The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-27
E. G.. ARNOLD
532 jackson street
Phones IL
\ was an accident which is decidedly

was an accident. which is decidedly
unlikely.
There is one story. however, which
carries more effect than any other
tale told of the cause of the fear,
full events of the day. 1t is limited
around Granville and among the
close acQuaintances of the young
man and the daughter. Pearl. that
Logston was so keenly jealous over the
girl that the sight of her riding in an
automobile with Charles Kleinhans,
postmaster and merchant, aroused his
anger and temper to such an extent
that he went to the mother who was
sitting at home alone and not sue
ceeding in getting any satisfaction
out of her he killed her and him
self in a fit of madness and tenn
porary insanity.
Had Sworn Vengeance.
Logston was a very quick tenn
pered man. It is said that he would
lose his temper at town baseball
games and become so angry that he
would threaten to kill the whole
crowd at first chance. The boys took
it as a matter of course and passed
it by. But lately he has been loaf
ing around the village stores swear
ing in loud terms at the action of
the young girl in running around
with other fellows and declaring
vengeance. In some cases he has APP
He would never admit that he was In
love with the girl but he always
showed fits of Jealousy when anyone
else took her driving or to the coun-
try parties. 91a.,
Yesterday afternoon she was riding
with Postmaster K1einhans in his
automobile. They passed Logston
but he refused to look at them or
speak. 1t is supposed that he went
to the house at once and falling to
receive any sympathy on the part OF
the mother he shot her in the back
with the shot gun which always
stood behind the pantry door just
back of the place where the old
woman was sewing at the time of the
shooting.
Mrs. Abel was shot while sitting in
the kitchen in a small rocking chair
sewing. She sat with her back to
the pantry from which the murderer
shot her. the shots taking effect in
her heart and lungs. Failing to the
floor near the kitchen stove she died
with her hands c1utching her sewing.
When found a few minutes later by
her daughter, Pearl, she was lying In
a DooI of blood the clothes from her
back torn in shreds and the blood
spouting from the terrible wound.
Young Logston was found in the
sitting room of the house adjoining
the kitchen. He was lying fiat on his
back, the shot gun by his side as ne
had dropped it and his shoe, sock and
shirt in the corner of the room. He
had stripped himself to the waist in
order to get a more accurate location
of his heart-and fired the shot pull
ing the trigger with his toe. The shot
tore open the breast just to the left
of the heart and the man did not die
until three hours after. He was told
by DR.. s. E. Smith, physician that
he would die in very short time and
tho ahOVQ quoted sem
tence over and over after telling few
facts connected with his alleged acct
dent.
Done in Cold Blood.
Miss Pearl Abel the daughter of
Mrs Abel and the stepdaughter OF
Mr.. Abel, is under the impression that
the deed was a murder in cold blood
and was premeditated by the young
man.
She told a State Journal reporter.
who was on the scene short time af-
ter the shooting, that Logston had
made many threats to the family be-
cause he had been discharged from
his work a few days before, among
them being a threat to seek revenge
at an early date. He also said that
they would be sorry for the action in
discharging him and although they
were happy at the present time they
would soon witness sorrowful day.
It is through the medium of these
threats that the people have accused
the young man of murder. Pearl
| stated that she was afraid of Log
ston and she had always feared him
ever since he was hired by her faith
er.
| In an interview with the reporter
| Mr.. Abel declared emphatically that
| he believed the deathbed story of the
hired hand and he was sure in his
| own mind that it was an accident. In
| part he said: HE would not kill my
wife to seek revenge upon me. Or
! the other hand he has always been
very nice to her and has treated her
with the greatest of respect. We
made it plain to him that he was GO
! ing to die and it would be better fol
him to make a full confession and
! he would only say that it was an acct
| dent 1 am sure that it was and was
ready to forgive him when he died"
! The story of the affair as told by
practically every one in connection
with the family and in a knowledge
| of their interests is based on one fact
young Logston was apparently
| harmless in all of his actions and his
intentions were not bad in any re-
spect. The events leading up to the
| discharge of the young hired hand
from the employ of the farmer were