Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-10-08
DEAD PROBABLY A WEEK
POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AS KAN.
SAS FUGITIVE.
Ends HIS Life by shooting Sup
posedly when Hard Pressed by
Pursuing Posses-Body
Now at Red Cloud
Special to state Journal }

Hastings, Oct, The remains OF
Of Thomas Madison, the murderer Of
Mrs. Ada Wi liamson, her daughter,
ana her mother, in Smith county
Kansas, was found at noon yesterday
in ravine, thirty miles south Of
Hastings and one mile west Of Cow
els. by John Harpham,
The fugitive had been bounded so
seIy by various posses that he was
compelled to take his own life in
order to escape his pursuers, He shot
himself under the chin with 3Scali-
Ire revolver, and the bullet came out
of the left side Of the temple. When
found the body was in a horrible
state of decomposition and all evil
dence shows that he bad been dead
for ten days a box Of rat poison
was found in his coat pocket together
with an ear OF corn, which was half
eaten.
A letter in Madison's pocket was
found which positively Identities the
man found to be Madison.
John Ia! pham had been cutting
hay all morning on his farm and was
about to 60 home for dim I when he
n tic d that his dog was acting in a
peculiar manner down in a ravine
close by. He d owe his team into
the Iavlne and attempted to Call ii e
cog away, but the animal refused to
heed his calls and behaved more
wildly than ever. The dogs actions
he decided to make an investigation.
His first impression was that the dog
had routed skunk, for an offensive
odoT greete ] him before he had
reached the bottom of the ravine,
but knowing his dog would fight an
ami al IF that nature he bold made
way into the tall grass Of the raviue,
and there, amid tangled brush, twist
ed grass and broken brushes, he saw
the form Of human Lody, besmear-
eu tn clotS of blood, and apparent
ly all shriveleu, A closer inveSliga-
ton revealed that the dead man had
shot himself under the chin and then
curled up to die. His clothing had
absorbed nearly all the blood, and
his remains were terrible sight to
behold.
ithout further investigation Mr.
Harpham rode to Co Sles, VIII re he
n titled Coroner Han, who went to
the scene, viewed the remains and in
company with Sheriff Macarthur t. ok
the body to Red Cloud, where the re-
mains were quickly identified by
dozen people or more to be those OF
Thomas Madison, the much sought
for fugitive.
The body is now lying in the NOR.
que waiting TO be viewed by Smith
county, Kansas, authorities
The triple murder for which Madi.
son was com Delled to take III, life oc-
cured ON the morning Of September
10 a the Williamson farm, seven
miles south of Red Cloud, and grew
OFT OF love affair between Mrs
Williamson and Thorn Madison, WIN
was hired man on the farm. MIS-.
Williamson was suing for a divorce
from her husband and the case Was
to have been tried On the fatal day
at Smith Center, Kansas. Maids IN
attempted To COMPEL her to promise
to marry him, but she would not en-
courage him. This angered him to
such IN extent that he killed her
with beam Of a corn cnlnvatur,
and then killed her daughter and
mother with the same instrument
He made his escape, but was hou d
ed 10 death by posses from the SIR.
rounding neighbOrho0ds The only
close relatives Madison has that are
known OF is niece at Deweese and
one at lnayale.
Rescue ShIDwrecked Nan