The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-11
Relations Who Had Trouble
With Dead Family Suspected.
IT is LIKE ELLSWORTH CASE
Coal Oil Lamp Left Burning in
House of Death.
Mother of Dead Girls in Seri.
GUS Condition.

tives in Sunday nights murder case
wherein Joseph Moore and family and
| two visitors met death.
The theory upon which the authori-
ties are working now involves two men,
relatives of the murdered family, both
| of whom are said to have held deep
grudges against Moore and his wife
| as result of domestic trouble. One Of
these men, it is said, is known to have
been in Villisca recently and it is ru-
mored that the other also has been
here.
The bloodhounds which followed a
trail from the Moore home to the river
yesterday, losing it soon afterwards
again were used today.
A detective working on this case also
helped III the investigation of a mys.
terious wholesale murder at Ellsworth,
Kan. He notes several points OF
similarity in the two cases. One Of
these is the use of a kerosene lamp.
In each case one was found burning in
the room where the crime was COM
mitted. Bloody finger prints of the
Ellsworth murderer have been preserv-
ed and will be compared by experts
with those of Villisca assassin.
1t was planned to hold the funeral
of the eight victims of the TRAGEDY
this afternoon.
Mrs. Stillinger, mother of the two
murdered girls, is still in serious con-
dition from shock.
Clerk Seeks Cause of Delay.
The first intimation of the crime was
secured when clerk in the implement
house of Mr.. Moore went to the Moore
home to ascertain the cause of Mr..
Moore's delay in reaching business.
The dead people, with one exception,
were found in. their beds in natural at
titudes of sleeping.
Mr.. and Mrs. Moore were in one
bed, the clothing of which was not the
two of the boys, the sister occupied
the third bed and the youngest boy
was alone in a smaller bed. In neith-
er instance was the bedding of the
children diSarranged.
The Misses Stillinger occupied a
room in another part of the house. One
of the girls had a cut on an arm and
was in such position as to indicate
she had awakened before the attack
and that there was a short struggle.
The tragedy is one of the most mys-
terious the officials of Iowa have ever
had to deal with. There is absolutely
no clue upon which to warrant an ar
rest, and the utter absence of a pos
sibIe motive has left the authorities in
a maze of perplexity and doubt.
Blood stains, which will require the
work of experts to handle in relation
with the crime, including hngerprints
of the murderer are absolutely the
only clue the officers have to work
upon. Blood stains were on the front
door near the knob and fngerprints
were found in the house.
Oil Lamp Is Found.
A feature of the tragedy which indi-
Gates that possibly the murderer left
the house quickly, was the finding of a
lighted lamp upon the floor of the
Moore bedroom. All the blinds Of the
house were closely drawn, the doors
were all locked and all the windows
locked but two opening from the room
which the Stillinger girls occupied.
Feeling is. high and few persons slept
in Villisca Monday night News Of the
crime Travelled fast and hundreds OF
country people soon came to the VIII
lage.
which serves to heighten the mystery
surrounding it is the apparent deliber-
alton which the murderer displayed in
committing the crime.
Bloodhounds arrived here on a late
evening train and were Immediately
taken to the Moore home. Within ten
minutes they found a scent which took
them over a circuitous route to the
edge of the town and thence to the
banks of the Nodaway river. They
were followed closely by their keepers.
Entering a deep woods along the
river, the hounds led their followers
over several miles o. rough timber
land in the Nodaway bottoms.
Because a company of militia have
kept the crowds from going within
several hundred feet of the Moore
home, it was hoped the hounds might
bt: able to accomplish much, as the
ground had not been trodder over by
the people.
Bloody Handkerchief Found.
The only thing found by the blood
hounds this morning was a bloody
handkerchief. While interesting the
officers do not regard the find as valu-
able in the work of unraveling the
Warden McClaughry of the federal
prison at Leavenworth. Kansas, who is
a fingerprint expert. He is expected
today.
Word comes from Newmarket.
about 3 miles southeast of here, that
two strange men who were there when
the news of the tragedy reached that
place, left hurriedly in the direction
of Claringa.
orders for their arrest have been
sent to the latter place but nothing
further has been heard.
Expert After EIngerprints.
Leavenworth. Kan, June 1.-wn-
liam McCIaughry, BertilIon expert at
tn, federal prison, left here late last
evening for Villisca. Ia, where he was
called to examine bloody finger prints
left on window glass that are supposed
to have been made by the assassin who
slew Joseph Moore and his entire fam
Ily. The prints are said to be In excel
lent condition