The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-21

Mrs. Baxter and her little girl were
sleeping together in the north bed room
Of the one story house. Mr.. Joseph
Baxter left home Monday for Clay Cen
ter on business. Patrick O'Reilly, a
waif in charge OF the Children's Home
society and bound out to the Baxters,
was sleeping in the south bed room. At
II o'clock O'Reilly, who had planned
during the day to kill Mrs. Baxter, slip
ped from his room and secured a ham
mer from the barn. He returned to the
house and noiselessly- entered Mrs. Bax-
terS room. He crept up to her bed,
where she was asleep, and struck her
a blow on her forehead with the ham,
mer Mrs. Baxter was awakened, per-
haps just before the blow fell, and
though dazed and stunned by the blow
and blinded by the blood which flowed
from the wound into her eyes and over
her face, she grappled with her assail-
! ant. --.
| Mrs. Baxter and O'ReilIy fought des-
perately for possession of the hammer.
Mrs. Baxter's little girl was awakened
and her screams added to the horror of
the scene. O'Reilly claims to be four
| teen years of age, although he looks
older. Mrs. Baxter is about % years
| old. The boy, who has done farm work
| for several years. is strong and was no
mean antagonist for the brave woman.
The two struggled in the little room
| for possession of the hammer. O'Reilly
fought Mrs. Baxter and struck at her
repeatedly with the hammer and twice
| it fell with crushing blows upon her
head One deep wound was made on
the top of her head during the struggle
! and another near her temple. Blood
| flowed freely from each of her three
wounds.
Knocked Him Down.
| Finally Mrs. Baxter gained posses
| sion of the hammer. She struck
| O'Reilly on the forehead and knocked
him down. She grappled with him
and overpowered him and while he
was daZed from the blow she held him
while her little girl brought a rope.
Then she bound O'ReiIly's hands and
| feet and left him on the floor while
| she telephOned to her neighborS for
help. Jerry Zircle and his two sons
telephone calls and soon O'Reilly was
guarded by half a dozen men and
Sheriff Lucas was summoned by tele-
phone. Sheriff Lucas and Jailer Law
Monday night, after Mr. Baxter had
left home, Mrs. Baxter was awakened
| by a slight noise in her room. She
awakened and saw O'Reilly standing
| by her bed.
what are you doing here?" de-
manded Mrs. Baxter.
''I sometimes walk in my Sleep
said O'Reilly.
manded Mrs Baxter. ST don't want
you wandering around the house this
way"
i When Sheriff Lucas arrived he
found the neighbors guarding O'Reilly
Lucas brought O'Reilly to the county
Jail and locked him up. After much
questioning O'Reilly told Lucas that
all yesterday he planned to attack Mrs
Baxter and said that his intention was
to kill her and then to take a horse
and saddle from the barn and leave.
Boy Is SuIIen.
O'Reillv was questioned at the conn.,
| ty Jail this morning by State journal
reporter.
.Where is your homer" was asked
| of O'Reilly.
'I have no home, came here from
Lees Summit, Missouri" he replied.
.Iow long have you been working
for the Baxters?'
| 1.-TWO months.
sWhere were you before that?"
ST worked a year on farm neal
"Did the Baxters treat you well?"
"Did you ever have any trouble with
them %
| mo"
ssWhy did you strike Mrs. Baxter
/ with the hammer"
| O'Reilly would not reply.
/ Did you intend to kill her?"
O'Reilly again was silent.
The prisoner is a light haired, fairly
good looking boy. He is very plainly
| but comfortably clothed He does mo-
have the appearance of being degen-
crate although it seems he must be
and the officers class him as such.
| Patrofman Oliver Wyatt says ht
saw O'Reilly on the streets in Topeka
here in charge of DR.. o. S. Morrow
of the Home society, awaiting a home
to be found for him.
When the news of the crime frs