Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-11-18
NEW CHARMED House
near MARENGO, i'll.
AUTO PARTY BELIEVED SLAIN
~ WEALTHY FARMER OF
GUINNESS VARlTY.
MANY OTHERS THOUGHT
MURDERED BY ASSASSIN
Detectives Searching for Bodies Near
Spot Where One Was Dug Up Un-
earth Threads Of Apparent JeI<yil-
Hyde Existence.

Marengo, ILL.,, Nov. 13.-An entire
automobile party is believed by Chief
of Police Tyler of this city to have
been killed on a newfound alleged
murder farm" of John Bedford, and
to have been buried either on the
premises or in the adjoining woods.
An abandoned automobile, valued
at more than $4,000, was found just
on the road behind a clump Of trees
In place known as Cherry Valley,
one mile from the Betford farm. There
were three bullet holes in the tonneau
and on the floor Of the car were found
number of feathers. It is believed
that the feathers were clipped of q
WOman's hat when the party was
fired on.
No report of an automobile party
being missing has ever been made to
the authorities. This only strength
ems the belief Of the police that all
the occupants of the automobile have
been slain.
Identify the Abandoned Auto.
Further mystery was added to the
discovery when the automobile was
identified later as the property of
George Keltz Of Belvidere, Ill. Keltz
said that none of his family had been
in the machine. He had not used
the car in more than a month, and
thought it was still in the garage. 1t
was taken, he said, without his knowl-
edge. He could not say whether it
had been stolen or whether one of his
friends had used it, knowing that he
would be welcome. He is now hunt
ing up his acquaintances to discover
whether any of them are missing.
Search for bodies on the farm was
resumed Thursday. Chief Tyler went
to the farm with two men and began
the search. It was learned that two
more men who are known to have Wis
tied Bedford the same day Oscar Ho-
ganson was killed nave not since been
seen.
Others Are Missing.
Minnie and Mary Kelley, who are
known to have been frequent visitors
at the farm, and who were there
shortly before the murder Of Hogan
son, have disappeared from their ia
theirs home in Marengo, and the po-
lice are searching for them. The po-
lice have two theories, one that they
accompanied Bedford to Nebraska, and
escaped when he was arrested, and
another that they fell victims on "mur-
der farm"
Greater impetus was given to the
search when three butcher knives, an
ak, a double-barreled shotgun, a re-
volver, and several heavy sticks of
wood, all stained with blood, were
found concealed in a wall in the little
farmhouse.
Think Bedford JekyIi and Hyde.
That Bedford is afflicted with Pc
riodical insanity and that during the
attacks he undergoes complete men,
tai and physical metamorphosis, was
the declaration of Chief Tyler, after
Mrs. A. G. Kavanaugh and Mrs. r. L.
Reynolds, living on South road, had
told of the nocturnal visits of a man
who had peered through windows and
disappeared when anyone ran out of
the house to intercept him.
The face Of this man, the women
said, was one of the most hideous
they ever gazed on. The eyes were
large and staring, the teeth glisten.
ing and almost fang-like, while the
hair was unkempt.
According to the women the man
would tap on window, grin savage
ly at those within and fash a knife
across the pane. Both Reynolds and
Kavanaugh ran out Of their homes with
shotguns after the man, but though
they were only few seconds in get
ting into the yard no trace of the sup
posed maniac could be found.