The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-29
Murderer Of Miss Henderson
Believed TO Be Located.
He Is Traced to the Vicinity
OF Holden, No.
NEGROES STRUNG UP.
Three Of Them Hanged to
Elicit Information.
Prospects For Immediate Cap
ture Are Not Coed.

Kansas City No. Aug "a tele-
phone message from Holden, Mo, this
morning says that Bessie" Francis,
the negro. who outraged and murdered
Miss Mary Henderson on Tuesday
night. is believed to have been located
In a mine pit just outside Holden There
now seems no doubt that the murderer
is hiding ia the mines on vicinity, but
as there are so many favorable places
there in which he may secrete himself.
Francis may eIude his pursuers almost
indefinitely The information Of his ex-
act whereabouts was obtained by
stringing up three negroes who lived
in the vicinity of the Hyatt farm at
Columbus, where the murder took
place.
The murder of Miss Henderson was
one of the cruelest and most cold
blooded ever perpetrated in Johnson
county. The fact that it occurred in
the country made its commission easier
and escape of the murderer simpler
Miss Henderson was the twin sister
Of Mrs W C. Hyatt. and lived at the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. Hyatt, few
miles out OF Columbus which is off the
railroad and 40 miles south of Kansas
City Hyatt. who is a well known Here
ford breeder and formerly a prominent
Populist politician and his wife had left
Miss Henderson alone in the afternoon
while they went to the cemetery near
town to superintend the building of a
monument. Miss Henderson and "Bos-
sic" Francis. the negro, were the only
persons on the premises When the
Hyatts returned at o'clock they found
Miss Henderson lying in the yard. in a
pool of her own blood, and unconscious
from bullet wound in the head and
the rough usage she had undergone.
She had been assaulted and shot The
bullet had entered the back of her head
and come out at the forehead. She was
revived enough to say that -Bossie"
had entered the house about 6 o'clock
and grabbing her by the neck from be-
hind, begun to choke her. She had
jumped out the open window to escape
being followed by the negro, assaulted
and shot
The scene in the yard gave evidence
of terrible struggle. Soon after Civ
ing these details Miss Henderson died.
out In the lot fine blOOded horse was
found dead. 1t had been shot by Fran
els. apparently TO prevent the beast be-
ing used to follow him Francis had
secured good start by the time the
Hyatts returned Immediately after the
woman died the alarm was given at
Columbus A mob of farmers was
formed soon. and we'll armed began a
search of the country nearby. Because
0a Tie lack of wire facilities, the news
Of the murder did not reach surround
ing towns till after midnight. Then it
was telegraphed from town to town
and soon the whole county was in an
uproar. searching in all direc tions. The
most intense excitement prevailed eV-
erywhere and the smallest bit of infOr-
nation was eagerly seized upon There
was generally expressed desire to
burn the negro at the stake
suspects were reported under arrest J
but none proved TO be the right man
At Sedalia the suspect was only saved
from lynching By the prompt work of
the police. Later it was reported on
the best authority that Francis had
been seen near Holden. on the Missouri
Pacific railway He was believed to be !
In hiding in the outskirts of the town. I
and all day armed men hunted every
inch OF the ground for miles around
Miss Henderson was AZ years of age
She was timid. nervous temperament /
and easily frightened. Francis, who /
was - years old and who had worked \
on the farmafor five years was trusted 4
implicitly He was understood and as /
he had been TO the city but few times in /
his life, was considered unsophisticated. /