Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-15
M0NM0UTHMAN
NOT IDENTIFIED
AS N UROER RER
Visit of Niece of Moores in
Illinois City Results in
Failure to Connect Sus-
pect With Crime.

Monmouth, ILL.,, June 14.--Joe Kicks
held here in connection with the Moore
murder at Villisca, Iowa, Is not the
man whom Fay Van Glider saw acting
in a suspicious manner" near Villlsca
a few days before the murder. Miss
Van Glider, who came here today With
her mother, Mrs. Emma Van Glider
and District Attorney Ratcliffe OF VII
lisca declared as soon as she was
brought face to face with Kicks that
he was not the man.
Kicks has given q fairly good ac'
count of himself to the authorities
He said the bloodstained shoes ne was
wearing when arrested he had obtain
ed in a trade from tramp.
Leaves for Monmouth.
villisca Ia. June 14.-On receipt OF
a te1ram from Sheriff w. F. Fitzpatrick
of Warren county ILL., County Attorney
Ratcliff left hurriedly late last night
for Monmouth ILL.,, accompanied Dy
Miss May Van Glider, Is years old niece
of Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph B. Moore, VIC
tins of last Sunday nights octuple as
sassination.
They went to see if Miss Van Glider
can identify the man under arrest there
as a man with whom she talked on Sat
urday morning preceding the murder.
The young woman relates that she was
>accosted by a stranger who inquired
where the home of Moore was located,
Later, when she told Mrs. Moore of the
occurrence, the latter said the man an
swering the description Of the stranger
had been hanging about their place
The Monmouth suspect, who gives
the name of Joe Ricks, told the Illinois
officers that he came from Clarinda,
Ia, town fifteen miles from here. His
description is said to tally with that Of
the man with whom Miss Van Glider
talked.
J. H. Horton, city marshal, has re-
ceived letter postmarked Kankakee
H., and which was purported to have
been written by Stephen A. Moore, "a
lawyer with fifty five years expert
ence." The writer informs the marshal
that the slayer of the Moore family and
their guests was a negro who has a
twisted wrist. He Is also cunning
negro, according to the letter writer.
While they look upon the letter as
the creation of a fanatic, the authori-
ties are spending some time in conduct
ing an investigation along these lines.
A similar letter was received by the
city marshal at Ellsworth, Kans., Short
ly after the Staying Of an entire family
there under similar circumstances.
Similarity Shown.
Colorado Springs, Colo, June IA
Police officials who are In constant
touch with the Villisca authorities,
find added parallels in the Moore and
Burnham-Wayne murders which are
difficult to explain except by the theory
that the same person or persons com.
mitted both crimes.
A national fund for the employment
of detectives with federal power Is
suggested by the police as the best
means of running down the crimes.
In Villisca the murderer hung skirts
and aprons across the windows to
prevent anyone from looking into the
house; at the Wayne and Burnham
homes bed spreads were stretched
across the windows. In Vallisca he
covered the heads Of the victims with
bedclothing, wiped the blood from his
ak and removed the stains from his
hands and clothing; and this, too, was
the case here. Here, as in the Iowa
town, the doors we're locked, an un-
fastened rear window in each in-
stance affording means of entranc g
for the ak man.