cross-examination by
County Attorney Taylor and the assistant
county attorney, II. E. Mitchell. but with
out developing the slightest evidence that
would throw ray of light on the mys-
terry. 1t was shown by the testimony,
though, that when he left home yesterday
morning the old man carried on his person
a watch, consisting Of an Elgin move
ment and gold-hlled case: a leather purse
for carrying silver; a match box and a
pocket knife-all of which articles are
missing. His pocketbook. IN which he
usual carried bills and papers. and which
was first thought to have been taken by
TIE murderer, he had left at his home
The reported differences between Nulk and
his family were found to have been great
" exaggerated. ard Mrs Nulk testified
she was positive that her husbands rela-
tons with his neighbors were pleasant
and friendly. The cOroner's jury is still
IN session, but County AtH rney Taylor
admits that the investigation 50 far has
simply been a drag-net AFFAIR. with the
hope Of catching a clue of some kind that
would form a basis Of & more systematic
investigation.
At the outset there were three theories
family trouble. revenge. robbery. The
testimony before the coroner's jury this
morning disposed Of the first theory and
the second was discounted by Whit NJ
Grant, Nulk's legal adviser, who emphat-
tcally denied that his clients removal
would in any way affect pending law
suits This leaves the theory Of robbery
as the remaining motive Of the crime
and il is on this line that the legal arm
Of the county IS now at work.
oklahoma City IS running over with
suspicious characters since the advent Of
the Frisco railroad and every strange face
Is suspiciously Scruunized. 4 general
rounding up of these characters has been
recommended, even though ii only &C
complishe the purpose Of Riding the city
Of an undesirable and obnoxious element.
One arrest has been made thus far on
suspicion A young man rode into town
on faded black poney which ne seemed
anxious 70 sell and. which he finally dis
posed 81 to a horse trader for an old
watch and s. in cash. After the trade
blocd was discovered on the saddle The
young fellow was arrested ct the Choc-
taw depot. where he had bought a ticket
for Fl Reno. There was blood on his
hands, but he explained the circumstance
by stating that he had the nose bleed and
wiped his fingers on the saddle. His
story Is generally accepted. bat he X SIN
held as a matter Of precautiou-
SO far but one clue has developed and
that is furnished by Deputy Mnt-shal
Heck Thomas. who was coming 10 the
CITY with TWO witnesses. 4 short distance
west OF the b-ickyard they met Nuik.
whom the witnesses recognized and smoke
10. A few moments later they met a