The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-26
Samuel WhitIow Is Held for
Murder of Miss Sapp.
Justice Potter Thought There
Was Grounds for This Action.
BOND FIXED AT $4,000
Some Evidence That Defendant
Had Attempted Suicide.
Moran Friends and Relatives
Will Furnish Bail.

liza ha@n.' Occ z6.-Samuel Il.
Whitlow was held in ten thousand
dollars bail late Friday for trial for
the murder of Miss May Sapp, who
was cut to death with a razor in her
fathers yard at Moran, Kansas. on
september ~. and who, Whitlow says,
committed suicide because of her in
fatuation for him.
Whitlow's trial will come I'D in the
district court here at the Jan,rarv
term providing a jury can be secured.
The attorneys for both sides say it
VIII require much time and hard work
by the officers
Relatives and friends at Moran.
VINO believe Whitlow innocent are
the legal instrument will be a strong
one. 1t will be filed Monday. In the
meantime the defendant must remain
a Jail prisoner over Sunday.
At the conclusion of the testimony
offered by the state in the preliminary
nearing, Judge Potter announced that
ne believed that crime had been
committed, and there was reasonable
grounds for believing that Whitlow
was guilty of its commission. The
states attorneys stated that they be-
lieved that Whitlow should be admit
ted to bail, and asked the judge to fig
the amount at $4,000. The defense
insisted that $4,000 was excessive,
pointing out that Whitlow was in very
moderate circumstances, and that a
bond of $4,000 would be a hardship
on him not contemplated by the law.
The court finally settled the conten-
ton by admitting the defendant to bail
in the sum OF $4,000.
The facts on which the court held,
lay only in the testimony which Whit
low had previously given. Outside of
the statement he made to tho officers
when he confessed that ne was present
when Miss Sapp committed suicide
there was little evidence connecting
him with the tragedy.
DR.. D. w. Reid was the first witness
Friday afternoon. He told of being
called to Moran the night May Sapp
was killed. He described the two
wounds he found on her throat and
the cuts on her hands.
"Do you believe the wounds on her
throat could have been self inflicted ?"
Mr.. Peterson asked.
mo, sir" was the emphatic answer
after the justice had overruled the OBJ
jections of Whitlow's attorneys to the
question. The coroner told then of be-
ing present when Whitlow made his
statement concerning his connection
with May Sapp. He said Whitlow told
the officers that he took the razor from
Miss Sapp's hand the night Of her
death and afterward took 1t back to
the scene of the tragedy. The coroner
was asked what happened during the
trip of Whitlow and the officers to
lola the Monday night he made the
statement
"I noticed a peculiar odor several
times during our drive from Moran to
La Harpe" he said. when we went
to get on the car at La Harpe, I asked
Whitlow how he was feeling. He said,
Not very good I said I guessed he
had taken too much wood alcohol.
When we reached lola had him taken
TO my office. We used a stomach
pump on him after overcoming his OBJ
jections to it and got quite an amount
a IL - IL -
"Was there enough alcohol taken
from the stomach to cause death ?"
Mr.. Peterson asked.
1--WE object" Mr.. Oyler interrupted.
Potter said.
at didn't make thorough test of It,
but from appearances I think there
was" the coroner said.
c. o. Bollinger testified to Whitlow's
appearance of illness on the trip from
Moran to lola after he had made his
statement to the officers.
Il asked him, or rather accused him
of taking something on the way over"
the sheriff said. HE denied it,
Mr.. Bollingter told of going with
Whitlow to Coroner Reid's office and
the removal of the wood alcohol from
Whitlow's' stomach.
did Mr.. Whitlow make any objec-
lions to the doctor using the stomach
pump" the county attorney asked.
He did at first"
where did Mr.. Whitlow say he got
this wood alcoholic" Mr.. Oyler asked on
cross examination .-.-
HE didn't say that night" the sher-
iff replied.
Ibid he tell you later?"
Eyes, the next day he said he got II
from shelf on his porch and took II by
mistake instead of some rheumatism
medicine"
In commenting on the statements of
the prosecuting officer that they had
shown that Whitlow was present when
the tragedy was enacted, Whitlow said:
'I failed to hear the testimony or
the physician who said I was present
when Miss Sapp committed suicide. Tho
only evidence they have of 1t is. what
I told them, and they will try and
show that I am the biggest liar in the
world If they do not believe the rest
of nv story, what reason have they to
believe that I am telling the truth
when 1 said 1 was there"
During the entire hearing Whitlow's
name was mentioned not half a dozen
times. His actions Of the night of the
tragedy, his attempt at suicide when
being brought to jail, his explanation
of that attempt, were the only things
which connected him with the tragedy.
General Strike Planned at Havana.
Havana, Oct. 26.-In labor circles
where great unrest has prevailed for