The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-28
TELLTALE MARK.
Platt Murderer Left Bloody
Finger Prints Behind.
These Are Sent to Lansing for
Expert Examination.
CORONER'S INQUEST.
Findings Of the Jury Offer No
Solution.
Witnesses Tell of Finding of the
Body.
CORONER'S INQUEST.

Inc only clue to the Platt murder
are the bloody finger prints found on
piece OF cardboard in the store. If
the murderer is ever caught these may
aud materially in fixing the RESPONSE
pIllty. The cardboard has been sent to
the Bertillon department Of the state
prison at Lansing to be photographed
and preserved.
Inc coroner's jury completed it's in
vestigation today but the facts devel-
oped were nil. The jury returned the
following verdict:
Inc said jurors upon their oaths do
say that the said Renjaman Platt came
TO his death by being pounded over the
head by some blunt instrument on the
2zd day of February 1911, the instru-
ment being in the hands of parties un-
known to this jury
The above is the verdict given this
morning by the jury after hearing the
testimony of the witnesses who found
the body of Benjaman Platt, dead with
MS skull crushed at his store S19 North
Kansas avenue, last Wednesday even
ing. The inquest was held at 10 o'clock
in the county attorneys office at the
court house. 1t lasted an hour.
During this time no testimony nor
evidence was introduced which threw
any hight on the identity of the muir
derer. The witnesses in the main reci-
dead mans body. DR.. J. M. Amis
partner of DIR. Keith, county coroner,
was also called to the stand. Although
ne was not one of those who discov-
ered the body. he examined it the next
morning at PenwelPs undertaking par
lors. He testified that the nature of
| the wounds above Platt's eye indica-
ted that the hurts could have been
made with forked instrument How
| ever, he stated that the back end of
a claw hammer had not been used, as
! the cuts were too far apart.
Assistant County Attorney Mcclure
conducted the examination He called
Mrs. Sam Freidberg, daughter of
Platt, to the stand first.
She answered questions in a rather
low tone and showed evidences of hav-
ing undergone great mental suffering.
| She told how she was first to find the
body of her father lying dead between
| the counter and shelves of his store
when she went to the place with her
husband Wednesday evening. She wore
mourning and was heavily veiled. Her
voice faltered occasionally but she
bore up with remarkable composure
as she recalled the events of the ter
rible night. The majority of the ques-
tions asked her were of a formal ma
ture. However, one was whether or
not the windows of the store were
such that person could easily see
into the store through them. She re-
piled that a person could if he was
close to them.
| When a pocketbook was shown her
she said it was one she had given her
father in which to keep change. She
added that he had about SIS in change
the day he was killed. She also said
that he had kept other rare coins with
him for years and years.
'I went to the store about Z
o'clock she said, during the testi-
mony. 1.-THE front door was locked.
After it was broken open and we went
in I remained in front while my hus-
band went in the back. 1 found my
father lying dead between the counter
and shelves on the south side of the
store.''
Son-in-Law Testifies.
/ Mr.. Freidberg, the son-in-law of
Platt, was the next witness. He de-
i scribed the rare coins carried by his
father-in-law, which are supposed to
have been taken from him by the muir
derer. According to Mr.. Freidberg
their value was over $100. Among the
coins, he mentioned a $40 gold piece OF
the issue of 1907 and stated that this
coin was rare, as only $4,000 of these
were issued. Other remarkable coins
he mentioned the old man carrying
were California gold quarters and two
gold pieces minted in 1872; six $3.50
gold pieces, some dated 1885 and one
1907; a genuine and counterfeit Eng
lish guinea; German ten-mark piece;
a Russian five-ruble piece, and Span
ish coin.
PIatt's store was locked and the lights
out, but that the clothing was on dis
play outside, about m. Wednes-
day. said Mr.. Freidberg. Il called
ocIra I7nr- To Lon,
her father had come home to supper
When she told me he had not,
thought something was wrong I took
a car over as soon as / had locked up
It was about 7:15.
, the lights were out and the front dool
, lock as described. I broke open the
| door and turned on the lights Tht
back door of the store, opening int
!, the alley, was partly open. 1 went te
the rear room and while l was there
I heard my wife scream.
"I went to her and learned that She
: had found her fathers body. 1t was
lying bewteen the counter and shelves
/ on the south side of the store. A plusi
cloak. trousers and Jacket partly COY
cred it. chair and table on the out
side of the counter indicated he had
started to eat lunch.
store Closed at p. Nj.
N. Einstein, who runs a clothins
store a few doors south of the Plat
. store, testified that a stranger hac
called at his own store about O'CLOCK
wednesday afternoon, asking for
cap. The customer had seen a cal
like the one he wanted in the Plat
, store. but told Einstein that the OLE
/ mans store was locked up. Einsteir
; thought it probable the merchant wa.
! out on an errand- He did not see an,
one go out or in the store that day, bu
had seen the proprietor Wednesda,