Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-08
STRANGE TALE REGARDING DEATH
OF ELLIOTT DUCK WORTH.
MURDER INSTEAD OF SUICIDE
CORPSE NEEDED TO PERSONATE An
INDIANA EMBEZZLER.
Duckvorth Was Shot in st. Louis on
July II. and Died Last Month
at the Blind Institute in
kansas City.
Has.

ST. LOUIS. Dec. THE Post Dispatch
to-day throws light on a mysterious shoot
ing that occurred in St. Louis on July
"a, 1897, and resulted in the death of FL
lott l.. Duckworth at Kansas City, kas-.
some time after that. According to the
story, came to ST. Louis from
Springfield. Mo. to meet Edward l.. Do
ling. an Indiana bank cashier. who, in Il
letter. had offered the former a remuner-
alive position. Before meeting Doing,
Duckworth, who had registered at the
Planters hotel. strolled out to Forest park,
where he was later found on the same day
badly wounded. with a bullet hole in his
head and a revolver lying beside him. 1t
was apparently a case of suicide. In the
wounded mans pocket was found j card
bearing these words: Il am Edward l..
Doing. OF Terre Haute. Ind. In case of
accident
Doing. II appears. was at that time want
cd for embezzling 10000 from a bank in a
small town near Terre Haute, Ind. He
disappeared about the time he wrote the
letter TO Duckwor;k. making the 81. Louis
appointment with the latter. Doing and
Duekworth. who were not acquainted per
sonally. m each other TO Il remark
able degree. The story goes on to say that
was decoyed to this city by
Doing and fatally shot. = card put in his
~ 'AN NHt 1885, -N-N~ 80 - 1850
the wounded man passed of on the police
and public as the missing embeZzler.
was taken home by his sister,
Mrs. Eva e. Hutchinson. OF Hutchinson,
Kas., he having revealed his identity. The
wounded man denied that he had attempted
TO commit suicide. and said he emb
nothing of the shooting. Doling, it is said.
Is still at large, ami the police of the In
diana town and those of ST. Louis are
searching for him one on the charge Of rm-
bezzlement and the other for murder.
Mrs. i. w. Texford, of Springfield. No.
n sister of F. L. Duckworth. makes public
the following letter, which forms an iTl-
portant connecting link in the circumsta
tai evidence in the case:
Terre Haute. Ind. June 6. 1897.
TO Elliott L. Drckworth, Springfield. No.
Dear Friend:-I have a good position for
a young man of your age in ST. LOUIS,
Mo. You have been recommended 10 me
by a friend. who says he thinks you will
ill this position admirably. II you think
you would like a good position. one IN
which yor will be given an opportunity
10 rise, l will talk with you. If you de-
eide 10 investigate my offer. meet me al
the Planters hotel. St. Louis. Mo-, a. .
O'Clock on afternoon of June II. Write
me. addressing ne care of the Planters
hotel. ST. Louis. Mo. Hoping for a favor
zane dISNtT. L TtildlU, your slUGtTe ITl-nu
and well wisher.
EDWARD l.. DOLING.
Mr. Duckworth passed away on Novem-
der IS, at the blind institute at Kansas
City. kas.. whittier he was taken by his
sister. Mrs. Hutchinson. HIS blindness was
The result of the wound received at ST.
Louis.
HUTCHINSON. KAS.. Dec. Especially
Mrs. Eva c. Hutchinson. of this city.
lsal-- - +. - ~.
Elliott Duckworth. was shot by Edward
Doing. About one year before the occur
renee of the st. Louis affair. Elliott Duck
worth worked several months at Terre
Haute. Ind, and il was no doubt then that
Doing saw him and recognized the strik-
ing resemblance TO himself.
On the day before he went to ST. Louis.
Duckworth vas in Nichols Junction, No.
lie was there approached by a stranger.
who handed him a letter addressed TO Eli
oft l.. Duckworth and signed by Edward
Doing. 1t was the letter requesting Duck
worth to come to ST. Louis. Duckworth
told the stranger he did not have the
money 10 buy a tickle to ST. Louis. .
II will furnish that" said the man. land
Doing will pay me back" He then asked
II Duckworth had q revolver. and after
ward bought il from him.. 1t was the gun
Duckworth was shot with. be-
lieyed afterward that the stranger was Dol
ing or his agent and that he had followed
TO St. Louis by the next train and shad-
owed him there until the opportunity came
10 DO the shooting. The whole affair was
evidently planned months before. and Dol
ing had obtained knowledge of Duck
worth's whereabouts.
Mrs. Hutchinson believes that this is the
the true story of the affair. Her brother
saw neither Doling nor the man who
searched him out at Nichols Junction aft
er reaching st. Louis. He was of a cheer
ful disposition. and was the last person
TO attempt suicide. He was physically Dol
ing's double. and the embeZzler wanted his
corpse 20 be found and the report sent
out that he himself had committed suicide.