The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-08
NOT FIT
FOR EARTH.
John Gilbert, Who Murdered
His Whole Family,
A Weak Minded Brute Almost
irresponsible.
A NATURE PROBABLY
The Heritage of Generations of
Ignorance and Imbecility.
Talks In a Rambling Manner
discriminating Himself.
Lacks the Sense to Tell Con-
nected Story.
A Weak Minded Brute Almost
irresponsible.
A NATURE PROBABLY
The Heritage of Generations of
Ignorance and Imbecility.
Talks In a Rambling Manner
discriminating Himself.
Lacks the Sense to Tell a Con-
nected Story.

John R. Gilbert, the Clay county muir
derer, is still in the county jail. Sheriff
Cooper feared to take him to Clay
Center because of threatened mob vio-
lence. He takes things in a matter Of
fact way, but appears to realize fully
everything that transpires. He con-
verses in a calm, even tone and becomes
confused only when talking of the ter
rible crime which he undoubtedly com
mitted
Gilbert is five feet seven inches in
height. His head is of the bullet kind
and his reddish brown hair is thick and
coarse. His complexion is what is called
sandy and his short growth of beard
shows yellOwish red. He wears a thin,
struggling mustache, which is almost
white. His features are sharp, and his
nose is rather long and pointed. He has
no chin to speak of. His eyes are pale
blue and they are surmounted by heavy
white eyebrows. The voice that comes
from between the lips is not unpleasant.
Gilbert's hands very large and they
are scared and hardened with work.
Deep cracks extend aeoss the fingers
such as are found only on men who
labor out of doors. 1t is evident that he
has not been given to idleness, but the
face is one of the lower order of hu-
manity The brain IS small, and it is
not difficult to see that it's pOssessOr
would act from impulse. He would not
be picked out as murderer, but rather
as a ShiftleSS individual who has been
knocked about from one place to an
other, always working hard, but never
accommodating anything.
There is no doubt whatever that Gill
bert killed his wife and four children.
though he now says that he did not.
In conversation of a few minutes he
will calmly discuss the manner of their
death and will afterwards add: THAT
is what l said to the people at Emporia,
but it is not true" He wears a striped
shirt which is despatched with blood
on the sleeves and body He wore this
shirt when he murdered his family.
How did you get that blood on your
shirt?" was asked.
He glanced at one of the wristbands
of the shirt, which was red with blood
stains ana a half startled look came
into his eyes. "Oh, that is from my
hands. You see they are cracked said
he. Then 1 cut my hand going through
a hedge. The blood is from that" He
then seemed engrossed in thought for a
moment, but an effort to draw his mind
to some other subject failed. He was
still thinking of the blOOdstains and evil
IDENTIFY concluded that his explanation
was lame. I killed some game, too, ,"
he said, looking up.
You had a gun then?"
Yes, 1 took a shotgun with me when
! left home and 1 shot some rabbits
] went along"
What did you do with the gun?''
Il laid it aside before 1 got on the
train at Marion
The murderer abandoned his horse
when he was less than ten miles from
home and Travelled the distance to Mar
ion on foot, sleeping in the day time and