The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-14


county attorney of Johnson county
I'VE understand one another per-
fectly,'' the chief said. There was no
misunderstanding last night am CO
operating with Sheriff Steed, and the
county attorney says he will issue a
complaint as soon as we have suffi-
cient evidence upon which to base it,
No examination of the finger prinrs
found on the wall in the Bernhardt
home has been made. Inspector Boyle
gained by it.
In the first place, I don't believe
they have the right man in Kansas
City, Kan," Inspector Boyle said, land
then, the prints are so poor that 1t
would be hard matter to prove any
thing. Feagle did not commit those
murders. The man We are looking for,
and the man who can tell the most
about those murders is the ex-convict
who formerly worked on the place.
My detectives are doing all they can
to learn this mans name and to arrest
him. When that is done, there'll be a
whole lot more facility about the mat
ter than there has been"
Bailey Tells of Quarrel.
Bailey, the farm hand now under ar
rest, first worked for the Bernhards
over a year ago, and again last June
went to the farm. MRS. Plume went
with him and passed as his wife Both
left on July 21. On that day George
Bernhard and Bailey were working
when the question of Baileys wages
arose.
George said he owned the farm and
would pay me $1.25 a day for regular
farm work and then, when haying and
harvest came on would give me the
customary wages for haying and har-
vest. Then, that day in the field he
said his mother owned the farm and
would have to arrange about wages with
her. We went to the house. 1 wanted
81 day for haying and the old lady
said she never would pay a man that
much. We quarreled and 1 left.'' That
was Bailey's explanation of the quar-
rel last night. He denied that the quar-
rel resulted in more than words.
Since leaving the farm, Bailey has
worked only at intervals, never, accord
ing to his statements, receiving higher
wages than 81 a day. In the last four
months he said he had worked just half
Of the time. He said that he had saved
part OF his wages during that time, but
when he accounted for the living ex-
penses of the two, it more than equaled
the amount he had earned. He could
not explain it any way why they found
it necessary to buy complete new out
fits of clothing for each, besides watch
es and jewelry, in the last ten days..
When Whitsitt was questioned re-
garding his whereabouts last Wednes-
day, he said he could not rememb ber
just where he was that day. He was
able to account for what he did Mon
day and Tuesday and Thursday and
Friday, but when it came to fWednes-
day he couldn't remember. Four or five
persons, including three little girls who
say they know Whitsitt, are to be
brought to the Kansas City, Kan, po-
lice headquarters.
Is There a Fifth Victim?
The question most discussed by
neighbors of the Bernhardts last night
was the fate of Walter Button, the
hired man who apparently was on the
farm Monday before the crime but had
disappeared by Saturday. The query
was first raised by W. E. Gray the
rural delivery postman, whose sus-
picions led to the discovery of the muir
ders. 1t is suggested, rather, that But
ton was killed than that he was active
in the crime.
Some time ago." Gray said, about
three weeks, think. Mrs. Bernhardt
told me there was a new man on the
place. His name, she said, was Walter
Button. She told me to watch for his
mail and said that he was expecting
some money in a letter from his folks.
Monday before the crime a letter to
Button came. 1t was postmarked some
town in Arkansas. Mrs. Bernhardt said
nothing about the letter, so 1 suppose
it was received by Button. So I guess
he was still working there on Monday.
Now when and under what circum-
w
too, and his body hidden away?"
John T. Steed, sheriff Of Johnson
county, spent three hours at the farm
yesterday afternoon. About half of
that time was used in going through
what papers and accounts were found
in the house. No mention was found
of Buttons name in any of the papers.
"I think it is important to find out un-
der what circumstances this man But
ton left the farm said Mr.. Steed.
A man believed to be Button was
seen by Walter Baker, a neighbor.
George Bernhard told Baker that But
ton came to work for him November
16. The man was described by Baker
in height, with light hair and sandy
mustache.
The funeral procession of George
Bernhard and his mother scarcely had
left the farm yesterday when an or
ganized search of the farm was start
ed. About twenty-five neighboring
farmers led by w. B. F'lanner, whose
farm adjoins that of the Bernhardts
on the west, and two grandsons of Mrs.
Bernhard, Jesse and Charles Mason,
scattered out through the fields around
the house. Mr.. F'lanner had hoped to
drag the creek which runs through
the farm, but was unable to do so be-
cause of the ice, which was two inches
thick.
At O'Clock most of the searchers
had drifted back to the house. Moth
ing of importance had been discov-
cred.
Mrs. Esther Root, the school teacher
in the little school house on the hill
half mile from the Bernhardt farm,
said Yesterday that the children were