The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-23

They became friends-partners in crime
and frequently inmates of the county
jail.
McLaughlin's wife, a pretty, robust
blonde, with a quick step and an all
business demeanOr, was as loyal to him
as the most devoted wife could be. On
one occasion, SO the story runs. white
launderied shirt was passed into the
Jail for Mclaughlin but before it reach
ed him. found in the pleats of the
starched bosom, steel saw. so small
it could hardly be observed, but keen
enough to sever the strongest bar of
that stone cage This produced suspic-
ion only, no more
The theory of the commonwealth
was that Frank Myers knew something
Mclaughlin and Berkaw did not want
disclosed something that had occurred
when all were confined in Jail. That Nc
Laughlin and Berkaw, who at the time
of Frank Myers escape were out on
bail had taken him from the Jail to the
Grand Central hotel in Parsons and
there murdered him and then taken him
by carriage, across the country to the
Neosho river.
Mclaughlin and Berkaw were arrest
ed charged with murder. John and Bill
Davis testified at the hearing before the
examining magistrate, that on the night
in question, Jake Mclaughlin and Wash
Berkaw came to the Jail at Oswego and
took Frank Myers away; This was
sufficient The old gray-haired magis-
trate, who had bound over more Grim
inals than any man l ever knew, held
that the proof was evident and pre-
sumption great land committed Jake
Mclaughlin and Wash Berkaw, with
out BAIL to Jail from whence they were
charged with having spirited away the
body of Frank Myers John and Bils
Davis, in time, reached the federal
prison al LeavenwOrth.
1t was on the 31st day of May, 1886. that
Jake Mclaughlin and Wash Berkaw were
arraigned before the bar of justice to an
swer for the crime charged against them.
This trial was the most remarkable in it's
no
oners played the leading role. 1 shall
never forget the scene in the little court
Bin Davis We're called to the witness
stand The officers in charge of the pros
ecutiOn were suspicious and expected a
surprise to be in store for them. The
Davis boys had been brought from Leao "
many and to the CONSERVATION of all, they
each said they did not see McLaughlin
that their former testimony in that re-
spect was false; that they We're telling
the truth now. Further questioning re-
vealed the fact that one of the attorneys
for the defense had induced the witnesses
to so testify, to tell the truth this time
that he had given them ten dollars cash
and had deposited in one of the banks of
Laughlin's wife. payable to the order of
John and Bin Davis, to be delivered when when
they had not seen Mclaughlin and Ber-
kaw at the Jail at the time they former
George Chandler former law partner of
George R. Peck. afterward assistant sec
lin the Eleventh judicial district at that
time He at once ordered the county at, at
Davis for perjury. After serving the re-
mainder of their terms in the federal
prison each entered plea of guilty to
the charge of perjury and were SEN
fenced to term of five years in the state
penitentiary-
Judge Chandler further directed the bar
to take action and immediately appointed
a committee of attorneys to inquire into
the conduct of the lawyer who had in
duced the Davis boys to tell the truth for
$500. Disbarment proceedings were insti-
tuted After a change of venue to Judge
Leander Stillwell at Erie. Kan, the at
torney was disbarred Seven years later
out of sympathy for the unfortunate law
yer. he was reinstated. but did not live
long thereafter
The trial. of course. ended in a verdict
of not guilty know no more concerning
Berkaw or the Davis brothers. McLaugh-
lin left the state and made his home in
Missouri One evening, several years af