The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-24
GIVEN A CHANCE.
Mrs. Vashti Cunningham to
Point Out Farm House.
Accompanies Officers In Car.
riage on Trip to Country.

At 2 o'clock this afternoon Sheriff
Lucas and Deputy John wilkerson took
Mrs. Vashti Cunningham in the sherin's
carriage, and started on a trip south OF
town. They took her out to see if she
could identify the farm house, several
miles from the city where the Cunning
hams claim to have stayed all night, Oh
from 10 o'clock at night until o'clock
in the morning of November 20.
Both Cunningham and his wife claim
ed to the officers that they spent the
night at a farm house, but they failed
to agree on a description of the place
The officers have been over the road
but have failed to find place where
the Cunninghams put up for the night
Sheriff Lucas refused to say where he
was going with the woman, but just be-
fore he started he said to Deputy WIKI
erson, Maybe a sight of the country
out there will refresh her memory, and
she can pick ii out"
Mrs. Cunningham said that the farm
house where they stopped was not more
than a few miles, probably four or five
from the city.
If they can establish that fact that
they were at farm house outside OF
the city between the hours given by
them, they will be practically cleared
of the suspicion that they had some
thing to do with the murder of Mrs.
Mary A. Nickum, which occurred be-
tween midnight and o'clock on the
morning of November 30. On the other
hand if the story about the stopOver
at the farm house is found to be moth
ing but a work of fiction, the suspic-
ion of guilt in the murder case will be
strengthened
AS the theft of the automobile has
been confessed, there would be abso-
lutely no excuse for fabrication con-
corning the time Cunningham and his
wife left town, unless there was some
other crime to be covered by such g.
statement.
This is the clue of which Sheriff Lucas
spoke vaguely yesterday upon his re-
turn from Independence. He said that
he had a lead which, if ii proved all
right, would clear the Cunninghams of
all suspicion in connection with the
murder case.
Sheriff Lucas had a conference with
Mrs. Cunningham today, and she
agreed to go with him and endeavor to
locate the farm house where she and
her husband spent the night. She said
that she was not sure that she could,
but would try. Shortly before o'clock
this afternoon she was told to get ready
for the trip, and Sheriff Lucas sent for
his team and two seated carriage When
the carriage arrived the sheriff and
Deputy Sheriff Wilkerson went out on
the sidewalk and Jailer Carl Lawson
went upstairs to get the prisoner.
Mrs Cunningham was ready and
came down through the office putting
on her gloves She was dressed in brown
and gray, and wore a white veil.
Without saying a word she walked
to the carriage where the officers were
awaiting her and climbed into the rear
seat Deputy Wukerson took a seat
beside her, and Lucas mounted the
drivers seat. They drove south on
Van Buren, street.
Cunningham, or Ferrand, is still sick,
and has the appearance of nervous
wreck The jail officials are inclined
to think that his illness is feigned, as
they say that he performed in the same
manner when arrested in Ohio for
horse stealing a number of years ago.