The Red Cloud chief., 1903-09-18
Triple Murder
in Kansas
Mrs. Eliza Payne, Mrs. Eda
williamson and Matte
Williamson Slain.
missouri Tom" Madison,
the Murderer, Still
at Large.

One of the most shocking tragedies
in the history of this section of the
country since the Indian massacres
occurred Tuesday night in Smith
county, Kansas, about thirteen miles
southwest Of Red Cloud. Two women
and a girl Of thirteen years lie dead as
a result of the insane passion of one
man for the wife of another man.
The victims of the tragedy are Mrs
Eliza Payne, aged 81, whose husband,
II. II. Payne, died last April; her
daughter, Mrs. Eda Williamson, aged
81. and Mrs. Williamson's daughter,
Matte, aged IL.
All the evidence points to Thomas
Madison, a farm hand in the employ Of
Elmer Spurrier, Is the perpetrator of
the terrible crime.
So far as a be learned, Madison,
who has been working for Elmer
Spurrier this season, had become in.
fatuated with Mrs. Williamson and
had persisted In paying her lover-like
attentions. Mrs. Williamson has been
separated from her husband, G. 8.
Williamson, for about three years, and
was suing him for divorce in the
courts Of Smith county. The trial Of
the case had been set for Wednesday,
the day after the murder. 1t il said
that Madison had urged Mrs. William
son to marry him when she had
secured q divorce from her husband,
but this she had declined to do.
The house In which the tragedy &C.
CURED Is q two-room stone structure,
separated from another like structure
by only a few feet. The two buildings
had formerly been connected by a
log structure, which has recently been
torn down. The foundation for a new
home had just been completed a little
way to the northeast Of the old home.
and part Of the lumber was on the
ground.
In the building to the east was a
kitchen and a bedroom, occupied by
Mrs. Payne, Mrs. Williamson and Miss
Williamson.
The building to the west was occu
pied by Frank Bozarth and wife,
brother-in-law and sister of Mrs.
Williamson.
The method of procedure followed
by the murderer showed that the crime
had been carefully planned and execu.
ted. Tuesday afternoon Madison had
been hanging around the Payne home,
claiming that he wished to see Frank
Bozarth. Madison tried to persuade
Mr.. and Mrs. Bozarth and Mrs. Payne
to attend a watermelon party to be
given Tuesday night at the home of a
neighbor, j. W. Corbett, but they de-
clined. 1t is evident that he wished to
have them out of the way in order that
he might have As little interference as
possible in carrying out his murderous
designs against Mrs. Williamson.
Sometime during the night or early
morning the murderer entered the
room where the three ome were
sleeping, all in n bed. Armed with
the "shank" Of a c%ultivator, an iron
bar about eighteen inches long, the
murderer made entrance through an
unlocked door and proceeded to
wreak his vengeance on the object Of
his unrequited affections. A single
blow from the weapon used woult
have been sufficient to cause death
but the murderer did not rest unit
! he had beaten the heads and counte
nances Of his victims into unrecogniz
able shapes.
The murder was discovered abou
6 o'clock Wednesday morning b.
Frank Bozarth. When he entered tn,
house he found his mother-in-l law, Mrs
Payne, and his niece, Matte William
son, lying on the bed in a pool O
blood. Mrs. Williamson could moi b
found.
The little girl was dead, but Mrs
Payne was still breathing, though un
conscious. Gordon Payne, who live
about a quarter of a mile north of tn
scene Of the tragedy, was immediatel
notified and vent to the home of hi
mother. After a few minutes searcl
Mr.. Payne found the mutilated bod,
Of his sister in a small hollow abou
a hundred yards east Of the scene O
the murder, where she had evidentl
been carried by the murderer In an al
tempt to conceal his crime.
} Sheriff Agnew, Of Smith Center, wa
Immediately notified of the TRACED,
) IS well as Coroner Billy OF Kensins
. ton. DIR. Morrison of Womer wa
summoned to attend TO the injurie
} OF Mrs. Payne and make an attempt
I revive her in order that she might b
able to give an account of the tradeg
/ and name the IL noSs;hl