The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-05
HIS ACTIONS QUEER
Peoples Reckless With Money
Before Killing Mclaughlin.
He GAMBLED AND WON
Although He Played Without
System or Caution.

". 1. 1eOPleS lot HuIuef-4ileItSt :
because it reveals the condition of man
who believed that his home had been
desecrated. 1t shows a peculiar reckless
ness and mind seemingly understand
ing that the interest men have in the
world had left Peoples two days before
the murder. Mr.. Byers said:
II am a lawyer 1 know J. T. Peoples.
Have known him since 1885. remember
the incident of the killing. was sick at
the time, but heard the news the same
day 1 was with Peoples three days prior
to the killing. The last time l saw him
was the day before, with Floyd Phillips,
on Broadway, and spoke to them. I saw
Peoples on Tuesday before the killing
/ met him talking 20 some gentlemen at
BARRIERS saloon. Peoples walked down
the street with me. We went into a
gambling house, at Peoples suggestion.
We sat at the faro table. 1 was a specta-
tor and Mr.. Peoples was at the label
We took two or three drinks together.
Mr.. Peoples played recklessly. but things
came his way and he won. We left the
place after midnight Peoples took the
money he won and showed it in his peck
ct. On the street be fumbled the money
Then he counted out some and gave it
TO me. He dropped bill and told me to
spend it. Then he asked me to walk
around. He seemed nervous. He got
within sight of home and then said he
guessed he would go in"
For the defense he testified as follows:
We had TO climb a stairway TO get into
a gambling hall. 1t was wide open and
q blind man could find his way in Peo-
pies gambled recklessly. Peoples would
win and say: don't want TO win your
money, anyway He dropped two bills
without any knowledge Of it. I never
knew him to be in the condition he was
in that night before. It is unusual for a
man to spend his money in a reckless
manner. While in the gambling hall he
ordered champagne for all the tin horn
gemblers in the hall. 4 gambler in his
senses. 1 presume, goes TO win money,
and not to throw his winnings away"
Again, for the prosecution, he said that
from the manner he played cards and
gave his money away he did not know
as to whether the defendant was intoxi-
Gated. I was not in a position TO know
whether he was able to handle his money.
I thought he would lose it. the way the
money was being handled"
E. w. Barnes was the next witness,
who testified as follows:
Il know Peoples. I remember the kill
ing of Mclaughlin"
He was asked what business he was en-
gagged in al that time.
4 don't like to answer that question, as
it might incriminate myself I saw Peo-
pies the evening before the killing.
saw him the Tuesday or Wednesday
night before that He was on Broad
way, in a building upstairs. Alonzo Byers
was with him. He was playing faro bank
and roulette. I saw him take some
drinks. He left there after 10 o'clock.
He won over S1OO while there. I don't
know how much he drank, but he ordered
drinks for all present. Ny opinion is that
he was drunk. l saw him when he left.
but don't know who went with him. 7
met Byers thirty or forty minutes later
in front of the building. | next saw Peo-
pies the next evening or the second even
ing after that. 1t was before supper. He
was on Main street, on the north side of
the street. I think it was the night be-
fore the killing. I was going west and
Peoples was going east. We began talk
ing. Something was said about the even
ing. or the second evening before that.
He asked me how much he won or either
l asked him how much he won Then he
said. I didn't have a cent in the morn
ing. He said: i gave it 10 Byers to
keep.
Answering questions for the defense, he
said:
The kind of gambling he did required
no skill. He did not display any judgment
while playing. Sometimes he drank and
sometimes he did not. When I talked to
him about his money and when he stated
that he had given it away. he laughed
G. w. Limerick then took the stand.
He testified as follows:
Il know the defendant and saw him on
the morning OF the killing at the foot of
the stairway at the Lion store. He spoke
TO me and called TO me by name, and L
passed on. / saw him after the killing.
at the jail on the same day. He was in
the corridor of the Jail. I asked him
what in the world he killed that man for,
and he said: That man insulted my wife
I told him 7 didn't think he was jusu-
fed. and then he said: You come down
here TO condemn me?' I told him I did
not Then he asked me 10 sign his bond.
and 7 told him I would. Ny judgment is
that he was sane.
For the defense he stated that Peo-
pies was not i'm a cell when he saw him.
The question Of his sanity or insanity
did NOT enter my mind -
The witness was then excused.
DR.. John Fee testified as follows: Il
am physician and surgeon. I have
been brought IN contact with people
who had mind disease. / had charge OF
the insane ward of the city hospital al
Kansas City Tor seven years
lie was asked Take a man who IS
married and has a wife and seven chill
dreu: who has been married ten years
and has lived peacefully with his family:
who goes home and finds his wife not a.
home. but is informed by the servant
that she has gene 70 "a neighbors with
another man. ne asks her i he has been
iu the habit OF calling, he thereupoa inn
mediately leaves the house and comes on
down town. forming in his mind that tire
word Of a servant is not sufficient con-
vicuou: he walks with his partner, talks
over business. later goes 10 q saloon;
thence To % gambling house and wins
money. is drinking an intoxicated. he and
his frieud 50 away and when they 80
down stairs he grabs his money. and la
ter tGrns over a portion az u Go his
friend. then ne goes home, on the next
afternoon or the following day he met
gambler saying that he didn't have any
money when he woke I'D. but gave II 10
q friend on Thursday he sees his wife
and NcIaughiin out walking then he
goes In his office. that evening ne goes
home and gets his Vliise and his gun.
osteusibly 10 50 away an trip he leaves
the house: boards the train. gets or 81
Southtown and then walks home; when
b. arrives there ne goes into the rear ~
The house aud remains Dnlii BE- sees Ac
Lausiilin Tass. q short time later De sees
him walk into the yard, s- f6at tine ~
leads his gun; Acizu-hiin fails 81 sa-n
lflrsittanee. bsst disappears. BE- then sees
iate the house and asks Where IS thnt
man and she replies Vhere Is ~ mae
here's he looks sround and sits down end
begins - cry. 81 tells his vie that aE
his caught her hath LsK anti riGGt SIZE
coufesSes and BELTS him that MrL-aas shin
y-osid XIII him. inst sne had never heea