La Junta tribune., 1909-02-20
EXPRESS CAR MURDER TRIAL.
Second Degree Verdict Against VIII
liam 7. Carr. Former Rssideat Of
la Junta.


la Junts.
William T. Carr. a former veil
known resident Of La Junta, who has
been on trial at Marion. Kasl. FOR
the murder Of &. A. Bailey. San
Ia Fe express messenger. was son
victed Of murder In the second de-
gree. the jury returning a verdict
to that effect after being out for Ave
hours.
ON the night OF March 20. 1905,
Oscar a. Bailey. an express mes
senger Of Kansas City. running ives,
to Newton. Kan, permitted Carr to
ride TO his home in Newton. Kan.
lie took Carr aboard and tod him
ne might sleep in a corner of The
car. although he knew II was abso-
Durihg the night Bailey went to bed
In his cot AT the suggestion of Carr.
who told him he would look out for
the local traffic When the train
ploycs appeared for their packages
Bailey did not respond. The doc
was forced open and Bailey was
found dead in his cot. He had been
murdered with hatchet, the safe
opened with his keys and about 81 900
and some jewelry taken.
Half a dozen arrests were made on
suspicion before the officers heard
OF Carr's having been in the car. A
pool hall at Newton, Kan, conducted
by his uncle. for whom Carr worked.
was searched and 1898. besides some
of the stolen jewelry. was found. The
jewelry was found In an overcoat
which Carr had hidden with some
trash under an abandoned billiard
table in the rear Of the pool hall.
The overcoat was stained with blood
and some of the stolen teweiry was
found In one Of the pockets.
Carr was tried twice. the first
trial resulting In a hung jury. AT
the second trial In Marion. Kan. over
200 witnesses were summoned from
all over the country. from Florida
to Arizona Six witnesses were sum-
moned from La Junta- William Chut-
COW. the tailor; w. A. Bell. express
agent for Wells Fargo at this point;
LIE. Briggs.the barber: Dave Fresch.
WIN Withers and o. e. Cissne. Al
the second trial Carr's overcoat
proved TO be one OF the important
links In the chain Of testimony. II
was positively identified as Carrs
by the man who made 1t. the man
who sold 1t to Carr. aud also by VIII
liam Chutcow, who testified to nav
ing in December. 1907. shortened the
coat by cutting off about foot OF
1t.
The remaining witnesses from La
Junta were utilized principally In es-
dates as 10 the time Carr
was in La Junta. Carr claimed that
he was not III La Junta in Decem-
Of 1907. He was employed as night
witness from La Junta showed con-
that he was. His overcoat
was repaired by Chutcow on Decem-
ber 18th. and shave was charged
10 him by Briggs on the l4th. Cissne
fired him from a switch crew about
the same time.
Carr lived in La Junta during most
Of 1907 He was employed as night
clerk On the express office in August.
1907. and later officiated as night
and also did some
switching the latter part of the year.
He was under suspicion, just before
leaving La Junta. of having swiped
an express bag" containing several
hundred dollars, but the evidence was
not strong enough TO warrant his ar
rest. although It was known that he
In Newton shortly after
with n large roll in his possession.
Carr has not as yet been sentenc-
ed Although all the evidence against
him was circumstantiai. it was Of
4 very conclusive nature. 1t is re-
ported that the people Of Marion coun
ty are very sore over the trial. II
having cost over $4,000 for a trial
that was taken to that county on
change of venue, and 1t may be that
the court will even up matters by
giving Carr the limit.