The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-21
Woods Declares He Is Not
Sorry for Actions.
Regrets Killing Thompson
Whom He Didn't Know.
CAUGHT BY UNARMED MEN
Fugitive's Hiding Place Not
Discovered Until He Left.
Intended to Kill All Members of
Manahan Family.

belle Plaine, Kan, Aug. 21-'I am
not bit sorry about whatever I dt5
TO the Manahans. 1 intended to kill
an OF them. didn't want to kill
thompson, and I am sorry I did. I
oldnt expect to find so Tnanv there >,
sam Woods, the young Belle PLANE
FARMER, who shot James THOMPSON. a
farm hand. to death and beat Matt
Manahan, wealthy farmer. so se-
vereiy he may die, and then shot him
self when he saw escape was frnnos-
SIDE. MADE this statement as he was
loaded on train to be taken tn a
will die. "oouS
sam Woods is a large man, being
wen over six feet tall and weighing
z25 pounds. His "RrudRe'' against
the Manahans, and which he EXPECT
ed to even up by kidnapping Miss
Ethel, the 24-year-old daughter, is
based on sale Of a farm belonging to
Manahan's brother, for which Matt
Woods had paid rent. The sale took
the farm from him and caused him to
lose some grain.
IF the Manahans ever make me
lose any more money" Woods told a
friend the other day, It'll put them
in the hospital"
A year ago Woods is said to have
written an Objectionable letter to Miss
Ethel and the family appeared against
him in the federal court at Wichita,
where he is also under an indictment
for addressing obscene letters to a |
Wichita music teacher.
His Captors Not Armed,
AFTER a search lasting half a day IN |
Mnicn 400 armed men participated,
WOODS was captured without a strug- /
gle py POSTMASTER James Large, of (
Belle P1aine. He had hidden in a
clunp of trees, three miles north of |
BeIie Plaine and about eight miles dis
tant from the scene of his midnight /
attack. Hundreds of men had gone
Dy his hiding place and when he
thought the road clear he started To
cross it and retrace his footsteps to
throw the Searchers off the trail Ash
ne reached the center of the roadway
GargeS automobile drove up. None
OF the four men in the car were arm
ed. Woods did not know this. He
drew his pistol and fired three bull
let's through his left lung.
He was picked up and taken to
Belle Plaine, where he made a short
statement declaring that he had madeI
the attack not to kidnap the girl hut
to kill Mammalian, who owed him $751;
In his buggy, which he had deserted,
and a bracelet.
Sorry He Killed Thompson.
II am sorry killed young Thomp-
son, as / never met him before"
Woods stated. ct didn't want the
girl" he insisted, but when attacking
the family he continuously demanded
to know where she had hidden.
Miss Manahan stated that she had
not met Woods since she was 1Si,
years old.
Woods is under a federal grand jury
Indictment for sending letters through I
the mails containing indecent pro-
posals. He was out on a $1,000 bond. =
who talked to him declar- .
ed that he is an inebriate. Gaylor !
Mammalian, the youth Woods compelled !
to go with him when he fled the
scene of his assault, declared that
Woods was after his sister and was
going to make her leave the country :
with him." ;
Sheriff Lingerfelter of wellington. !
took charge of Woods and he is now
In the Sumner county Jail in dan
Eerous condition. Woods is a farmer !
residing about eight miles from the
Manahan farm and is considered we'll 1
to-do.
Victim of AbductOr Improves.
Wood, the farmer, is still alive to-
day He tried to kill himself when a
oyertaken and he has two bullets in 4
his lungs and one Embedded IN his
spine. L
Matt Mammalian, who was beaten I'M :
conscious, has recovered consciousness t
ana has a chznce to recover. =
1t is not believed Wood can live.
He is in a Wellington hospital without
q guard. The sheriff does not believe .
he car escape.