The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-26
Hackman Must Answer for
Murder of VIM. MOrkinsOn.
Charge Murder i'm First Degree
No Bail Allowed.
LITTLE GIRLS STORY.
Lulu Robbins, Aged IL, Gives
Important Testimony.
Saw Man Answering Prisoners
Description Morning of Murder.


dence presented was sufficient to es-
tablish a great presumption of the
guilt of William V. Van Horn, the
hackman, on the charge of murder in
the first degree for the killing of Will
lam Morkinson, the fruit peddler. whose
body was found on Wednesday on the
Kaw river bank just north of the three
bridges on the outskirts of North To-
peka, II. Ward Page, acting as judge
pro tenn of the city court, held the ac-
cused today without bail for trial in
the district court. This was the result
of the preliminary hearing on the muir
Ger charge which was accorded in the
city court to Van HON this morning.
Some new and rather positive cir
cUmstantial evidence to connect Van
. Horn with this brutal murder was ad-
I 0uced this morning at the hearing by
J. J. Schenck, the county attorney, and
this evidence came in the shape of tes-
timOny from Il 12-year-old gill, Miss
Lulu Isabel Robbins. She lives with
her parents on the Granville road
about a blocks distance this side of
the three bridges. She told a straight
forward and convincing story of seeing
a hack with two men on the seat drive
north and across the wagon bridge on
Wednesday morning a about o'clock.
The man, who was driving, she describ-
ed as being large and of light complex
ion and wearing a light colored coat
and light trousers, but of darker hue
than the coat. She said that the other
man was smaller and of darker COM
plexion. A short time after she saw
this hack pass north over the three
bridges, she and her sister-in-law, Mrs.
Zella Robbins started to drive to the
iatter's place a couple of miles out in
the country.
When they had crossed the wagon
bridge and had got a distance of about
a block and a half beyond they passed
the same hack coming back to town
and there was but one man on the
seat. This was the man with the light
coat and trousers who was driving the
hack team when it passed out. The
returning hack had been seen by Lulu
and ne. sister-in-laW coming some dis
tance ahead of them before it passed
them. Lulu testified that she saw it
first crossing the railroad tracks where
the Granville road crosses and had
looked at it off and on from that time
until it passed. Her sister-in-law, she
testified, had called her attention to it
several times by remarking that it was
strange that a hack should be out that
far in the country al that hour in the
morning.
DO you believe you would know the
man who was driving the hack if you
could see him again?'' asked Mr..
Schenck, the county attorney.
Il don't think l would" replied the |
little girl. and then she naively added |
with a smile. Il was playing with my |
kitten and did not notice the mans |
Little Miss Robbins was an excellent |
witness. Despite her rather tender |
years she told the straightest kind of a |
story, never hesitating an instant to re-
ply to the questions put to her. And |
her story was not shaken in the slight
est by a rigid. but in no way severe,
cross examination by F. J. Lynch, who
with T. D. Humphrey is acting as coun-
sci for Van Horn, Her description of
the man who was driving the hack. both
going out and coming back, taIlies with
that of Van Horn and John Wagner,
the hackman who rode over to North
Topeka with Van Horn and Morkinson
early on Wednesday had previously tes-
titled On the stand that Van Horn wore
a light colored duck coat on Wednesday
morning.
Lulu testified that she had noticed the
hack more particularly as it passed tn. |
house on the way out and she described
the horses as being a sorrel and roan |
and the hack as old one with red
trimmed running gear. This fits the
description exactly of the hack and
and which was driven on Wednesday
morning by Wnburn Van Horn.
One Flaw in Testimony
There was what might be called
small flaw in the testimony of the girl
in the way of connecting Van Horn as
being the man who was driving the
hack. She testified that the driver of
the hack wore light colored hat When
she made this statement Van Horn.
who had preserved a most stolid ap-
pearance during the entire hearing,
smiled and broke into an audible laugh
The testimony of other witnesses was
to the effect that Van Horn wore a
black felt hat on Wednesday morning |
But this little flaw in the girls testf-
mony is not considered as being very
material as it is more than likely that |
she could have been mistaken In the
color of the hat. 1t is understood that
her sister-in-law, Mrs. Zella Robbins. Is
certain that she can identify the man
who was driving the hack that she and |
Lulu passed. She was unable to be !
present at the hearing this morning but
she will be one of the important wit
nesses when Van Horns case is brought !
10 trial in the district court this fall :
Mrs Robbins, the mother of the girl :
also saw the hack pass by the house on | /
he way out and will be another import /
ant witness at the trial. She testified at | :
the coroner's inquest. :
A A. Pliley, of 1881 North Madison +
street, was another new and important
witness in the case who made his an 7
Dearance for the first time at the hear t
ng today. He testified that on Wednes- S
lay morning between eight and nine 1
o'clock he was in his yard to the north z
# his house and saw a hack being v
iriven west along Kious street and q
coming from the direction of the three I
bridges. He said he did not think it g
would be possible for him to identify the
nan who was driving the hack
Another most important witness I
estified at the hearing today. He is =.
m Orner of Oakland. Mr.. Orner said
hat he was waiting for car just be- :
ore eleven o'clock on Tuesday night /;
II last week at the corner of Fifth | :
treet and Kansas avenue 1t was