The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-18
BURNED IN ENGINE
Otto Reich Killed and Body De-
strOyed by Fire.
Ericsson Promises Sensational
Trial at Dodge City.
KILLED FOR FARM
John and Chris Holland Tell
Conflicting Stories.
Claim They Paid Deceased Bal
ance Due on Farm.
KILLED FOR FARM

1t now begins to look as though the
mystery of the disappearance of Otto
Reich from his home near Offerle,
Ford county a year ago, might be
cleared up by a big murder trial. Any
way, indictments have been prepared
for Chris and John Holland of Ford
county, charging them with the crime
OF numbering Reich. The Holland
brothers are now under Indictment for
perjury John was extradicted from
Illinois this month to answer to this
charge, and he and Chris are both out
on $1,000 bond awaiting trial at the
next term of the Ford district court
for making false affidavits as to their
property The story Of the case
against the Holland brothers reads
like an old fashioned detective story.
Tom Dorsey of Ford county, admin
istratOr of the Reich estate, and II. c.
Ericsson, the Topeka secret service
man, have worked on the Reich case
for six months, and now they believe
they have the chain of evidence COM
pleted against the Holland boys, and
they will charge them with the muir
der of Otto Reich when their perjury
case comes up after the holidays
Dorsey and Ericsson today told the
reporters the story of the case they
have worked up against the HelIand
brothers in connection with the dis
appearance of Reich. Otto Reich dis
appeared from his farm near O1terle,
Ford county, December IA, 1910, ana
has not since been heard OF by any
one. His death was accepted as mat
ter of fact by the probate Judge OF
Ford county when he appointed rom
Dorsey administrator of his estate.
Sells Farm; Disappears.
A short time before he disappeared
Reich sold his farm to Chris Holland, |
a neighbor, for $500 Only the rec
ord of a $1,000 payment on the farm
has ever been found. Heiland told
different stories about paying Reich |
the balance. Holland took possession |
of the Reich farm, claiming to nave
paid for it in full. He had deed to
the land There was no one to dis
pute his word. He claimed to have
paid Reich $4,000 in twenty-dollar
bills shortly after the sale of the farm,
but he had no receipts He claimed
he borrowed $4,000 more from his
brother to pay the balance. Yet in
March of the year the sale was made
both Hollands made affidavit to the
assessor that they were possessed OF
no money or property
According to Dorsey everything
pointed to foul play in connection with
the disappearance of Reich. He had
lust bought team of mules a day
Or two before his disappearance. He
mad bought a piece of farming machin-
cry from Kansas City. he had just laid
n a supply of groceries and had re-
.eived a check on certain sale that
he had never cashed. He told several
people that he had sold his farm to
he Hollands for $500 and that they
had paid him only 81, 600 down and
he balance was to be paid in separ-
ate payments. He contracted to buy a
oiece of land in Gray county and was
o pay for it in payments timed TO
hose he was to receive on his Ford
county farm
Money TangIe Leads to Arrest.
Reich also borrowed 5000 from Tom
Dorsey that was to be paid back from
.rops to be harvested from his Ford
county farm. The Hollands refused to
,ay this claim They also failed to
how where they got the $500 bal
nee they said they had paid for the
arm Dorsey, as administrator for the
Reich estate, brought suit in the courts
gainst the Hollands for the balance
hey claimed to have paid on the farm
nd got a verdict for $4,000. John
LELAND was brought back this month
rom Illinois on the perjury charge as
Ioted above and his brother, Chris,
vas also arrested on the same charge. !
But they will, according to Dorsey and
Ericsson, have to face murder charge
t the same time.
Ericsson was t-1ployed by Dorsey to
york on the case. He claims to have
chain of evidence strongly circum- !
tantial against the brothers. The state E
ill claim that the Hollands murdered
reich in his home about or near De-
ember II of last year and disposed of )
is body by burning it in a thresher :
ngine. Blood stains found in the
Reich house and bloody knives will
ear out this theory, says Ericsson.
It is remarkable case and the trial :
houId prove as sensational as any 2
yer held in this state. If the evidence :
ecured by Ericsson (and he is hold t
az important parts of it back from c
utilization at this time) is brought
ut in court as he tells the story he a
ill have fine piece of detective work I
} his credit. Friends and neighbors t
f Reich in Ford county have always /
e1ieved that he was murdered, but up :
) the time Ericsson took hold of the !
ase. could find no tangible evidence
pom which to base a charge against +
ne two men who bought the farm and t
tho alone could profit by Reieh's 0
cath. 6
h