The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-30

girl Two umeS curing the past Two
weeks she has seen a men enter the
Sapp property from the alley west Of
the house. The man, Mrs. kfnne says.
went in through the barn The last
time she saw him was last Sunday
night. Mrs. Kline was sitting in the
yard late in the evening with two call
ers
The man went through the barn
across the lot. and disappeared within
the rose-co-ered south porch Mrs
Kinne and her guests remained in the
yard until after IL o'clock that night
but Mrs kinne AYERS that the stranger
who had entered Sapp's house did not
reappear. Mrs. Kline said she asked
friend of the Sapps to tell them about
it.
Referring to the razor which was
found after the killing, the father Of
Miss Sapp said to a reporter:
I viii stake my life that the weapon
was placed in my yard hours after my
daughters death.
1T lay near the brick walk on the
ground as bare and clean as a flower.
This yard had been searched over by
lantern light many times, but the ra-
zor was in plain view when found The
crime was committed at 7:10 o'clock
and the razor was not found until af
ter the body was carried into the house
past 10 o'clock at night" When the
bloodhounds failed to follow the trail
all hope of tracing the slayer was
abandoned. 1t was not until the un-
was discovered and now the only tangf-
BILE cIew outside secret information in
the hands of the county attorney is the
CHASTITY work of the slayer pointed out
by the embalmer.
Across both breasts Of the dead girl
remain glowing blue tmprfnts of the
hands Of a man. Even this fact was
denied by Coroner Reid, but the dead
girls sister, Mrs. Laura Smock told il.
She described the imprints and said she
believed the only way in which the
slayer of her sister will eventually be
traced will be from the finger prints he
left upon his victims bosom.
The largest crowd in the history of
the town assembled to pay respects to
the memory of the dead girl. Among
these persons were several hundred
the Sapp farm near Bronson. As they
waited about the church they discuss
ed Miss Sapp's life.
T. H Mclaughlin, a well known
farmer. admitted that he had been an
admtrer of the girl, "but she treated
US all alike" he said, "and always had
an excuse when she was invited to at
tend a party" She did not care for
the society Of either young men or
women. Some mysterious circum-
stance in the life of Miss Sapp pre-
sumed to have occurred while she was
a high school student at lola preju-
diced her against the church. She had
been seen in church, her former
neighbors say, but at intervals so long
as to be forgotten A Kansas City
minister recently closed a tent meet
ing here and he Influenced many to
join his flock and among the rest the
only girl who knew Miss Sapp more
than passingly well and a few days
before she united with the church this
girl told her intentions to Miss Sapp.
IF you join the church, I don't
ship again. hotly replied Miss Sapp,
"for I will no longer care to have you
call"
The girl is Miss Ida See and she
was one of the six white frocked
young women who bore the casket to
the grave Another instance of
Miss Sapp's intense desire to forego
her church was mentioned by DIR. A.
H De Long today. A party of church
members recently argued over a card
table. he said. Miss Sapp remarked:
Thank God, I have no church ties
to worry me-"
What prejudieed Miss Sapp against
religion is puzzliug those who knew
her They say this aversion to wor-
ship had increased during the last
two months and all are at a loss to
solve the problem
Once ten years ago Miss Sapp re-
ceived a letter signed by young mar
ried man asking her to meet him on
business in Bronson. Kan. The letter
was given to federal postoffice inspec-
tors and the man was tried at Fort
Scott He proved the signature was
not his and was released.
Rain fell in slanting lines against
the windows long before the Rev. J.
M Macarthur had finished the funeral
service in the Presbyterian church
across the way from the scene of the
tragedy. A wind storm added to the
unpIeasantness but neither the rain
nor the wind could stop the six young
woman who acted as pal1bearers.
MANY teams were taken to livery
barns and many persons sought shell
ter in the hotels, but the girls in the
white frocks. white hats and white
shoes braved the storm to perform
the task assigned them.
The -paIIbearers were: Misses Ida
See Alta Morrison, Pearl Frank BesS
Kline, Grace McKettrick and Josie
Mccormick.
AS the funeral procession passed
down the main street long distance
call was received from Savonburg,
KAN that q tramp who admitted hav-
ing been here that night of the muir
der. was under surveillance there. The
little town has no officer of the law at
uresent but citizens were watching the
tramp and from the description citi-
zens here remembered him as the
tramp com planned OF Immediately fol-
lowing the murder
"I don't think there is much in it,"
said Sheriff BoIlinger, but 1 am not
allowing anything to escape
He set out for the twelve mile drive
to Sayonburg at once The county at
torney remained here to take the
prisoners statement upon the return
of the sheriff. and Coroner Reid. after
his examination Of the body of Miss
Sapp again said he believes her throar
was cut wit ha butcher knife He said
the wounds were of such nature that
a razor could not have been the -nscru-
ment used
In a probable effort to shield her
self Miss Sapp threw up her left hand
as her slayer drew his knife across her
throat from behind He said the first
blow cut the thumb. index and middle
fingers and the index finger of the
right hand Two gashes laid open gae
throat as the knife was drawn down
from the left ear and around to two