The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-23
MRS. NICKUM LIVED
IN DEADLY FEAR.
Continued from First Page.)


what did Mrs. Nickum think OF
him ?''
"She seemed to think he was a nice
little fellow, at first"
The witness identified the axe and
knife which were found in the room
with Mrs. Nickum.
did you see a lamp on the fioor?''
Eyes, sir; it was on the floor; lit
tie round hand lamp tipped over near
the door of the room"
What lamps were burning?"
zone in the kitchen and one in the
pantry
Saw a Man Go In.
David w. Flemming was called. He
is a jeweler who works for ]. NJ. Blitz.
He testified that he was walking down
morning of the murder
He said he left the store about $3.50
O'Clock, and had to attend to some
business up town. Before he finished
He lives over in the east part of town,
and went down Fifth street to go
home.
AS he approached the Nickum hotel,
he saw a man standing at the corner
of the hotel. who started toward him,
and then turned up onto the porch of
the hotel, and after some difficulty,
opened the door and went inside
In response to questions Flemming
said: He opened the door and walk
ed in. 1t took him some time to open
the door. Then he looked around,
and walked into the office. I saw Mrs.
Nickum in the Office. She was walk
ing toward the rear room. She stop
ped and looked around kind of sur
prised.''
What sort of a looking MANI"
"a tall man, wearing a light over
coat and black derby hat"
could you see his face?''
HE was a white man. and had no
beard. I couldn't see Whether he had
a moustache." -
Did you see any trains in the
yard"
81 didn't see any passenger trains"
w. F. Rodgers. one of the transient
boarders of the Nickums was the next
witness.
where do you live?" asked Mr..
Hungate.
Il live here as much as anywhere.
I am a machinist- The last place I
worked was in Kansas City. 1 have
never been here before.''
How long had you been at the
Nickum house % 500 t4i-s
-Four nights before that Saturday
night of the murder :
did you have a job ?"
mot then. I have got one now. 1
engaged my room from day to day,
because was expecting to be sent out
of town on some Santa Fe work"
What time did you get in that
About half past IL. I didn't wake
up until I heard someone calling, Get
up. something has happened
'fWas the door locked when you
came home that night?"
mo, sir
John Murphy. fireman on the Santa
Fe, was called. He had boarded with
Mrs Nickum for fifteen months. He
works nights and was absent from the
hotel from $50 Saturday until 1880
the next morning. He was therefore
absent during the time of the tragedy,
f<~,,e 0c1r
Policeman Frank Hendricks was
called.
ayes, sir. Sergeant Darby called
me. They were running, and I fol-
lowed them g. yex viz .asa.s...
did you look oyer, the premises? ?"
Eyes, sir"
was the back door open or
closed %
s'Shut and latched, but not locked
"How about the back gate % g.
what was the condition of the
fastening?" -
''It was unfastened. The staple
which fastens it was lying on the 2x4
by the gate, on the fence. Miss Nc
Lain went out with me with lamp.
] am not sure I saw the staple there
the first or second time I went out.
MAKE any examination for tracks q
i
'See anything indicating that any,
body had climbed the fence %
"The only thing 1 found was lit
tie scar on the fence at the west SIDE
on the inside"
"How about the coal house? %
"The dust on the window ledge was
undisturbed."
Did you hear Mrs. Nickum say
IT thought I heard her ask to be
helped up
Josiah Ross was called. He is city
detective. He arrived at the Nickum
by examination that the back gate was
OPEN but found no scars on the fence.
.FWas the side door locked?' he
was asked.
sit was" he replied.
Grace McLain Recalled.
Grace McLain was recalled. She
was chambermaid at the Nickum.
''where did you and Mrs Brown go
that Saturday night?"
down to my home at SIS Cham
der"
.sWho suggested it?''
ct wanted to go down to get some
things and 1 asked her to go along"
what route did you take?"
"Out the back door, through the
back gate, and then down Adams
street to Fourth street. We went down
Fourth on the south side to the Santa
Fe tracks and then crossed over to
the other side"
Glow long were you at your
home?''
about an hour
''Who were at your home?''
''My father and mother"
do you know anything about Mrs.
Browns history?''
mo sir
''Why did you ask her to go?'
"I didn't want to go alone"
Ibid you stop on the way back %
I'VE stopped at little confectionery
store to get some candy for Mrs
Nfckum.''
"You came in the back way?''
Eyes sir
WAS the gate open?''
ct don't know. Mrs. Brown went