The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-20
TALK OF AUTOPSY
Suggestions Enter into PROBE
of Benignus Murder.
Story Regarding Madman Gives
Mystery Clew.
EPISODE BROUGHT UP
Man Found Kneeling Over Glrl
Three Months Ago.
Undertaken Tells About an Incl
dent at Home.

Abilene. Kan Aug. 2O.-The Benignus
murder mystery has reached the stage
where the lack of developments OIL nrs'
adopted theories is giving room Tor the
consideration of suggestions wnlcn u
fer feebly to explain her dealh oi "
point the identity of the murderer dnE
county officials bitterly regret the S;aH lacA
of thoroughness in the hrsI hi, seuuiT III
made of the crime. There SUN ID Tain
of holding the delayed autopsy.
Attention now is being given 10 new
stories concerning a supposed maumdI
who crouching on all fours pro"leu
about the home of G. W. Yates on re-
been seen last Saturday night IN the
Benignus yard, by Reuben Fair, a CLERK
whose account was pub1Shed IN lHe
State Journal Friday. Mrs. Gates turn
ed over to County Attorney c. Z. Rusn
a yellow leather belt, evidently bit
of feminine apparel, which was picked
IN by one of her children in their yard
on the day following the visit OF the
supposed mailman. This was Week
ago. At first she failed - connect the
occurrence with the Benignus glrIs
death. ,-
About 10 O'Clock on a night last week,
one of the Gates children saw the in
sane creature crawling along the front
walk and ran. affrightened, to its mHth-
er. Mrs Gates looked, saw the crouch-
ing man ana SET lnS uOS uPOii AA
The man ran ON all fours, lodging be-
aind trees
New CIews Appear.
New ciews seem to have appeared as
the county attorney and sheriff both
made trips out of town Thursday and
Friday. The sheriff went to Chapman
IL miles east of here on some clue but
would not give out what it was. The
attorney went out in the country near
Abilene last night but absolutely refus- |
ed to state the purpose of his trip ex-
cept that he had a clue
Gypsy Theory Disposed OF.
''Mr. Rugh." said one of the mem
bers of the party that searched the |
Benignus home, "I honestly believe !
that those Gypsies had something to
do with this case. There is no other |
handkerchief in town like that red one !
that was found tied to the girls wrist" |
WELL replied County Attorney |
Rugh "I'lI just wager you 81 that the
Gypsies are as innocent of this case
as you Did you ever hear of a hand
kerchief belonging to a Gypsy that
was ever ironed? Well, this handker
chief had creases in it where it had
been ironed. Therefore. 1 believe it
belongs to some other person than a
Gypsy"
public a man traced down the Gyp-
sizes and thought he had murderer.
However. he is back in Abilene with
out any evidence that would lead to an
arrest.
Why Was Door Opened?
Why was the door to the dead girls
room opened after the undertaken had
given orders for it to remain closed
until he returned? This is what Mr.
Eicholtz, the undertaken. said:
After the doctor told me Bertha
had died natural death 1 believed it
and prepared to embalm her. However,
on close examination 1 noticed some
thing peculiar about the girls face
There was a red mark down the side
of her cheek and her lips were burn
ed. I finished the work 1 had start
ed and then 1 thought best to consult
the doctor before going farther II
went out and took particular pains to
see that closed the door after me.
then went down stairs and told the
members of the family that I did not
want them to go into the room until
returned. When 1 came back the
door was ajar."
Does this bring anything to light ?
1t might show some evidence of i'm
plicating some member of the family
but that appears improbable after
their statements at the inquests. Some
or the family may have become so
grief stricken that they could not wait
until the undertaken had returned to
Other reasons may be mentioned but
they would not prove the cause for the
door being opened
Abilene People Are Worked I'm.
Last night before l went to bed -
a young lady of Abilene was heard 70
say, Il looked under the bed and into
every spooky corner in my room and
then locked the window in nv room
that was next TO the front porch he
cause 1 was so scared that some man
might come in and get me. This mur-
der case has worked me up to such 2.
pitch that 1 shake sometimes because
I am so nervous
Practically that same story has heen
told by over 200 women of Abilene
some people have reported that there
IS ghost In the west part of the town
Win VIII. sn0tgun and no one will VEN
ture out that way alone at night.
Brings Up Past Episode.
DID the man who was found kneel-
Ing over Miss Edna Worley three
months ago have anything to do with
the murder of Miss Bertha Benienus9
Would Miss Worley have been killed
IN the same manner as Miss Benignus
nad she not awakened in time to
scream, and which scared her assail-
ant away. He had her jewelry already
tucked away In his pockets when Miss
Worley awoke, because after She
screamed he ran to the window, jump-
Cd onto the roof of the front porch.
@hen slid down pillar and made HE
escape This case is a double of tbe
Benignus case except that Miss Wor-
ley was not murdered. From the vav
Miss Worley described the position Of
the man when she awoke it looks as
though he was bringing her ont of
hypnotic trance. Could an attemnt
at hypnotism have been applied -
Miss Benignus and failed causine +bo
use of chloroform? 'iio
r,f
received in the postoffice by Connfv AZ
torney Rugh is from Argentine. kan.
and reads:
Dear Friends. do not worry ahout
ar