The Elbert County tribune., 1907-02-07
MURDER CHARGE
AGAINST AUsMus AND MOON AT
FORT MORGAN.
C0RohER's JURY VERDICT

Accused OF Killing Robert B. McDovy-
ell Nearly Three Years Ago-skel-
eton Of Missing Man Lately Found
on the Plains.
Fort Morgan, Colo.-A News special
from Fort Morgan Monday night says:
The investigation of the mystery
surrounding the finding of the skele-
ton of a human body on the Wild Cat
about fourteen miles northwest of this
city, week ago, was concluded at
o'clock tonight, and at exactly 10
o'clock the coroners jury rendered a
verdict to the effect that the body
found was that of Robert B. Mcdowell
and that he came to his death some
time about April, 1904, as the result OF
a gunshot wound. the bullet entering
the head at the base of the brain and
emerging through the forehead, and
charging John Ausmus and Zara Moon
with being responsible for his death.
Warrants were Immediately placed
in the hands of Sheriff Burdette, and
ten minutes later the young men were
arrested.
All day Saturday and again to-day
the finger of suspicion pointed strongly
at Ausmus and Moon. Their own
stories, which, in many particulars, did
not correspond, and the fact that Frank
Shugart, a well-known stockman, had
shortly before McDowell's disappear
ance offered him SIS head for his cat
tie, but that they were sold by Ausmus
to Mum &c Raugh for little over 81
a head, had a strong influence in caus
ing their arrest.
Sheriff Burdette testified to having
Investigated the bank account of John
Ausmus during 1904, and to having
found that he deposited in the First
National Bank of Brush June A, 1904,
$450 and that during the next two
months he deposited 5000 more.
This afternoon Cashier ]. II. Roe
bigger of the Morgan County National
Bank and Assistant Cashier Arthur
Hotchlsiss of the First National Bank
were called as handwriting experts, to
give their opinions as to whether the
marks on the power of attorney Aus
mus held to sell the Mcdowell stock
and on the bill of sale which Ausmus
gave Mum & Raugh for the stock were
made by the same person who made
his mark on several checks drawn on
the First National Bank of this city.
On the checks the mark was dis
tinct cross, made lightly, while on the
power of attorney and bill of sale the
mark was nearer the shape of the let
ter X than a cross and was heavily
made. Both experts testified that, in
their opinion, the marks were made by
different hands.
The fact that Ausmus delivered cat
tie on April 26th and gave bill of sale
purporting to be signed by Mcdowell,
which was witnessed by Ausmus and
Moon and that the two men immedi-
ately took possession of McDowelPs
range, is regarded by the jury as quite
conclusive evidence that they kneT a
great deal more about the disappear
ance of Mcdowell than they have told.
The Republican correspondent says:
John Ausmus is twenty-five years old,
married, has wife and children and
was married to one of the most popu-
lar girls in Brush, Laura Odell, about
the time the murder is alleged to have
been committed.
The Moon family came to Morgan
county twenty-one years ago, when
Zara Moon, now twenty-five, was one
year old. His father, Mason Moon, is
a rancher and cattle raiser, and last
year was candidate for the nomina-
ton for sheriff on the Republican
ticket. The father is well-to-do and is
highly respected. Ausmus and Moon
have been engaged in ranohing on the
Mcdowell place in partnership.