The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-27
ESCAPES A MOB
John KornStett Brought Here
From Harper County.
MOB WAS ORGANIZED
He Confessed to Numbering
Nora KornStett.

John Kornstett, who ravished and MUIR
dered his little cousin, Nora Kornstett, on
a farm near Anthony. last Tuesday, was
brought here yesterday evening to avoid
the fury Of a mob. Sheriff Gillespie ar
rived on the Missouri Pacific train at
o'clock with young Kornstett and took
him TO the county Jail. The boy made a
confession to the sheriff Sunday after
noon, and was Immediately taken to An
thony and slipped into the Jail before any
of the neighbors Of the little girl had
learned that he had been arrested. The
news soon spread. and by yesterday morn
ing there was evidence that mob was or
ganizing and would probably demand the
body Of the murderer last night. Acting
on the advice Of the best citizens, Sheriff
Gillespie took the boy to Harper early
yesterday and had the prosecuting attor-
ney Join him at Harper, where a prelim-
mary trial was given the prisoner, at
which he again made a confession, which
was taken in writing. The sheriff then
hurried his prisoner to Argonia. where he
took the train for this city.
CoRoNERs INQUEST.
A special from Anthony says:
Eat the coroner's inquest over the body
Of little Nora Kronstadt, found in a dry
well last Thursday morning, It developed
that a boy, John KrUnstadt, sixteen years
old. cousin of the girl, was the last per-
son who was near where she was last
seen. AS the girl had an errand with him,
having been told to see him by her mother.
and collect twenty cents which ne owed
her sister the suspicion Of the dastardly
crime OF attempted outrage and actual
murder was directed 10 him. He coolly
viewed tho lifeless remains of the girl.
attended her funeral and explained his
failure 10 help hunt for her when she was
supposed to be lost, by saying that he
was working for wages and couldn't af-
ford 10 lose the time. Other things, with
these facts. made Sheriff Gillespie think
that he was the murderer, despite the
confidence Of the family of the murdered
girl IN the boys Innocence With a dep
uty he went after the boy Sunday morn
ing. and found him visiting the family
OF the murdered girl. The sheriff took
the young man to one side and subjected
him % a rigid questioning Of the process
known as sweating" and the boy oou-
fessed that he had been angered by the
girl asking for the twenty cents, had
choked her to insensfbihty, then attempt
ed TO outrage her. Failing, he dragged
her senseless body to some trees where
he beat her head against the trees, then
threw her down the deserted we'll. The
confession was repeated in the presence
Of witnesses. and the boy also told his
stepfather OF his commission OF the crime
The sheriff hurried his prisoner to An
tflony and locked him up. Later he took
him out, presumably to Harper, where It
was expected that he would take the early
morning freight to Wichita with his pris-
oner for safe keeping until the next term
of court
It Is rumored that party of twenty
farmers from the vicinity OF the crime
were in Anthony last nighs, determined to
save the county the expense and trouble
Of q trial as well as summary avense
the death Of the girl. but being
unable 20 find the criminal, returned
quietly TO their homes. The feeling IN
town and country is intense, and will not
cool down for many weeks. probably"
John kornstett Is only 16 years old, but
the brutality Of the crime proves that he
Is fend OF the worst sort. without the
least particle OF morality in his makeup.
The story of his crime was told to a re-
porter for The Eagle last night by Sheriff
Gillespie. Nora Kornstett, a little girl 10
years old. is the daughter Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Tony Kornstett, who live out five miles
southeast of Anthony. She was sent on an
errand last Monday a week ago to her
sunt's who lives about two and one-hllf
miles from the Korastett's. When she ar
rived at her aunt's there was no one at
home. John Kornstett, her cousin, was
working in a corn fed near the house and
the little girl was told that in case the
folks were not at home TO return By the
corr field and ask her cousin for - cents,
which he owed one Of the Kornstetts
The little girl did not return home that
evening. although her mother told her not
to stay more than an hour. Her failure
TO return occasioned no alarm, however.
as the two families are closely related
" MN SuG OlO HOT return next Jay TIE
folks went over TO see about it. and were
told that she had not been there. 4
searching party was organized and the
country was hunted over and over again.
Finally she was discovered In an old well
which had been dry for some time. She
was still breathing and groaning when
taken out. but died within half an hour.
The country was thoroughly aroused. but
no one could imagine who the perpetrator
could be. A party Of movers were sus-
pected, but the sheriff could not be con-
WINGED that they did the act and would not
arrest them although they were held and
questioned thoroughly. A Coroners jury
was summoned and held an inquest over
the dead body Of the little girl. but they
could not find sufficient evidence on which
10 base even a suspicion. After sitting the
second time they were as much at a loss
as at the first. After the jury wss dis
charged young Kornstett gan 70 be sus-
picioned. He was the only person who
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