The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-17
DEAD NAN N l POND
Corpse Accid3a ally DiScov-
cred Near Perry,
EVIDENT CASE OF MURDER
Not Identified, 10 Date-FuII
Description Given,
EVIDENT CASE OF MURDER

Perry. o. T., Oct 16.-One OF the most
atrocious crimes ever committed in this
territory was brought to light yesterday
and the day before. A mover stopped
his team last Saturday afternoon about
2 o'clock to water it at an artificial pond
on Mr. Trumble's place, three miles north
Of Perry, and about 100 yards off the pub
lie highway. The pond is a tortuous, ir-
regular-shaped sheet Of water, and all
but a small portion OF the west side of
it can be seen from the road The mover
was startled TO see the CHASTITY face of
man and one hand sticking up out Of
the water. The alarm spread, and by 4
o'clock the coroner and the county at
torney and sheriff were on the ground
and the body removed from the pond.
1t was at once apparent that an awful
murder had been committed. The skull
Of the man was crushed in Immediately
behind the right ear, his upper lip was
cut and most Of his upper teeth knocked
tut. Two large cuts were on his skull
and there was q frightful wound in his
right side, exposing the viscera, and some
four inches in length. Yesterday after
noon, in the presence of 100 people and
the coroner's jury, the pond was drained,
and as the water receded the handle or
an ak came into view, sticking in the
mud near that portion OF the pond where
the body was found. The weapon was
be a boys ak, tolerably sharp, and had
evidently not been in the water long, for
It was not rusty. This is evidently the
weapon with which the crime was COM
mitted.
The following is a complete description
Of the man. and from his physical pecu-
iarities ought to lead to his identification:
He IS about twenty-five years old; about
five feet nine inches in height, and weigh
Cd about $50 or 1G0 pounds. He had on
ordinary undertaking, daTk-cOlored
shirt, cheap, dark overalls, ight-colored
socks, and an almost new pair Of shoes
His hair Is a reddish brown. He had
a two or three days growth of sandy
beard and a reddish, thin mustache or
some two or three weeks growth. The
eyebrows are heavy, and meeting. HIS
joint and a felOn, probably, has left the
middle finger Of his left hand with
round, club nail.
No money was found on his person.
The body was buried yesterday afternoon,
after being inspected by many persons
without positive Identification.
There is some evidence Of the crime
having been committed about a mile north
Of where the body was found. Bloody
corn husks were found along the road,
several pools of blood were found, and
there was also some evidence Of Strug-
gle on the ground. Many runOrs are rife,
hut nothing further at this time Is def
nitely and positively known. The cOun-
try is fun Of movers and strangers, going
in every direction.
The coroner's jury returned a verdict
finding that the deceased came 10 his
death by q dealy weapon IN the hands
pf a party or parties unknown and that
the killing was murder.
Guthrie, O. T., Oct IA special to the
state Capital, from Perry, says: The mu-
tilated body Of an unknawn man was
found in pond, three miles north Of
this city, on the claim owned by Mr..
Trumbla, by some broom peddlers, this
afternoon. The remains were brought to
this city. where they await Identified
ton. There was nothing on the body 10
disclose the identity. The man was about
thirty years Of age five feet ten inches
deceased was light-cOmplecte had light,
reddish hair, heavy eyebrows that met.
and a light mUstache. The index finger
If the right hand was off at first john.
and the middle finger Of the left hand
had an oVergrown nail sticking out one
haif Inch from end of finger The dress
vas black shirt, overalls and congress
CATERS. small piece of tobacco and
blue handkerchief was all that was found
IN the pockets Of the dead man. The
head and face of the deceased were bruis-
cd in horrible manner and were pound
I'd 20 4 pulp. the teeth being knocked
l.Ose and the lips mashed as with an AK.
4 knife thrust was found in the right
side. below the right breast. From all
appearances the body had been in the
water for nearly a week. Mr.. Godfrey
who ran a threshing machine outfit
thought the dead man was one James
Freeman who worked for him this fall.
Freeman lived In PottawaTOmie county,
and had about SO when he quit working !
for Godfrey. This is the only clue to the
Identification of the murdered man.