The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-10
NEAR AN IMBECILE
Fred Tanning of Low Order of
Intelligence.
Unable Even to Count Sum Of
Money.
THE POISON is FOUND
THE POISON is FOUND
Package of Rough on Rats in
Short Rooms.
Found That Property Amounts
to Only $500.

|
to Only $500.
| A package of rough on rats and a
| heavy hat band of crepe laid side by
side in the county Jail tell in mute and
grotesque language the direful tragedy
of the day. The poison was taken from
the basement hovel Of Mrs. Mary Short
and the crepe from the hat of her muir
derer Fred Tanning. Deputy Sheriff
Judkins assembled the exhibit.
And still there are many who doubt
that Tanning committed the murder.
He has told so many brazen falsehoods
in his stories only to recall them say
| ing, well I took it right back, didn't
| l." that anything he says is scarcely
believable. Half convinced that the
man would finally deny everything,
! County Attorney Schenck said to him:
| Tanning, you've told so many lies l
| don't believe a word you've said. You
have accused an innocent woman of
| penitentiary charges to clear yourself
| and then denied the charges. 1 don't
believe you ever got a cent of money
from Mrs Short I don't believe you
ever killed Mrs. Short at all and I'm
going to turn you loose. Mrs. Mather
told you to say you killed that woman
and 1 don't believe you did it. Yo
|
you did Now why don't you come out
| and tell us the truth, you didn't kill
Mrs. Short. did your
| YES, 1 killed her. I put some rough
on rats in her Coffee the prisoner an
swered
How long was that before her
death?'
''I think it was about two weeks"
In spite of series of grilling ques
lions the man could not be made to re-
To &c ~ q IOx4r nr-6n ~
| intelligence. He said Mrs. Mather had
been there early the morning cat day
break an officer said, and told him to
tell just what he had said. This he did
studiously, askin" after each question.
Isn't that what I told you yesterday"
Prisoner Unbelievably Ignorant.
But the county attorney sub
Stimulated his theory this much-that
| Tanning would not know whether he
had 500 or $1,00O,000, and from the
best deductions had but a small
amount if he had any.
''Where did Mrs. Short keep this
$1.OOO?" he was asked.
I'm the bureau drawer"
| Did you ever count it?"
Eyes, 1 counted it,
did you count that $500 you put
under the step?"
! Yes
Did you count the balance?"
Mo-
DO you know how to count?''
| mot so very extra good"
| "How many $40 bills are there in
$1OO?"
81 can't tell you," after pause.
eff you had five $40 bills how much
would you have?"
| 81 can't tell you'' after long time.
"How did you count the money!"
well, two twenties and five
are $25.''
s.How much is $50 and s2O?"
--'I say s75."
| How many fives were there?
about ten I guess"
! sHow big a roll was ii?
Putting his hands together Tanning
made a hole about as big as quarter
dollar.
"And it was all fives and tens?"
''That is what I said"
| The county attorney then informed
him that it would take but a small
amount of money in the smaller bills
| to make q roll that large and that
| S14OO in that denomination would be
as big as his body.
what did you do with the money
that you did not put under the step?"
the attorney asked.
st spent most of it, what did not
| give away
"How much did you give away, a
| 6ollar?"
| Eyes, I gave that much twice"
| "How did you spend your money!"
| ''On, i went TO the picture SHOWS
| Glow many times, Fred, could you
go to a picture show at 5. cents on
| s70O?"
1T couldn't tell you-a good many
| times
| Spent $500 In Picture Shows.
How much did you spend going to
| the shows in the three months since
you got that money!"
about $780,
''How many times did you go
6ay?"
I would go out and then go back in
| again.
| What else did you buy?"
Clothes
| What clothes?"
81 bought this shirt
The shirt is a black satin working
| mans shirt. 1t is evident from the
| answers of Tanning that he has not
! the slightest idea of money and that
he would not be able to comprehend
| the sum of $1,400.
It is also certain that had, he as
much as 500. even, he would have
Quit work. 1t is also unbelievable that
had he given any large sums of money
| to Mrs. English she would have pur-
| chased some clothing and would not
have mortgaged her few pieces of
furniture to get money to buy ticket
tC her sick lover at Salina.
From ordinary human experience it
is impossible that these characters
could have money without feeling the
| exhilaration and showing off at least
| IN some degree.
With all these things in considera-
ton the county attorney has thrown
tut all the confession of Tanning as
| ruth with the exception of the state
ment that he did give Mrs. Short the
Rough on Rats in her coffee and that
lie did it to get the money he thought
he would get from the bank and lot
he thought she owned. The lot has
rot been located
/ Estate Valued at 5000.
The value of the estate has been de-
termined so far as the probate court
can find out at about 5000 The ad