The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-01
Booth Case Is Attracting a
Great Deal of Attention.
Three Women in Jail Charged
With the Crime.
AN OLD MANS LOVE.
j. b. Booth, Aged so, WOoed IL
Year Old Marie Stanley.
She Is Supposed to Be Principal
in His Murder.
BODY FOUND IN WELL.
Head Had Been Smashed With
an Axe.
The Young Woman Arrested In
a Topeka Hotel.
Accused Profess Entire IgnOr-
anee of the Tragedy.
BODY FOUND IN WELL
Accused Profess Entire IgnOr-
anee of the Tragedy.

Ottawa, Kas, Feb. 27.-The murder OF
]. b. Booth, the aged lover of Mrs
Marie Stanley, who with her mother
Mrs. Mary Mccoy, and her sister, Bes-
sic Browning. are confined in the
Franklin county Jail charged with the
crime is still attracting great deal ol
attention. 1t is the most mysterious
murder that has ever puzzled the ofn-
GERS of this county.
Booth was killed on the night of Fri
day, January TO- on the premises OF stne
Mccoy home at 407 North Cedar street.
in Ottawa So far as is now known
Mrs. Stanley. the pretty young daugn-
ter of Mrs. Mccoy, was the last person
with whom he was seen alive, ana Slr-
cumstantial evidence points to her, as
the guilty person, although not YES
tige of direct evidence asSociating her
with the crime has yet Dee n, :, t tn re-
The widest conjectures also fail TO re
veal motive that would prompt Mrs'
Stanley to do the deed.
If it be true that Mrs. Stanley Is
guilty of the murder, all the evidence
that has been brought to light and the
details of the tragedy as exhibited by
the discovery point to the fact that II
could not have been premeditated. else
more care would have been exercised to
cover up the crime. 1t is an admitted
fact that anyone of sound mind wouio
not have chosen a well that was IN
daily use as a receptacle in which 10
conceal the evidence OF a trlghtIui
crime
Booth was a backwoodsman who had
removed from Terre Haute, Ind, d
decade of years ago to locate in Kan
sas- He owned some rugged land IN
the hiily part of Franklin county north
west of ottawa. He raised an uncer-
tain quantity of garden truck and fruit,
which he sold in the city He married
while he lived in Indiana, but his hrst
wife died. They were the parents OF
girl, who is married and who is now
living in Indiana. A son is also living
in the east
Last summer Mrs. Stanley first went
to ottawa. 1t was the early home of
her mother, Mrs. Mccoy but Mrs. STAN
ley had not been at home.
In his rounds in huckstering his
products Booth met Mrs. Stanley and
became infatuated with her. He was
nearly so years old, and had lived al
most alone in his secluded home for a
long time without pleasant associations
She was only IT, and had pretty face
and pleasant manners. He made more
frequent trips to town thereafter, and
forced himself upon her attention more
and more Finally only a few weeks
before his murder he traded his farm
property for little place about a hum
dred yards in the rear of the Mccoy
home. where he could be near the
young woman. He received in the deal
sum of probably over 5000 in cash.
That was before Christmas, and it is
common report that Booth had said on
numerous occasions that Mrs. Stanley
could have all his money. This state
ment was proven by the testimony
heard in the preliminary of the case last
week when testimony developed the
Iact that Booth was giving Mrs Stan
~ ley money in small quantities as fast
as she seemed to need it and made de-
mands for it.
Booth had an unkempt appearance,
and wore a shaggy beard, until the time
when, in accordance with the advice of
a friend to whom he had applied to
learn what to do to make a better inn
in no x1~rN-
man, he had it shaved off. His atten-
tions were received by Mrs. Stanley
perhaps because of the fact that in toll
Grating him she was able to secure gifts
of money and other tribes that were to
one in her financial condition of no
small benefit.
Mrs. Stanley was II years of age on
May 20 last Three years ago she was
married to the man whose name she
bears. She met Stanley while she was
living at Overlook. Stanley was an
energetic church worker, and was con-
sidered an excellent man. They were
married against the will of her mother
and went to live at Lawrence. Soon
after that Stanley was arrested on the
charge of larceny. Mrs Stanley be-
came disguised with him at that revela-
ton of his character, and left him.
STANLEY was acquitted at the trial, but
afterwards drifted west to California
and all trace of him has been lost
After Mrs. Stanley parted from her
husband she began life of toll and
worked here and there in hotels and
boarding houses until the time last
spring when she came to her mothers
home in Ottawa, broken in health and
unable to work
She had been under the care of a ply
stefan during the summer and had so
Ear recovered her health that soon after
Christmas she decided to go to Kansas
City or Topeka to look for employment
The fact that she was intending to
leave Ottawa on Saturday. January II. 4
the day following the murder was
known for two weeks before the time
1t had been no secret and all the neieh-
bors and friends of the family were
aware of the fact, and this may have
had something to do with the cause of
the tragedy.
THE DAY OF THE MURDER
On Friday afternoon preceding the
night of the murder, Chas. Schnert. an
acquaintance of the McCoys, was visit
ing at the Mccoy home. Mrs. Stanley
and her younger sister, Bessie Brown
Ing were at home. Booth wandered in
during the afternoon to insist upon Mrs.
Stanley attending church that night
where union revival service was be- 4
ing conducted Mrs. Stanley continued
her sewing and the packing of her grip
with the remark that she was to leave
Ottawa the following morning.
Booth 1oitered about the house for a
while and gossiped with the children,
and soon left to go down town to buy