The Topeka state journal., 1905-07-28
TRAMP Got the RevoIver.

tramp NIOI E1e fIeVOlVeTs
The body was found by the crew Of
eastbound freight No. 154, which pass
ed through Silver Lake at 5:49, and no
report could be made until the train
reached Topeka, when Coroner Keith
was notified and a telegram sent back
to Silver Lake. The conductor notified
DIR. Keith that a revolver was beside
the body. and that he had moved Moth
ing, but when two section men who
were sent to guard the body by Fore
man J. B. Haycock reached the body,
they found no gun of any kind. c. J..
McCoid, of Silver Lake, noticed an un-
dersized tramp going east past the sta
ton lust after the train had passed,
and it is supposed that he got the re-
volver.
There was no clue to the identity of
the dead man. and no writing about his
person except the note. written on a
fragment of paper sack Which was
found in his vest pocket, together with
a number of 38-calibre revolver cart
ridges. The spelling of the note was
very bad, and was written with a blue
indelib1e pencil but no pencil could be
found in the pockets.
l. Hayes, a farmer living quarter
of mile south of the plaee~where the
body was found, says he heard a shot
along the railroad about $3.50 last night,
but did not hear a second shot. There
are two bullet holes in the head of the
dead man, about two inches apart, and
three inches above the right eye. Brain
matter was oozing from both wounds.
The coat and hat were lying in a neat
pile beside the body, and the right hand
was rigid in the position Of holding a
revolver.
When Conductor Oder notified Coroner
Keith this morning, he stated that he
had examined the revolver, and that it
contained but one exploded shell, the
other chambers being loaded. Coroner
Keith is at a loss to account for the
second bullet hole, and will hold an
autopsy at $50 this evening at Shella-
barger's undertaking establishment to
search for the bullets. Although it
seems rather improbable that one bullet
made both clean-eut punctures in the
skull, it is possible, DR.. Keith says,
for the bullet to have turned and come
| out through the second wound after
piercing the brain. The wound was
badly powder burned, showing that the
weapon was held close to the head.
A. J. Rankin, of Silver Lake, is the
only man who remembers having seen
| the man before. Mr.. Rankin noticed
| him, with two others, sitting beside the
railroad near the depot at $50 last
evening.
The dead man was comfortably dress
ed in brown suit, black hat and clean
underclothing and shirt He wore q
| pair of overalls under his trousers, and
/ it was in the pockets of the under gar
| rnent that SIS of the money was found
| by Coroner Keith. The other money
| had been taken from outside pockets
| by section men at the instruction OF
Justice Ensminger of Silver Lake.
The body was lying on its back ir
the ditch about twenty feet from the
railroad, and bore no evidence of {
struggle. Very little blood escaped
from the wounds in the head, ant
death must have been instantaneous
| DR.. Keith is anxious to locate th'
revolver and confirm the story of th'
trainmen that only one shot had beer
fred from 1t. The Topeka police hav'
been notified to look out for the littli
tramp who is supposed to have takel
the weapon. Nearly box of 38-cali