The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-01-01
REVIEW D. na
THE BURNS
KILL HOAX

Pauls Valley. okla, Dee. 31-Ae
cording to Deputy Sheriff Geor-
Welch of aryn county, it is the be
lief OF the odieers of tnat county
that the reported murder of DR.. r. l..
Purns at Henepin on Thursday night
last, is a clever hoax, prepared and
executed by the physician himself
This statement was made after the
authorities of Gary.n county had
spent the entire day In an investi-
cation of the surroun dings of the DR..
Burns home at Henepn.
I Saturday night the state was
startled by the announcement that
Dr. Burns was believed to nave been
murdered at his home. Reports stat
ed that blood had been spattered
about the house and that portions of
flesh were found scattered about lne
place. The first results of an inves-
tigation disclosed evidences that a
brutal murder had netn committed
and that the victims body had been
carried away. Wagon tracks were
discerned in the roadways about tho
Burns place and the officials came
to the conclusion that the murder
ers had made off with the mutilated
corpse III a wagon
Immediately after The circulation
Of the reports the officials Of tho
county commenced an extended in
vcstigaiion The house and premises
were gone over in detail with the re-
suit that the announcement was
made that the physicians lives ana
that the murder story is the result
of a plan OF his to escape answering
to = charge of assault with intent 10
kill up0n the person OF Robert Maycs
Henepin blacksmith Dr Hurns
vas released on bond after an ar
raignmcnt on the a sault charge and
was to appear in couri for trial last
Saturday. When the case was call
ed in the circuit district court here
the doctor failed to appear, an in
yestigation started which resulted in
the discovery of the evidences of mur-
der
Scattered about the bedroom Nfl
which Dr.. Burns slept were pieces
OF flesh which were at first thought
to be portions Of a human body. In
some instances locks of hair wero
found These pieces OF flesh, togetn-
er with quantity of coagulated
blood were placed in a glass by the
sheriff and are being closely guarded
until an examination can be made by
chemists.
1t is the belief of the officers here
that Dp. Burns deciding that conyc-
tion was probable on the assault
charge planned to hoax the author
tiles. Accordingly he slaughtered
some animal, probably sat or do 4,
stripned flesh from the carcass, OBJ
t aimed quantity of blood, and scat
teie Ell the remnants about the house.
He then made his escape from the
village, i is said In which direction
DR. Burns fled, the authorities have
TO IDEA. They have commenced an
extended search, however, and furth-
er developments arc expected within
Il few days
A telegram purporting to come from
Dr. Burns, and dated Selllngnion,
Mo-, states that he is alive, but the
authorities here are not inclined TO
believe that it is from Burns, and
say that it is only part of tbp
scheme to throw them off the track.
Burns brother also refuses TO be-
lieve it is from the physician and
will continue the search for his body.
A will made by Dr. Burns, December
l. contains one significant sentence.
It is "Some one VIII be killed
A telegram arrived this afternoon,
dated Harrison. Ark, from a friend OF
the doctor, stating that he had mar
ried a former sweetheart there.
Blood which was clotted over the
pillow in Doctor Burns bed has been
sent to the state chemist at Norman
with request for analysis.