The Cairo bulletin., 1908-01-25
CONFESSED ON
HER DEATH BED
KANSAS MURDER MYSTERY IS
soLNGD--GiRL CAUSED
FATHERS DEATH.
AUTHORITIES BAFFLED
In Getting Evidence Against Any-
body For Two Years--Exsmi-
nation Of Farmers Son
Brings Out Truth.

6ringS Out tTutN.
Topeka, kas., Jan 24.---- George, I
was the cause Of fathers death. Dent
tell anyone unless you have to.
FLORA"
4 The above confession written and
Isigned on her death bed by Flora
J Tennyson will, II Is believed. clear
lup the mystery which has surrounded
fthe murder Of her father. David q
Tennyson, which occurred on Fer
luary n. 1906, near the town OF
Frankfort, IN Marshall county. about
sixty miles northwest of this city
For nearly two years the authorities
have vainly endeavored to nnravei
the mystery and obtain the necessary
evidence against the guilty parties
The murder occurred on the Ten
arson farm, one mile east Of Frank
| fcrt. On the night of the crime Mr.
Tennyson and his wife, who wnro
eIderly people and well.to-do. were
sitting In the living room at their
home. A daughter. Mrs. Flora Brock.
who had, however, been separated
| from her husband and who went sln-
der the name of Tennyson, was IN
the sitting room with her parents
The only other members or the IN.
mediate family who lived with t'a
parents was George Tennyson. n snh
of 81 years. George went to town
that night A little before eight
o'clock Flora went to her room
which was up stairs.
How the Deed Was Done.
Mr. Tennyson sat near the eentef
Of the room with his back TO Mra
Tennyson. and was reading paper
Suddenly there was thunderous ex
4 plosion accompanied by crash n
clasg. The concussion extinguishrf
the lamps IN the house aud stunned
Mrs. Tennyscn, who believed that
lamp had exploded. When she recov
cred from the shock she CROPPED her
way to her husband but could nee
arouse him. She then hurried {,
Floras room and found her daughter
about half undrsssed just getting
ready to retire for the night. The
daughter was unmcyed by the explo-
sion. She afterwards stated that
she thought 1t was shot gun fired
by neighbor to scare the coyotes
from his sheep.
Mrs Tennyson and her daughter
hurried down stairs where they found
the father dead. lying limp in his
chair A hole in the back of his head
near the base OF the brain told the
story of the shooting.
Officers Find Weapon.
The authorities learned OF the
crime that night and at once took
up the search for the murderer or
murderers Bioodhounds we're put on
the case and special detectives en-
ployed, but never was sufficient evil
dence brought to light 10 justify an
arrest. A print of a woman's shoe
was found right in line with the prob
bile path taken by the murderer. II
measured exactly with Flora's foot.
The sheriff located an old shot gun
belonging to the family in store
house near the house which con
tanned an empty shell. This she'll
smelled Of having been freshly dis
charged and the detectives were of
the opinion that this was the weapon
used In the killing.
No Arrests Were Made.
Within a few weeks after the mrr-
der of her father Flora Tennyscn was
taken sick and died. II was known
that before the tragedy she had quar-.
relied violently with her father on
several occasions because OF the OBJ
jections OF the father to the visits OF
young man named FORAGE Trosper
to Flora. But George Tennyson. the
sen. had also quarreled with his
father many times over money mat
tiers. so that so far as a motive was
CO ncerned the authorities were un-
sble TO make a decision. Soon after
Fiorss death the son George LETT
Marshall county and bought farm in
Ottawa county. Il was the general
opinion when he left Frankfort that
he knew more OF the tragedy than he
cared to tell But nothing was ever
dcne in the matter and no arrests
we're made.
The Confession,
Two weeks sgo. however. interest
IN the famous case was revived BY
thc action of some Of the relatives Of
the murdered man Accompanied by
Marshall county officers they vent TO
the home OF George TennysOn aud
Formally charged him with kno~lesige
Of the crime. He was taken 20 town
and severely eruss-examined for sev-
efal hours For a time he steal
fsstiy denied that he knew any mere
ocDcsning the tragedy than be had
already told. Under the sEesfing
process. however. he finally erofe
down and sobbinely confessed 10 the
secret that he had kept since hts sis