The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-05


al evidence introduced in the trial of
Clyde Moore Wednesday was the con-
fession of sSlim." a prisoner in the
Wichita Jail, mention of which was
made last evening In substance Slim
said:
Since I made my first confession 1
have studied it over and I will give it
more straight and correct than before,
OF the murder of G. l. Wiitberger; It
Winfield, and 1 went to Shorty's"
house--as it was planned before to do
$3.50 as to keep hid and tsay in doors
that day. On the following day Q8th
morning when 1 and Shorty Mcfarland
went to the Santa Fe depot to meet
Moore and have a talk with him about
what was to be done. We talked
for some time Then Shorty and
went back to the house and Moore
came abOut-Say II or II o'clock a. m.
Then we started for the grounds where
the crime was committed. In going TO
the grounds We went up the Santa F'e
railroad and at the crossing of the
Southern Kansas we done some shoot
ing at fence post; and then went on
up the hollow, and got to our places
and hid behind some bushes-waiting
for the old man to come along. And
when he got about even with us [
jumped out and caught his team.
Moore Sprang to the side of the wagon
with his gun in his hand, and, putting
it to the old mans head, told him to
throw up his hands. He did not give
shot him in the head and killed him in
stantly. The old man fell forward from
his seat against the dashboard of the
wagon. Then Moore and l pulled him
back and searched his pockets. Moore
got his purse-which was a draw
string. That was all we got Then we
started the team: and then ran
down the hollow about $50 yards, likely,
- l.
south of Shepard's house, and 1 kept
down the draw to the railroad South
ern Kansas railroad) around the pond,
and met Moore over in the canyon south
Moore said that the purse had some
waybills or checks and about 81 in
money. We talked few minutes, and
1 asked him (Adoore) why he killed the
man. He said he did it because a dead
man couldn't tell no tales We again
parted, as Moore said that Shorty
would be waiting for him at the boat,
and he didn't want to be away from
the house long; for If people missed him
they would suspect or accuse him of
killing the man. And Moore started
east to the river. I went down along
a fence, and then along an alfalfa field,
on down the river, across a hollow,
where there was a Seapy spring, and
tried to wash my hands, but the mud
was SO deep that had to back out I
went up under the bridge, caught hold
of the rods and stopped a minute. Then
climbed on the bridge agad crossed over
the river. 1 went under the trussle
works of the railroad (F'risco) and fol-
lowed up along the side of the grade,
SO as not to be seen, and up through
the fair grounds on the east side of
one of the stands. and over to 'Shorty's'
house. There l again met Moore.
Shorty said he knew we got more
money than 81, and acted mad. We ate
dinner. Then. as it was about $50 p.
M. and we went over to the Frisco
got in a boxcar of ties and went to
Arkansas City. We stayed around the
Frisco depot until nearly dark, when
Moore said he would go up town and
get something to eat, and I went
around to the Missouri Pacific and
Santa Fe crossing to wait for Moore,
and when he came he and I went to
the south end of the freight yard to
catch a train south, but did not get
out until about $3.50 in the morning, on
the 18th. We stopped at Ponca City
about 1880 in the morning. I and Moore
went to get our breakfasts, and Moore
said he was going back to A. c. CAR
kansas City,. 1 left him about 10
o'clock a. m. for Perry, and have never
was planned by Shorty to be done on
the 18th, but we didn't get together
before the 18th.
Shorty said that he had been
watching the old man for month, and
he had seen him with lots of money,
and he would plan the work and har-
Dor US if We would do it and give him
one-third of what we got, which we
agreed to do"
The strongest reliance will apparent
ly be on the evidence furnished by the
footprints, which were traced from the
scene of the murder and which corre-
spond with Clyde Moore's shoes. Cal
Ferguson traced the footprints up the
ravine where the murder was commit
ted to the southern Kansas tracks,
which run east and west at this point.
From there they followed the embank-
ment of the railroad to the point where
it crosses the Walnut river They were
taken up again on the other bank of
the river and thence south. Mrs. Ella
Miller who lives near the bridge, testi-
fed positively that Moore crossed the
railroad bridge very soon after the
point to which the footprints have been
traced. On the other side, they were
traced past the residence of Mrs.
Smith, who will also testify to seeing
man also saw someone answering his
appearance when he first came up on
the railroad Cal Ferguson further tes-
tofied to the statement made to him
RANGES office, in which Moore told of
the moven entS of Belts and himself on
the day of the murder.
In this statement, Moore said that
Belts had the gun when they left Ar
kansas City, but that he took it be-
cause he could conceal it better. The
revolver which is supposed to have done
the killing was then introduced and
identified 1t is 4-caliber, with a
carved ivory handle and was owned by
Belts father, Charles Belts, Sr- On
xamination, Mr.. Ferguson said
Moore told him he and Belts separated
about l o'clock and that he came up
town and was in some of the stores on
Main street The murder took place
about 1 o'clock, and the defense appar-
emily intends to try for an alibi. The
states evidence will all be in today and
the defense will probably take but one
day and will try to prove an alibi-
SENT REFORMATORY.