The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-11
KUNz IS BETTER.
Makes an Important Statement
to Sheriff Lucas.
Recognized Croft as One Of His
Assailants.
HE WILL SEE HECK.
May Also Be Able to Identify
Him.
Victim Tells a Piteous Story Of
His Appeals.

The county officers are now certain
that Cal Heck is just as guilty of the
assault on W. F. Kunz Sunday night,
as John Croft, who confessed to the
crime.
Heck's clothes were examined on
Tuesday afternoon and blood splotches
were found in half a dozen places on
one of his trousers legs. Blood was
also found on his handkerchief. Mart
O'Donnell, a chemist, made the ex-
Heck, however, denies insistentiy
that he was mixed up with the deal in
any way, shape or form He says
that Croft is a liar, and names all of
his accusations as fabrications out of
whole cloth. He was sweated last
night without success.
Sheriff Lucas went to Christ hos
Kunz, and secured a lengthy verbal
statement which presents consider
able valuable evidence.
Kunz says that he was assailed by
two men, one of which he recognized
as Croft. He said that if the other
man is brought before him, he can
probably identify him. Sheriff Lucas
will take Heck out to the hospital to-
night.
Kunz's story is a pathetic one. He
says that as he came to the alley, where
he was attacked, two men advanced.
One grabbed him by the throat and
incapable of crying out. He says he
was carried through the gate. At this
point his captors loosened their hold
momentarily and he said to them:
Boys, don't hurt me. Take every
thing you want, but don't hurt. Just
let me go unframed
At this his assailants only treated
him more roughly than before. He
says ne was carried into the barn and
struck on the head, after which he
remembers nothing.
An examination of Kunz's coat this
morning shows why the robbers were
not bloodied up more than they were.
They folded the coat over Kunz's
head and then struck the blows, in
this way preventing the blood from
SCATTERING
County Attorney otis Hungate will
wait until Kunz's condition changes
decidedly before he will take his next
step. It is impossible to take a dying
statement from a man as long as he
sure that he viii recover.
Consequently the date for the pre-
lIrninary hearing of Gron ana Heck
has not been set. Croft was ques-
told practically the same story as in
his confession, only adding q few
more details. In all instances, how
ever, he accused Heck of being the /
Heck will be sweated until he
breaks down. The fact that Kunz
says there were two assaIlants and
because blood was found on Heck's
trousers and his handkerchief, make
the county officers feel sure that he is
guilty. He has been allowed no out
SIDE communication with anyone, and
will not be given such opportunity, |
until he confesses.
According to Sheriff Lucas, Heck
has a pretty bad record back of him.
He has been mixed up in numerous
scrapes and has been in the police
court. Croft has a similar cloud hang
ing over him.
If Kunz does not die, the men will
naturally be tried on the charge of
assault with intent to kill If con-
victed on this, their sentences viii
probably be indeterminate, to be an
nulled according to their good be- |
havior.
In an account Of the assault on
kunz. the Ottawa Herald gives an in
terview with Heck's father, who lives
in Ottawa The clipping follows:
Heck has been in Topeka for near
" q year, working for the Missouri
and Kansas Telephone company. He
Il the youngest son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank Heck, of Ottawa, and was
raised here. Frank Heck said today