The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-26
Fiendish Murder ola Paymaster
in Pennsy lEania.
Samuel Ferguson Dead, Com
panion Win Die.
WAS. DONE FOR MONEY.
Had $4,000 in Buggy to Pay
Men.
Dead Man Formerly Kansas
Contractor.

Washington. Pa, Sept. ga murder
and robbery occurred Friday afternoon
on the Middletown road about fifteen
miles from here. Samuel Z. Ferguson.
of the Ferguson Construction company.
of Pittsburg. was Instantly killed and
his secretary. Charles l. Martin. of
Cincinnati, was fatally injured.
The two men were driving along the
road in a buggy carrying $500 in cash
with which to pay off some of their
men employed on construction work
along the line of the Wabash road,
when suddenly an explosion of dyna-
mite in the roadway literally tore the
rig to pieces, killing Ferguson outright
and throwing Martin 200 feet, tearing
his left arm almost from the socket.
1t has been learned that two men,
supposed to be Poles. placed the dyna-
mite in the road for the purpose of
killing Paymaster Ferguson, and had
arranged to explode it by means of an
electric battery The satchel contain
ing the money is missing.
Two SUSPECTS are under arrest
Up to IL o'clock today there were no
further developments in the crime re-
sulting in the murder and robbery of
Contractor Ferguson on the West Mid
dletown road yesterday afternoon The
W. AA1Sh wiz WCAc as SuS-
poets were identified as Frank Francis
and Joseph Huston, former employees
at the Ferguson camp. They disclaim
any knowledge of the crime and say
that on Thursday night they slept in
AcClay'S school house, about four miles
northwest of this place, and on the
main road to West A1iddletown. They
say they can prove that they had noth-.
ing to do with the robbery of the tool
house, which was entered by the men
ho hat e.flF,
to death. The abandoned mine on the
Patterson farm, near the scene of the
tragedy which was supposed to have
been used as refuge by the criminals,
was closely guarded all night and this
morning was thoroughly explored with
out any evidence being discevered. The
searchers left satisfied that the mine
was empty.
Early today John Welsh. "A resident
of West Middfetown, found the satchel
in which Contractor Ferguson had car
ried the money. 1t was rified of the
roll of bills, amounting to about SO, 500.
Some $40 in silver were left in it; also
some valuable papers, coat, vest and
collar were also found but is not known
to whom they belong. They had evil
IDENTIFY been rifled shortly after the trag-
edy by the man who was seen by Louis
Liggett. the farmer working near the
scene. who guarded his treasure with a
drawn revolver and was allowed to go
unmolested for that reason.
Mr.. Martin, the bookkeeper of the
Ferguson Construction company, who
was in the buggy with Mr. Ferguson
and seriously injured did not rest well
last night and today was complaining
of pain in his side. The excitement in
Washington county is high and many
citizens formed independent armed
searching parties.
WAS FROM KANSAS.
General Manager Norton of the Fergu-
son company. does not think that the
suspects under arrest committed the
deed, but believes they know something
about it He is of the impression that
it was committed by someone employed
in the camp and that they are remain
ing in the camp in order not to excite
suspicion. The dead man was one of
the best known railroad contractors in
the country. He was associated with
his brother, F. NJ. Ferguson. in the
Ferguson Contracting company. the lat
ter brother being president of the COM
pany The Ferguson family came or
iginally from Kansas and a great deal
of railway work has been done in the
west bv the Ferguson company.