The indicator., 1904-12-24
WAS HE MURDERED?
Pitiful Ending of Thomas N.
Jones, an Old Pioneer of Bes-
semer and Valued
Citizen.

Trajectory reports concerning the
death OF Thomas n. Jones in
southeastern Kansas, November
tn. 1904, that the Indicator has
looked the matter up and finds
that the latest Supposition is that
he was the victim OF foul play.
Deceased was a resident OF Bcs-
semer for almost 20 years, and
during most of this time he con-
Quoted shoe repair shop. He
was a remarkably active man, al
ways cheerful and helpful to
those about him, and had host
of friends.
The following detailed account
is taken from a Columbus, Kan
Sas, newspaper, and throws light
on the subject, although as yet
the matter whether or not it
was murder has not been cleared
up. At any rate the fate OF poor
MIR Jones was a very sad one.
Following is the account OF the
death as related by the Kansas
paper:
Thomas n. Tones. an old time
citizen this county, was acci-
dentallv killed last night about
midnight by being struck by a
west bound train, one and a half
miles north OF Sherwin. All that
is known OF the accident is that
Mr.. Jones got off the 80 p. m.
train at Sherwin and inquired of
the station agent about the run
o the trains and what time he
could catch train for Columbus.
Soon after he disappeared from
the depot and was seen no more
until his dead body was ouud
near the track this morning The
body was but little mutilated.
The back of the head was crush
ed. left foot cut cut. and face and
arms badly bruised. His rela-
tives, r. NJ. Jones, living just west
OF Columbus Robert. living north
OF Shcrwin, and daughter. Mrs.
Francis, were notified. They had
the body cared for by Undertaken
EIough.
Deceased had for several
years been spending his time with
his children in Colorado and this
county He was 80 years, 5
months and p days old, The re
mains will be buried in the city
cemetery tomorrow, but at this
writing the time is not fixed.
New discoveries connected
with the death OF Thomas n
Jones on Wednesday night near
the Missouri Pacific tracks two
miles north Of Sherwin, plainly
indicate that he was the victim OF
violence.
About II o'clock Wednesday
night George Sanders, on whose
farm he was found. heard a
freight train putting to get up the
hill and thought it was stuck. a
short distance further on the train
stopped and the crew got down
and looked along the track. say
ling to some passers by they had
seen three figures and thought
they had struck one OF them. BY
the morning light Charlie San
| ders saw something beside the
track and in company with his
brother went TO it and found a
mans body lying at right angles
to the track with his head within
six inches OF the rails He was
barefoot. When their father
George Sanders. examined the
body he recognized Mr.. Jones,
Later Mr.. SauderS found the
shoes worn by the old gentleman
al a cattle guard 300 yards from
the body, as though set there
very carefully by some one. A
half mile further on Mr. Jones
pocketbook was found in another
cattle guard, empty. Mr.. Jones
had only recently drawn S42 pen
sion money and was supposed to
have about all of it,
An active effort will be made
to apprehend the cowardly crea-
lures who thus murdered a help
less old gentleman, and when they
are found they will get all that the
law can give them.