The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-16
HIS HEART PIERCED
Wilsey HOlenbeck Shot Dead at
ROssville.
George Stout, Negro, Did the
Shooting.
OTHERS WERE IN FUN.
Crowd Enjoying Themselves at
StOut's Expense.
COlored Man Escaped After the
Murder.
OTHERS WERE IN FUN.

The village of Rossville. in this coun-
ty, was thrown into state of intense
excitement Saturday evening by the
murder of Wilsey Holenbeck by George
Stout
the shooting was the result Of IIolen-
beck and others imposing upon Stout
W no is a negro. TIE shooting took place
in restaurant. The white Inen were
enjoying themselves at Stout's expense.
Eolenbeck was the leader of the tor
mentors.
Holenbeck and Stout had both work
ed with the construction gang on the
Union Pacific and both We're well known
in Rossville. When Stout entered the
restaurant where Holenbeck and sew
eraI men were sitting, Holenbeck made
some sighting remark which was in
stantly taken UP by the rest
Stout appeared to take the matter
seriously, though it was evident that
the men were in fun. He backed toward
the door of the restaurant. Holenbeck
and the rest followed him.
Keep back" said Stout
The crowd pushed on and as Stout
| stepped through the door Holenbeck
sprang forward as if to catch him.
Stout drew revolver and fired at Hol-
enbeck.
"Oh,you're shooting blanks, are you?"
said Holenbeck and he continued to ad-
vance.
The second ball struck him. Stout
fired five shots and Holenbeck fell in
| his tracks. The negro escaped and no
| trace of him has been found. Holen-
| beck was shot three times. One ball
| struck him in the left breast and pass
ed through his heart and lodged under
his left shoulder blade. The second bull
let struck him in the back and the
third lodged in his arm. His lungs, liv-
er and heart were pierced by the bull
let's Stout was known as a quiet man.
John Fritz of ROSSville who is in To-
peka today tells the following story of
the murder:
George Stout has been working by
the month for farmers. He must have
had some trouble with Tom Mitchell
before for as soon as he came to town
Saturday evening Mitchell began to pick
on him. Mitchell was Intoxicated and
he got Holenbeck and together they be-
gan to make things lively for Stout
The trouble started in Stropps sa-
loon and Stout seemed anxious to keeI
out of any row and he went away into
a restaurant. When he left the res
taurant he went to Berky & Feltner's
saloon and Mitchell and Holenbeck
were there and they at once began tc
make it uncomfortable for the negro
Dick Feltner finally ordered the darky
to leave the place. He said he did moi
want any fight there.
STOUT said he would go and started
to back out. He backed through the
outside door with HoIenbeck following
him. When he got outside he drew {
revolver and commenced to shoot.
'I guess the first shot hit HolenbecI
but he did not know it for he said: oh
you can't scare me with blanks
AS Stout began to shoot he walked
back into the saloon and fired the thre,
last shots in the room. He fired five
shots altogether and then turned and
ran. All of them hit Holenbeck.
Holenbeck turned around and Somt
one asked him if he was hurt. He said
Yes, I am shot and walked about 1
feet and fell dead.
1T happened about 10 o'clock in th
night and Stout got away before an!
one knew what had happened
Word of the shooting reached Topek;
about eleven o'clock and Deputy Sheriff
J w. H. Williams went at once to Ross
vile to investigate.
Two negroes were arrested at juno
ton City Sunday evening but they wer
' not the right men and were released.