The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-14
IS LEFT FOR DEAD.
CONTINUED from Page One )
Brittenham,s Rad Record.


When the attempted murder was
learned Of neighbors of the injured man
at once suspected Brittenham. He was
known to be a bad character and was
missed when the alarm was turned in.
But suspicion was not so strong that
an Arrest was attempted or suggested
until after the arrival of former Sheriff
]. M. Wilkerson and his bloodhounds
Wilkerson was called by Sheriff Reilly
Of Jefferson county who started for the
scene of the murder at once after being
notified of the attempted murder
But it was not necessary to put the
dogs on the trail of Lndamood's as
sailant. Remorse and fear of being re-
turned to the prison where he had
spent seven years for a criminal as
sault upon girl, the daughter of J. w
Petit, near Calhoun Bluffs, were begin
ming to tell on him. Beside the whisky,
and perhaps COCAINE, which steeled his
nerves for the attack on Lindamood
and later on Mrs. Lindamood. We're
gone. Then the wretch learned that
John Wilkerson was after him with
bloodhounds. He had lived in Topeka
and knew John Wilkerson of old. He
knew there was no escape.
Fleeing from his hiding place in a
gully in a nearby cOrnfield, from where
could see crowd Of 200 farmers assem-
bled to participate in the hunt for him,
he went to the home of Mrs. Maude
Decker, within a quarter of a mile of
where the crime was committed, and
the house at which he had stolen the
axe he used on Lindamood, he rushed
into the house.
IF you tell them I'm here I'll split
your head open with the axe" he cried.
And running up the stairs he concealed
himself in a bedroom. Mrs. Decker
sent a child to the neighbors and WIKI
erson, Sheriff Reilly and George Ward,
a Santa Fe detective. who accompanied
Wilkerson, arrested Brittenham with
out trouble.
at the request of Sheriff Reilly of JEFF
ferson county. The report is that he
was brought here to avoid a lynching.
This report is said by former Sheriff
man neighborhood an injustice.
"Of course there was some feeling
against Brittenham,'' said Wilkerson
this morning. But 1 could have kept
abiding people in Newman and Britten-
hams life was not in danger"
Brittenham refuses to talk except to
say that he knows nothing about the
case He does not attempt to explain
why he ran to the Becker home and
implored Mrs. Becker to hide him and
not to disclose his whereabouts.
Pardoned From Prison.
Pardoned from the penitentiary less
than six months ago, Brittenham
worked part of the winter on the
Fred Reginhold farm near Newman
Early last week he was discharged
Beyond the fact that he has been
drinking heavily it is not known what
he has been doing since that time. At
the time of his release from the peni-
tertiary Brittenham had served seven
years on his sentence.
The theory is that the assailant
crazed with drink. decided to criminal
1y assault Mrs. LindaniOOd. The only
obstacle was the presence of the wo-
mans husband. He shrewdly reason
ed that LindamooG could be enticed
from the house on just such pretext
as was used to get him away from his
home. Mrs Lindamood was told to
stay at the gate because of the muddy
roads in order that she might not be
present to fight when the deliberately
planned attacked was made on her
husband.
Leaving Lindamood for dead, after
driving an axe through his skull 1T is
believed now that the crazed man re-
turned to where Mrs. Lindamood stood
He sought to get her near the house by
telling the story of the broken double
trees, thinking that his task would
then be less difficult. When this part
of his plan was frustrated, LindamOOd'S
assailant decided that, having commit
ted murder, he would not now be turned
from his purpoSe-hence his attack on
Mrs. Iindamood as she started in
search of her husband. Only the fact
that the man is small and was intoxi-
Gated saved the woman.
When Brittenham was taken before
Mrs L1ndamood she at once loenIlHeo
him as her husbands assailant.
Both TiEdamood and his wife have
lived in the vicinity of Newman all OF
their lives. They are well and favor
ably known. They were married Is
months ago and are both less than 20
years old. Brittenham has been known
for years in the neighborhood as
ne'er do well who was always in trouble
and whom worked usually. only a few
days at time.
ParoIed by Hoch-
The records atsthe governors office