Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-11-28
DR.. GARFIELD DECLARES He
KILLED DONEGAN WITH AN AXE
On witness stand the Accused Tells the Story of the Tragedy
-Swears the Tragedy Was the Result OF a GUAR
rel. During which His Victim Attempted
to Strike Him With q Wrench.
PLACED THE BODY IN A SACK AND THREW It INTO A GREEN

about Two years afterwards. He then
went to Texas and afterwards return
ed to Mexico, and there married Mol
lie Payne, and moved back TO Texas
but returned TO Mexico, where his
wife died. Once again he went back
10 Texas and married. He lived with
his wife two years, when she obtained
a divorce, charging that be was adj
dicted to the opium and whisky habit
He afterward returned to Missouri.
He saw Denegan, he declared, In
Kansas City last spring, and he Done
GAM had induced him and his son to
accompany him to Oklahoma. He
said Donegan and he q%uarreled along
the road and that Donegan would not
let him have any blankets at night or
any oyercoat while he was provided
with two.
NIGHT OF THE TRAGEDY.
On the night Of the tragedy, he said,
Donegan refused him admission to
their cabin. He said he went in any
way and kept the fire burning. Done
gan put him out, and he tried to
sleep in their wagon, but was too cold.
He went back to the cabin, built up
the fire, when Donegan picked up a
wrench and attempted to strike him.
Gartrell said he seized an ak, hit
Donegan on the head and killed him.
He said he was going to bring the
body to Butler, but lost the way and
concluded to bury it. Donegan, he
said, had $500 on his person, which he
took.
DR.. Gartrell also testified that he
had been a physical wreck and addict
ed to opium and whisky.
R. E. Hisey, a liveryman Of Mexico,
was called. lie said he knew Gartrell
and said that he once shot into a
crowd at Mexico and killed a dog. He
asked him next day why he did so,and
Gartrell said he had no recollection Of
the matter.
r. j. Muir, of Mexico, also testified
that DR.. Gartrell shot into a crowd at
Mexico and told Of other circumstan-
ces.
A. b. Cluster and 5. b. Newell, from
Mexico, were next called and told Of
irrational acts OF the defendant while
he lived there. Insanity experts viii
E be on the stand tomorrow.
! Court adjourned until 0 O'Clock Fri
b day morning.
VI HISTORY on THE TRAGEDY.
On March 10, 1901, ID. b. Donegan, Q
: Colorado gold miner, started from
Kansas City overland to Oklahoma
Donegan owned a fine travelling outfit
y well equipped, and was going to thu
n promised land in Oklahoma, which
y would be 0 open for settlement.
While In Kansas City he formed thu
is acquaintance of Doctor J. L. Gartrel
and his son, w. P. Gartrell. He tolC
them of his contemplated trip, ant
D. they asked to accompany him.
n This Donegan readily consented tc
E. and on the 10th OF March started fror
Kansas City and travelled due soutI
n along the X. c., P. s. G. r. r., through
N Cass County, and on March IS campet
% within a few miles Of Amoret, in west
S. ern Bates County. The spot was abou
b four miles north of Mulberry Creek il
a deserted log cabin. The night wa
+ very cold, and they built a fire in tn
le cabin and then put up for the night
Doctor Gartrell claims they quarrelei
le with Donegan that night, and be re
re fused to let them sleep in the cabi.
with him.
le lis son WAS ASLEEP.
NJ GartreIl also said that at the tim
le Of the quarrel his son was asleep, an
ID heard nothing Of it, and knew nothin
~ about being ordered out Of the cabi
&c by Donegan. Gartrell says Donegal
ATTEMPTED to drive him out Of th
Sc cabin. He refused to go, and Donega
~ came to drive him out, and, he says, h
" hit him somewhere on the head. ID
1n Gartrell charges self-defense, and hi
IL plea will be along that line, althoug
ey insanity may be introduced as part {
the defense.
a Next day, Doctor Gartrell says, b
w and bis son, w. P. Gartrell, drove I
Mulberry Creek, near a ford, and pu
IN the body in the creek. They threw
over a steep e%mbankment In rather
)h secluded spot. When the heavy raiT
-es came along in April, the body washe
NJ down the stream about a quarter Of
an mile. Lester Nichols, a ~12-year-oI
boy, and some Of his companions, wei
OF fishing about April IS and discovert
it.
he DoNEaAg's BODY Is FOUND.
f. b. Nichols, the father Of the bo
zee had seen Donegan and Gartrell +
'es gether, and recognized the BODY
that Of Donegap. Officers were mott.
&c ed and also the police In Kansas Cit
and Gartrell was traced, as he be
taken the team back 10 Kansas Gil
ne and sold it, together with the wage
ne and camping outfit.
OF Donegan had $500 On his person whe
IL he started from Kansas City, but nor
OF it has ever been found.
MS W. P. Gartrell, son OF DIR. GartreI
no made a confession fastening the erin
me- upon his father. He says his faith
zen split Donegan's skull with an ak. I
says he awoke in the night after Il
killing and while Doctor Gartrell "
standing over his victim. The YOU
man declares he said; "My Go
father, what have you done?" al
that the father replied be had kill
Donegan because they needed /