The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-27

| It is the opinion of Mr.. Wilkerson and
| ]. J. Schenck, the county attorney, that
Van Horn had some help with this
murder and they are extending their
energies to run down his companion,
or companions in crime. 1t is the be-
lief of Mr.. Wilkerson that Arthur
Douglas, a painter around town. may
know something of at least the events
which led up to the murder of Morkin-
son. Mr.. Wilkerson knows that Doug
las was on the hack with Van Horn
on Wednesday morning when MOrkin-
son was picked up on Ninth street by
Van Horn. Douglas has contended
that he only rode with Van Horn and
MorkinsOn as far as Johnson's restau-
rant but the sheriff has some witnesses
who think that they saw him go fur
ther north with them. Belief is also
expressed by the sheriff that Van Horn
and Morkinson made a trip over to
North Topeka and back before they
started on the last trip shortly after
o'clocks and after the time that Van
Horn had taken his revolver out of
pawn at Jacobsons pawn shop. This
is the revolver that was found lying
across Morkinson's breast.
Douglas was looked up by the sheriff
this morning and was found at work
painting the c. D. Myers house at No.
1015 Central avenue in North Topeka.
Douglas promised to come over to the
sheriffs office this afternoon and he
will then be questioned closely about
his being with Van Horn and Morkin-
A statement was made in the State
Journal last night to the effect that
Mrs. Zella Robbins. who lives out be-
yond the Calhoun Bluffs would proba-
bly, be able to identify Van Horn as
the man she and her little sister-in-
law, Lulu Robbins, saw in the neigh
borhood at o'clock on Wednesday
morning driving a hack back from the
immediate direction of the place where
Morkinson's body was found. Mrs.
Robbins and the girl passed this hack
on the Granville road about a block
and a haIf's distance beyond the three
bridges. 1t was being driven towards
the city and they were driving on to
Mrs. Robbins home.
This statement proved to be well
founded for Mrs. Zella Robbins went
to the county jail yesterday afternoon
and picked Van Horn out from a
number of prisoners as the man she
had seen driving the hack on that oc-
casion. Mrs. Robbins was positive in
her Identification She had seen Van
Horn driving the same hack within
the city limits on numerous other oc-
casions and was certain she could not
be mistaken. Not only did Mrs. Rob
bins identify Van Horn. but she pick
ed out a roam horse in North Topeka
yesterday as she was being driven to
the jail by George Ward, a deputy
sheriff as being one of the horses tha t
Van Horn was driving to the hack
when she passed him on Wednesday
yesterday by Frank Bechtelheimer,
the hack man for whom Van Horn
worked, and was the roam used the
hack on Wednesday morning. At the
time Mrs. Robbins picked out the
horse she had not been told that it
was Bechtelheimer's nor that he was
the man who was driving it. Mrs.
Robbins is considered as important a
witness as the state has in it's case
against Van Horn.
No Clues to ZOOI~ Murder
There has been practically no de-
velopments of material moment in the
William Zook murder mystery during
the past twenty-four hours, although
the sheriff has a good clue which he
is now working on but which it would
be inopportune to disclose at this |
time.
A letter was received from Mrs
Zook from Sioux Falls, North Dakota |
together with the latest photograph of
William Zook. by Sheriff Wilkerson |
last night. Mrs. Zook detailed some |
chara cteristics of her sons personal |
which Sheriff Wilkerson |
and others believe to tally with the |
looks of the murdered man. She told |
that her son had dark brown hair |
which shaded to black and some ex-
press the opinion that this is the color |