The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-12
Young Woman's Frightful Ac-
cusaIion of Murder.
ACCUSED ARE DISCHARGED
While the Prosecuting Witness
Is Held.

On Sunday December, %, 1901, ChaS.
McHugh. Mr.. Wadill and Mr.. Johnson,
all prominent farmers and cattlemen lv-
ing near Curtis, Woodward county, Okla,
were charged, jointly. with two muir
ders, one information charging them with
the murder OF q man whose name was
unknown, on the 18th day Of September,
1901. and the other information charged
the defendants with the murder of a
woman on the 10th day of October, 1901.
The informations were sworn 10 by
Mrs. Bessie Finnen. the daughter Of
Mrs. WadiH The defendants were all
arrested by the sheriff of Woodward
county on Monday, December, Both, and
taken to Woodward, where their pre-
liminaEy examinations were set for Fri
day, January 5au, 1902.
on Tuesday. December 31st, the sheriff
Of Woodward county and the coroner
went to the vicinity where the murders
were said to have been committed and
with all the men in the neighborhood,
spent two days insearching for the bodies
of the supposed victims, ana evidence
that would indicate that any human
being had been killed. The information
! h9rged that the names OF the murdered
persons were unknown. The prosecu-
ting witness. Mrs. Bessie Finnell, is about
is years of age and eloped with the man
she married against the strenuous op-
position of her parents.
The parties were married Nov. BIRD,
1901. at Lipscomb, Texas, and immediate
" returned to the neighborhood. The
daughter then returned to her
parents to reside with them, but
was Informed by them that she would
be welcome without her husband and she
determined to return to her parents home
on the proposed terms.
At the preliminary examination the
! prosecuting witness testified this:
That her name was Mrs. Bessie Finneli
that she was IS years of age, was the
| daughter Of the defendant, Mr.. Wadill
that she was the graduate of high
school, and afterwards graduated at a
convent, that she was married on Nov.
! %. 1901. against the wishes of her parents
! that she was wei acquainted with all the
defendants. one of whom was her father.
| that one of the murders were committed
somewhere about the 18th of September
1901. the other murder on the 10th day of
! October, 1901 that she was well acquaint-
ed with the defendant, McHugh. that ne
had cattle and was looking after them
close to her fathers place all summer
that the defendant, McHugh. had been
keeping company with her up to the
nth of November, 1901, that about the
18th of September a quarterly meeting
was held mile from her home and Nc
Hugh took her to a meeting in a buggy.
! nh ,I,a ~ ar
night and when they arrived at pond
/ or reservoir, they passed within 80 feet
Of the DAM 1t was bright, moonlight
night, she saw six men on the dam; her
father, the defendant, Johnson and four
men unknown to her; she could see their
! faces plainly and just as they got within
/ 50 feet of the men, she heard one man
/ say" He's got to be killed" Her father
! father raised up his arm and shot the
man and he fell into the pond. Johnson
was the one who said. Hes got to be
killed She turned around to look and
McHugh pulled her around and said:
Tend to your own business" He did
not stop. but drove her to his home. On
the way they talked of ordinary topics
and neither one mentioned the murder.
she continued 20 keep company with Nc
Hugh attending meetings.. etc. The next
day after the murder, in looking in
trunk in the back room she found one
Of her fathers shirts saturated with
blood from the elbow Of one Of the
sleeves. down. That on the 18th day OF
October. 1901. Mrs. Johnson, the wife of
one of the defendants. sent for her to
come and stay al night with her. as her
4
got 10 Johnson's house about dusk; about
Q O'Clock, Mrs. Johnson said: hear
noise outside. the cattle have probably
broken out go along with me and see
She went out with Mrs. johnson and
found the gate broken down. They put the
cattle in, fixed up the gate. ana returned
TO the house. at which time Mrs. Johnson
said, It am tired. believe III make
cup of tea. Won't You have a cup
She made the tea and both drank cup
of ii. Within a few minutes after drink
ing the tea. witness felt as If partly par
alyzed and went TO bed in the back
room. tt seemed that she could not
move Vet the faculties were intact. she
could see and hear everything that was
going on She did not know how long
she lay there when she heard noise in
the front room. made by several persons
coming i'm. The door Of her room being
slightly aiar. she heard 1IcHushs voice
and heard him say We've got 20 kin
her This shocked her SO that she
came % herself at once. She got up and
peeped through the door and saw McHugh
holding MP a beautiful woman. dressed in
red six dress. trimmed With black
lace. her hands wee tied together. she
Had black eyes. but the witness would
not ne certain ary wsy. they were dark,
her hair vas dark and very Ions AR
Johusous wife and mother were sittins
on The bed ana looking en- a table
was in the mf5dle of the room and on
The table large lamp. Just as she
looked. johnson took up q large knife and
with a blade about inches long ana
stabbea her in the left breast and lsft
;hc knife sticking there McIIush cur
her hands loose as she was stabbed ard
she threw up her night hand ana ca her
1rfst VAS q beautiful bracelet THE
sight oc the murder ssczencd the VIII
ness So tle. size went hack II the bed
and isid deva. Tho next morning after
sha Sot tsn Sim SAW Tig layinE where
Tire woman had fallen and - she dia noL
gant a. te noticed moving & vth her
han.l she kickel e vtfh l-r foot aa1
saw clotfed h.oed on ire 1or asa
not teI " these u1anlsrs s1oatr baeause
lcr father lsas one - ille mea alf lca ts-l
e heceuse she Has afraid sue wo0'd -
fansa
shorty after the secons murder she