Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-08-02
Murderer of Frank Kahler at
Des Moines Receivers His
Reason and Will Be Tried
HIS CASE is A STRANGE ONE
After the Crime He Was Sent to The
insane Ward in the Penitentiary
Where After Six Years of Convict
Life He Suddenly Acquired His Rea-
son-capitaI Gossip.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Aug. 2.--After six years
and half in the insane ward of the
Iowa state penitentiary at Anamosa
John W. Stone, of Sioux City, is to be
returned to this city perfectly sound
and sane to here stand trial on an in
dictment for murder in the first degree
in the killing of Frank w. Kahler. In
his fathers shoe store January g. 1898
1t is practically assured he will be ac-
Quilted on the ground that he was in
way he can secure release from the
pcnltentiary.
Stone had been standing in the store
and lad asked the proprietor, Charles
Kahler, for a drink of water. 1t was
near closing time and he was standing
near the front door. Suddenly he drew
a revolver from his pocket and rush
ing madly thru the store attacked
Frank Kohler. o popular young son OF
the proprietor. aooting him down, then
attacking OF .rs, shooting Thomas
Ariss in the arm and Cliff Chittle in the
foot. Thomas Smythe, another clerk
took the weapon away from the crazy
man. Kahler died in a half hour.
There was doubt about the insanity
of Young Stone. His father came with
en- attorney from Sioux City, and it
was found there had been insanity In
the family. and that 1t had been known
for some time that the young man was
unbalanced. He had been in the city
only three days and was total strang-
er to everyone in the store. He was IN
dicted but adjudged insane and sent to
the insane ward of the penitentiary IN
ten days after the crime.
A few months ago Stone suddenly
awakened to consciousness. He had
been a physical as we'll as mental
wreck from the time he was sent to
Anamosa. but had been gradually i'm
proving in health, and one day he be-
came very inquisitive as to where he
was and why. When he found that he
was in the insane ward at the state
penitentiary he was amazed and he
listened attentively and with astonish-
ment to the narration of the story OF
his crime He declares that he never
knew anything about the crime or that
he was in the penitentiary until this
.imS.
Stones story is that he lived in the
outskirts OF Sioux City with his par
en.s. and that he was frequently down
town late at night. that he had to pass
thru rart of the city frequented by
questionable persons, that as measure
OF protection, his father purchased the
revolver for him and he carried 1t. He
states that he remembers leaving
home in search of work and that he
went to Waterloo and Dubuque and
then to Des Moines, but he has no
knowledge of having killed Kahler. He
"a now in good health, and perfectly
sane and ne will insist on standing
trial. His father and mother have
since moved to Ohio and the father
will come here to see that the young
man is given fair trial.
Charles Kahler. the owner of the
store where the crime was committed,
he's since died and second son owns
and marriages it, Judge Conrad, before
ed and who committed him to the in
sane department, died several years
ego, and County Attorney Howe, who
prepared the indictment, succeeded
Judge Conrad on the bench and will
preside st the trial. While there was
great excitement at the time OF the
murder, because the murdered man
was very popular. yet there was not
any doubt that Stone was insane and
because of this there was no feeling
against him, and he will be given a
trial fairly. 1t was expected that when
Stone was sent to the insane ward at
Ananosa he would remain there until
death, and the fact of his recovery Is a
great SUI prise here.
The state of Iowa will receive about
$500 a month from the banks of Des
Moines in the way of interest of funds
in the hands Of the Des Moines bank
ers. The first reckoning OF the inter-
est under the arrangements made by
the state executive council resulted IN
the payment of $4,260.03. for six weeks
Of interest This was reckoned on the
basis OF $50 days, but the banks OBJ
jected and this month a rebate was
made on new figuring OF 36h days for
the wear. Sundays and all being count
ed for interest. This month they pay
g.. 39s.2s. which is the sum due minus
the rebate on last month. This indi-
cafes that the state VIII get about 81
500 a nlonth-thanks to the recommen-
dations OF State Treasurer Gilbertson
and Governor A. r. Cummins. and the
bill go-. through the legislature by
Senate Lewis % Clarinda.
The state treasurer's books show that
the state OF Iowa is being run on a
basis OF about Ss,00O,OGe a year The
receipts for the year ended April 81
in the general revenue, including per
capita at the state institutions. was
s3,17s,26464 while the warrants on the
general fund redeemed amounted to So,
3s1.4se,s4 The state gets from the d.