The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-28
Kornstett Had Made No Plans
TO Murder His Cousin.
LOOKS A DEGENERATE
Read Novels, Smoked Cigar
cites, Had Little Schooling.

bring about new theories and new subjects
of speculation and test in criminalogy
He Is only Is years old, and yet the
viciousness Of his crime is hardly sur
passed in any age or country. He talks
about It without emotion or remorse. lie
says ne confessed to an attempt to outrage
little Nora Kornstett and murder her IN
the hope that he would come clear.
He denied that he knew anything Of the
crime at the coroner's inquest. 4 second
sitting of the jury failed TO bring out
any evidence that would cr:mI1aIe any
one.
All that could be found out about It was
that the young girl left home on Monday
and failed to return that night or the
next day. A searching party was organ
lied and after half a days hunt found
the little girl in an old dLsused well near
where John Kornstett was blowing corn.
She was mangled and bruised about the
head and body. When taken from the
well she gasped and groaned piteously
and died within an hour. 1t was horri>
BILE spectacle and so enraged the citizens
of the neiglborhOod that the perpetrator
would have been lynched summary If he
could have been known. Suspicion drifted
from one TO another for day or two
but nobody thought of her cousin Jonr
He vas a quiet lad. who had never known
of the ways of men beyond the simple
life routine Of farm work.
And a harmless lad he seemed to be.
He was never known to have had a
difficulty with any one except his step
father, w. H. Sechler. now of WaukOmis.
That was simply a domestic rutfie that
comes to every boy on farm. All the
young mans criminal and disturbant ef
forts were told in the statement that
one day on the Sechier claim in Okla
homa step-father Sechler wanted the
young man TO milk seven COWS and the
boy, John Kornstett, rebelled. He was
soundly whipped once or twice and left
home
Many boy has done that and gone 10
congress. This being the criminal pedi-
gree of Kornstett he was not suspected
of the awful brutality that led TO the
murder OF the little girl.
After the second sitting Of the coroner's
jury, Sheriff Gillespie fixed upon the
young man as the guilty party and ques-
toned him. Notwithstanding his stout
story of denial at the inquest hearing, the
boy turned straight about and confessed
TO the crime The neaghborhood was
shocked and enraged and a mob was
raised to hang the quiet young farmer
who had. like flash, jumped to the deep
ried him here to avoid the mob and will
not take him away until the feeling SUBJ
sides That viii not be for some weeks.
WAS BORN IN HIM
When questioned as to why he did the
awful deed, Kornstett said he didn't know
unless it was born in him.
Il guess there was just that much
meanness born in me and had to get It
put"
Did you lay any plans to do this?"
mo. Never thought OF It till the girl
came to the field"
did YOU get scared?"
'Yes. That's the reason didn't finish
Killing the girl"
How did you feel after the crime7''
ndS Gil dlu VI GNeTgD
ibid you watch all the timer
Yes, except when 1 was asleep"
did you sleep the first night Of the
tnurder?"
YES; slept sound"
do you sleep now?'
YES, except when they make so much
noise can't"
Kornstett says he Is sorry, but he
doesn't seem to he afraid or ashamed to
tell everything he knows.
His face is without expression. There
never was frown or expression OF pleas
ure on his forehead. His eyebrows were
never contracted. His eyes are small and
leaden and his mouth barely closes over
his teeth. His hair is long and Of a tint
IKE That Of fax straw. lie is of German
descent. He was born near Peoria. Ill
dfteen ye1rs ago and came TO Harper
county year and a half afterwards. He
went 10 school part of three winters. He
never read anything but books OF reci-
tations.
did you ever read a novel?
'No"
Smoke cigarettes?'
'Yes. did: but quit"
Ever 80 10 church,"
''Not much.'
How long has your father been dead?"
''Six years"
kornstett's life has been the simple life
Of coy on Kansas farm. He knows
very little outside OF shat lie under
stands only the piainest statement. Prob
ably eght N ten months would cover all
MS schooling, and that was after the was
ten years old. He Is not bad looking. He
constantly runs his fingers through his
mar when talking, and keeps saying he
hopes he'll come clear"
4 NARROW ESCAPE
Thankful yDris vritta, b.. NJ A., -