The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-01

---f DSeH maze Dy woman slipping
OF Stepping of the stone walk A large
box was placed over this mark so that
It would not be disturbed until the ar
rival OF the dogs. Measurements of this
imprint on the Iurf were taken and
they correspond with the size of Flora s
shoes.
A set of footprints. made by mems
SHOES, We're found leading from the
stone walk down just north of the barn
mentioned. These could he traced plain
~ with the eye west through a pasture.
/ Nothing was said about the discovery
Of these for the time being, so as to
keep the curious from getting into the
field and obliterating them.
Jury Gets Busy.
! While waiting for the bloodhouuds.
/ which were expected hours before taey
| arrived. Coroner Taylor and Sheriff Bar
I rett impanelled a coroner's jury and an
| inquest Of the murder was started
] Thesed men were pressed into service on
/ the jury: NJ. NJ. Haskin, James Wolfe,
I E z. Knox, James Van Vliet, George
Z Van Vliet and E. r. Leopold They be-
I gan their sessions shortly after o CLOCK
and held the first of them in the Kitten
en- of the Tennyson home. Unusual as
/ ii may seem the sessions were OF the
! star chamber variety. Neither the coun-
4 ty attorney or his representative or any
| other lawyer for that matter, was on
hand to conduct the examination of Wit
1 nesses. They were examined by the cor
! oner and the members Of the jury them
! selves Outlines three or four OF them
asking q different question at the sane
time. This was not only confusing to
/ all concerned but led to little real le-
/ suits. However, the members OF the lu1Y
1 tried hard to sift the facts in the case
/ to something conclusive.
Members of the TennysOn family, IN
Guiding Mrs Tennyson, Flora -Iad
/ George were among the first examined.
Before COroner's Jury.
The testimony given by Mrs. Tenny-
son and her daughter Flora before the
/ jury was in line with their actions
during the evening of the crime as
| detailed above. Mrs Tennyson added
that she could not think of any mo-
tive for the killing of her husband
She said that he and George had never
had any trouble, and she did not
know that he had ever had any trouble
with any Of his other children. Flora
said that George and her father had
had their little quarrels, but or late
that they had been getting along all
right
This is the story that George told
when he was examined by the jury
during the morning session;
"I am 81 years of age. I don't
know anything about it, as I was not
there. I was at Chas KaTfman's in
Frankfort when word came that
father had been shot at. I asked If
he was hit. They said they thought
he was. I got down town in the even
Ing about 7:1O. had been down
more than an hour. I first went into
Heleker's store and spoke to Mr.
Beckneu. Then I went to Jas. WOlfe's
livery barn, then went into the pool
room. That was close to 8 o'clock, or
TAO. Didn't stay a minute; didn't
talk to anyone. Art Caldwell. Grover
Piatt, Shorty Brumbaugh and both
the Miller boys, I think, were there.
Two pool games We're going on
don't know who was playing. 1 next
went to McMinnimy's restaurant. I
stayed there about five minutes. I
went from there to the corner of
Thompson s, and from there to Chas.
Kaufmann's. I stayed there until
they came for me. I then started
home, going to the corner of the col
ored church. then north. and took
the road home. running all the way.
In going to town I met one person. . I
don't know who he was.
MY sister said Mrs. Twidwell had
told her she had seen a tramp COM
ing out this way In the evening.
81 was talking to father just before
I went away; talking about loading
posts.
Father and I were on good terms;
never had any trouble I have been
working for him all along.
Takes me about twenty minutes to
go to town. don't know who I met
going in to town. I first went into
the clothing department Of Heleker's
store, going around through the gro
Gerry, but talked to no one. Saw no
one at Wolfes livery barn; then went
to billiard hall Was by myself all
the time"
George went to the Kaufman house
to call on Miss Maude Sylvester, who
rooms there. She works in McMin-
ney's restaurant. They are engaged to |
be married. Miss Sylvester was called
by the jury and she testified that she
got home about $40 o'clock. She said
she had been in the house about five
minutes when George called on her |
He remained with her until he was
notified that his father had been shot. /
She said he told her that he had been
at the pOolroom before coming to see
her.
During the evening session of the
jury George was called again to the
stand. In the meantime Sheriff Bar
rett had made a trip to several of the !
places George had told of visiting be-
tween his arrival in town and his call
on Miss Sylvester. At the poolroom
they told the sheriff that George had
not been in the place during the even
ing. 9th ers were not sure whether he
had been in their places or not. When
he was confronted with these state
ments of the sheriff and was piled with
a lot of merciless questions from the
jurors, he broke down a couple of
times and cried. but he did not alter
his original testimony in the slightest
To some of his friends during the
day George is said to have stated that
during the past few days his father
had appeared to be respondent If he
made this statement he is the only one
who noticed this dependency FORM. /
TennysOn had been around town as
usual during the preceding days and
appeared to be in his usual good
spirits. On Tuesday George and his
father went through towrr together and
returned from a trip to T. P. Caesars /
farm. five and one-half miles to the
northwest of the town with a load of
fence posts. On their way back they
passed the home of Mrs. Lindsay. one /
Of Mr. Tennyson's daughters. and he /
went in for while to warm his hands /
He was in unusually good spirits at
that time.
It is known fer fact that George /
arrived IN town about 7:1O on Tuesday /
night. He was seen in the vicinity of
the Mckinney restaurant at that time