The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-19
Testifies in Own Behalf in MUIR
der Case.
Was With MOrkinsOn on Day
He Was Killed.
LEFT AT THE BARN.
Borrowed His Revolver Before
Going Away.
Rigid Cross Examination Fails
to Shake Testimony.

| on the stand in his own defense at 10
O'Clock this morning, and his examina-
| ton and cross examination occupied
all the time until the noon recess. Van
| Horns version of his movements on
the two or three days before and after
the Morkinson murder was given in a
straightforward manner, the best eff
forts of County Attorney Schenck did
| little to tangle him. Van Horn spoke
up in a strong clear voice, and seldom
| hesitated for an answer.
IN answer to questions put by Attor-
ney Lynch, Van Horn gave the follow
| ing testimony in substances: He said
| he was 80 years of age, and had lived
| in the county 20 years. He had work.
| ed at various small jobs until a week
| before his arrest, when he began driv-
| ing hack at night for Frank Bechtel-
hefmer. whose barn is at 1918 North
Monroe street
| AS rebuttal to evidence offered by
the prosecution, he answered the fol-
| lowing questions:
| Odd you ever drive from the
barn to the south side in the morning
| except on the day after the murder?
A.-No, sir.
Odd you ever see leila Robbins
prior to your arrest?
Al never did.
Q.-How long had you known Mork-
| inson prior to his death?
A.-About two months.
Q.-What were your relations with
him?
A.-Friendly.-we drank together lots
of times
A feature of Van Horns testimony
was the amount of alcohol he, claims
to have swallowed in a given length
of time. His story was punctuated
at frequent intervals with such words
| as. Then we took a drink or, land
then 1 got another pint
On the morning of June IS, he first
| met rabbit" (Morkinson,) near the
Copeland hotel. Rabbit got in the
hack, together with a friend named
Douglas, and they drove to Fourth
and Kansas ave, where they tried to
get into a drug store to get some
liquor, but the-store was not OPEN La
ter they purchased two pints of alco-
hol and drank both standing beside
the hack. Itawas 20 minutes to 6
o'clock in the morning when he met
Rabbit. Z It was here that the re-
volver came into the story. When ask
ed if the revolver which was introduce
ed in evidence was his, Van Horn re-
Piled that he believed that it was, at
least it looked like the revolver he
had taken out of pawn
while we were standing there drink
ing" said Van Horn, D." Rabbit asked me
if 1 had a gun. He said he was going
away, and he would like to borrow one.
I told him 1 had one, but it was in
soak Later went and got it out of
we picked up Wagner, and drove over
to the North side. Wagner got out at
the water trough, but Rabbit went on
to the barn with me. Then l took OFF
my rubber coat and he said: Let me see
that thing I took out the gun and
opened it, and the shells fell in the hay.
We both picked them up and he put the
gun in his pocket, thanking me and CIV
ing me so cents. He said he would be
back soon and pay me for the gun. 1
asked him to unhitch my team, and he
said he would. I went to Betchelheim-
er's house and asked his wife if he was
there Then came back to the barn
and Rabbit was gone. He did not I'M
bitch the team like he saaid he would
lust dropped the tugs and left the horses
standing in the alley. / finished unhitch-
ing and put away the team. That was
the last time I saw Rabbit alive"
This is the story, substantially as
told by the defendant, and the cross
failed to shake it serious
ly.
Before the defendant was put on
the stand Frank Conwell, the North |
Topeka undertaken. who took charge |
had observed grass seeds on the shoes |
of the dead man, but that the shoes |
were not muddy.
The defense in the case of Wilbur |
Van Horn, accused of numbering Will |
liam Morkinson on June 1S, was re-
sumed at 10 o'clock this morning, and |
it is generally believed that the case
will go to the jury before night. the |
defendant was put on the stand IN MS
own defense this morning.
The major portion of Friday was
by the defense. The prose-
cution closed about noon.
Among the principal witnesses for
the prosecution were Lulu Robbins. |
13-year-old girl, and her sister-fn-law.
Mrs. leila Robbins, who live east or
North Topeka. They testified to seeing !
Van Horn on his hack driving toward /
Three Bridges on the morning of |
the murder. To Offset this part of the
evidence, the defense put on four boys
who were working in a potato patch
along the road that morning. They
each testified that they had seen no
hack pass on that road that day..
The principal witnesses for the de-
tense were Will Van Horn, a brother of
the accused, and HAT" Maybee, a
woman who lives in the bottoms dis
fed that Wilbur Van Horn came to her
house at 9 a. M on the morning of
June 10, and remained there until 4
o. M of the same day. The defendant,
She said, brought bottle of whisky |
which she assisted in drinking.
did he give you any money!" asked
County Attorney Schenck.
HE gave me thirty cents" answered |
the witness, and the bailif stopped a
litter which ran over the court room.
The appearance of the woman. who is
,ne Of the worst characters in her
her testimony is generally considered
bad for the defendant, She stated
further that Van Horn slept most of
he day in her hovel on the river bank.
Will Van Horn, the brother, was then
called by the defense and In answer