The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-22
STRUCK GIRL
AND CAUSED
HER DEATH
Farmer in Sumner County
ConfeSseS TO Murder.
WAS IN FIT OF ANGER
Told NeighborS She Had Run
Away to Oklahoma.

Wellington, Kan. April 21.-John Cum
mings. u farmer. living near Portland
has been arrested. charged with murder
ing Anna Dishman. aged 1s years. OF Ar
kansas City, Kan, who worked in his
family as a domestic.
The crime was committed August IS
1893, and was witnessed by Cummings
wife and two sons. who have been com
PEELED to maintain secrecy in regard 70
the matter. The girl in some way an
gered Cummins. who struck her on the
head with a broomstick, it is alleged.
She was without medical attention and
died at the end Of five days from the ef-
fects Of the blow. Cummings concealed
the body in a straw-stack, and later
buried it.
Conscience-stricken for her part IN the
affair. Mrs. Cummings recently told the
county attorney the details of the crime.
and today Cummings confessed. He viii
plead guilty 70 manslaughter in the sec
ond degree. Cummings is IS years old.
prosperous. and he has borne a good rep
utation up to this time.
The Wellington Mail says:
Since the arrest OF John Cummins FOR
the murder of Anna Dishman. who mys-
ttriously disappeared I'm August. 1899. IL is
learned that the neighbors have been
talking about having the matter investi-
gated for three years. bat never had con-
suited any officers about the matter. A
meeting was once held at Mr Mcnhen-
Eys and there was talk OF employing a
detective; but nothing came Of the meet
irg. Since relatives have visited him fin
the county Jail Cummins refuses 10 talk
further with the officers or with stran-
gers, and says il is q relief to be In Jail
All he asks now. he says, is to ten his
story TO the court and rest on the mercy
and justice of the judge.
1t was announced this afternoon that
Cummins was acting on the advice Of at
torneys and would make a defense in
stead of pleading guilty.
Cummins had always stood high in his
immediate community and had for nina
years been a member of the a. Q. L. w.
lodge in Wellington.
County Attorney J. ". Ready says that
his attention was called to the probabili-
~ of the Dishman girl having been mur-
dered by an anonymous letter ne received
two months ago The writer Of the let
ter stated that many people in the neigh
bcrhOOd believed that the Dishman girl
was murdered and that if he could talk
With the woman he might be able 10 get
a clue He sent word 70 the woman 10
call on him when in town. He talked 10
her while she sat in a buggy in front OF
the court house. She showed him writ
ten confession Of the crime signed By
John Cummins. stating that he alone was
guilty and no other person had any part
II. the killing Of the girl
Having heard it intimated that the
y oman was crazy. the officers determined
-c be a little cautious about proceeding
against Cummins. on Saturday Sherif
shawyer, County Commissioner II. A
LOPEZ. and. County Attorney J. NJ. Ready
iroye TO Greene township and took din
9ei at Mr. McIlhenny's where they se-
-ured the names Of the people who knew
of the disappearance Of the
girl, and who had been interested in hav-
ng the matter investigated. After talk
ng with number of people the officers
lrove 70 Cummins' place and arrested
aim. His wifc was not at home. having
ONE 10 Wellington two or three days be-
ere and not returning until after her
husband was brought TO town. Cummins
wo boys. one aged II and the other Is.
we're taken aside separately. one being
alked 20 BY Loper and the ether by the
ounty. while their father was guarded by
he sheriff
When Mr.. Ready and Mr.. Loper com f
,ared notes ID was found that the two
ell
tory about the striking Of the girl. ard
ne same story that Cummins afterward
old
The boys aid not go as far as he did.
owever. having been sent away from
.ome before the girl died.
The boys stated that the family was sit
ing at the table eating when the Dish
nan girl spat in some dish she was
ringing 10 the table. This angered Cum
rims and he grabbed a broom. throwing
at her endways as she ran. The broom
aHdle struck her On tie head and come
lood flowed frim the wound. she was
nocked down by the blow.
The boys both stated that they went %
.rkansas City with their mother the next
ay and were gone three OF four days
ne girl was not dead when thcy left
one rut she was IN bed and her head
.as badly swollen.
when they returned from Arkansas
lty the girl was missing and Cgmmins
ld his family that she bad pm away
.th a movers wagon going 81 Oklahoma.
IS the girl had often threate1ed 70 rua
way this story was readily believed
espiciou was afterward aroused usintg