The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-22
Judge a. L. Redden.

Judge Redden came home to dinner
feeling badly and intended to take a
dose of Abilena water. In an Abilena
bottle nearby where the Abilena water
was kept was a bottle o. silver polish
supposed to contain cyanide of potas-
SUM, deadIy-poison. He made no
outcry. but fell on the floor.
Marion Murphy, Judge Redden's
granddaughter, took up the bottle and
tasted of it, but spat out the liquid with
out swallowing any and will probably
recover, though she is very sick.
Judge Redden never spoke after drink
ing the deadly liquid.
A domestic employed in the family
had used the silver polish and it is
supposed poured it into an Abilena bot
tie without labelling it and with no
thought of its deadly nature.
Dead in Fifteen Minutes.
Judge Redden poured a tumblerful
out of the bottle and drank it. and
then poured out some for the little girl
and she refused to drink it because
she said it didn't taste good.
Judge Redden then walked into the
other room. and the rest of the family
tried to coax the little girl to take the
medicine She became sick from what
Sn6 naQ taken, ana VOmlted. While
the other members of the family were
giving their attention to the little girl,
Judge Redden was in the other room.
He was found sitting in a Morris chair,
unconscious, and in l 5 minutes was
dead. He did not speak a word.
a. Q. RoSSer, the druggist, who was
one of the first ones there says that the
action of the poison is such as to para
lyze the nerves and usually causes death
in from one to ten minutes
IN- II. ~,
Menninger were both called
In the old bottle in which the polish
was kept it was labeled poison, but
it is supposed the servant broke this
bottle and poured what was left into an
empty Abilena bottle.
Sketch of Judge Redden.
Judge A. L. Redden was a native of
Delaware, being born near Bridgerville,
Sussex county. He was the son of
William o. Redden and Margaret Can
non Redden. He was reared and edu-
Gated in his native state, taking up the
study of law in Georgetown, where in
the course of time he was admitted to
practice. He was elected to the office of
prosecuting attorney of Essex county,
the duties of which he discharged for
three years. He was sergeant of the
Second Delaware regiment in the civil
war. In 1870 he came west, locating in
El Dorado in January, 1871, and opened
law office, and has been identified
with the legal affairs of Butler and ad-
joining counties. He was at one time
county attorney of Butler county and
was otherwise honored while there. He
was prominently associated with the
Republican party, being a candidate in
1876 for delegate to the national conven-
ton. He was married to his brothers
widow in October, 1895 and moved to
Topeka in 1895.
Judge Redden formerly was quite ac-
tive in politics, serving eight years as
chairman of the Republican county
convention of his county, six years q
member of the state committee, two OF
which he was chairman, presided over
the state convention in 1880 and was q
delegate to various state and nationa
conventions.
Judge Redden was known as safe
counselor and a strong trial lawyer.
3 He had faculty of holding his client
age, representing many for 25 years
and continued as attorney for the sec
ond generation. He has given special
attention to criminal, real estate and
railroad litigation, and has been more
than ordinarily successful therein. lie
was the leading attorney for the de-
fense in the much discussed and fam
Gus Jessie Morrison case.
He has had an unusually extensive
practice in the supreme court having
briefed and argued 100 cases therein
and has been successful in 10.
He was appointed assistant attorney
general for Shawnee county two years
ago to prosecute liquor cases and wa.
unusually successful.