The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-14
George B. Neptune, Of Larned
Slain by Hired Man.
As Victim Slept Clyde Charles
Beat Head to Pulp.
SLAYER CONFESSES.
Leads Posse to Unmarked Grave
i'm the Sand Hills.
Quarrelled, Murdered and Then
Robbed His Employer.

Larneu, Kan, Dec. I.-Ine mystery
surrounding the disappearance of Geo.
B. Neptune, farmer living near here
has been solved by the confession of
Clyde Charles that he killed him with
an ak and buried the body in the sand
hills near the scene of his crime. Charles
was arrested at Dalhart Texas. where
he had gone following the disappearance
OF Neptune, and was charged with
stealing II head of horses belonging
to the dead man, though he has been
suspected of the murder from the first.
After being sweated for a number of
days by the local officials he broke
down and admitted the killing and led
the officers to a lonely spot in the sand
hills where the body of Neptune was
recovered. The last time the murdered
man was seen alive by his neighborS
was during the early part of Septem-
Der and his slayer has confessed that
he took his life on the night of the
14th Of that month as he slept in the
haynlow of the barn.
Brothers Intuition Leads to Arrest.
Then the slayer sold off much of the
property which was on the ranch, forg-
ed bill of sale to IA head of horses
which he disposed of and then diSap-
Feared. Fearing that his brother had
beer murdered, DR.. j. w. Neptune of
Saina came to this city and started
the investigation which led to the ap-
prehension AMI subsequent confession
Of Charles that he murdered Neptune
with an ak.
The first real clue to the murder was
discovered when a portion of Neptune's
half burned clothes, bearing blood
marks were found where the murderer
had attempted to destroy them. Then
n ore blood stains were found in the
loft of the barn where the murder was
committed as the victim lay asleep on
a pile Of old blankets and straw. =
Charles confession was made before
County Attorney w. H. Vernon and is
very full and complete and was given
withou. any noticeable feeling on the
Part of the murderer or any reluctance
to give complete details. He employed
Charles to work for him on the farm,
and they were alone. On the 18th OF
September, Neptune and his hired man
came to town, returning about shutdown.
That night Neptune had paid OFF
Charles but, according to Charles
statement, there had been come disa-
greement about the amount which was
due, Neptune finally paying the amount
asked by Charles.
Confessed Details of His Crime.
Quoting from CharIes's confession:
'The old man said he was going to
hook me. I got to thinking and
thought he might come over there
and start something, and | went over
and done it first" After killing
Neptune with an axe he wheeled the
body in wheelbarrow to a sand hill
and buried it. Charles then took
some IA head of horses belonging to
Neptune and shipped them to Dalhart'
Tex, and sold them. Neptune was
missed by his neighbors, but as he
had told several that he was going
away, nothing was thought of his dis
appearance until several weeks ago,
when some bloody quilts were found
| in a field near the house.
This aroused suspicious and DR.. J.
w. Neptune of Salfna, brother of the
murdered man, started investigation
assisted by the PaWnee county Off
GERS. The horses were traced to Texas
and Charles arrested on a charge OF
back here he told conflicting stories
until yesterday he weakened and told
his story
Charles says he is 10, but he looks
to be 10 years older than that. He
| SAYS he has a mother and several
brothers and sisters living in Texas
| He says he lived at Axtell, Kan, al
| one time.
| Neptune was about fifty years OF
age and came to western Kansas in
| the early eighties, settling near Gar
! den City where he handled sheep fol
| a number Of years coming to this
county four or five years ago and pur-
chasing the 400-acre ranch on which
he lived at the time of his death He
had been having trouble with his wife
for some time and she had left the
ranch returning to Garden City tt
live with some of her friends.
A sale had been arranged for an6
Neptune was preparing to dispose OF
his property and go to Montana tt
re-engage in the sheep business. Hi:
property is estimated to be worth
from twelve to fifteen thousand dol
lars with an encumbrance of abou
one thousand dollars.