The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-06
CHOKED To DEATH
Body of Murdered Woman
Found on a Prairie.
She Had Been Strangled With
a Piece of Cord.

Chicago. Oct. 6-Mystery shrouds the
murder of Miss Ida Leegson, a strug-
Cling art student, lured by a telephone
call to the prairie southwesr of the city,
Saturday, and strangled with a silken
cord. Following her Identification lit
tie has been found to indicate a motive.
Hurried investigation has shown only
that she led an exemplary life, had no
male callers at any of the places where
she is known to have resided and she
is not thought to have possessed any
very large amount of money.
Miss Leegson was a graduate of the
University of Chicago, q sculpture pu-
pill of dorado Taft, and IA student at
the Art institute. Her murder marked
the end of a long, pitifuI struggle to
make her way as a sculptor. Her
studies at the University of Chicago
were to fit her for work by which she
could earn enough to complete her art
education. For several winters she
taught school, returning to the city to
resume work at the Art institute.
Only few hours before she was
lured to her death she answered al
advertisement for a domestic, saying g
she had to have funds to enable her to
continue art studies and was not too
proud to do kitchen work.
Late Saturday afternoon a man who
the residence where Miss Leegson lived
and asked her to take Il position as
nurse in maternity case. She was di-
rected to go to Seventy-first street and
Washington avenue and walk to an
address four miles west. The body was
found three miles west of that point in
clump of bushes. The address to
which she was directed does not exist.
Game wardenS followed 4 trail of
torn clothing to the spot where her half
nude form was lying. On her neck
were finger marks and encircling it was
a thin blue line which was made by a
piece of fish line nearby. There also
were fresh tracks made by an automo-
bile. A guard at railroad crossing on
SeVenty-firSt street saw a large black
car go west on Seventy-first street Sat
urday evening 1t returned about three
hours later
Miss Leegson recently returned from
Mason City, Ia, where she taught for a
few days, giving up her position be-
cause she was not fitted for teaching
in the grammar grades. She also has
taught at Cameron and Oshkosh, Wis,
and Dollar Bay, Mich. Miss Leegson
once brought suit against DR.. T. J. AL
len of Aurora, I'LL, on the grounds that
he falsely accused her of flirting with
some of her pupils and caused her dis
missaI.
A brown leather satchel thought to
nave belonged to Miss Leegson was
found today by c. F. Brochmier, a
game warden. The find was made
near the scene of the crime. The bag
had been slit from end to end, its con-
tents disturbed, after which the mur-
derer threw it into the bushes. There
remained in the satchel only a pair of
stockings and piece of surgical soap.
watch, two rings and pocketbook
which she carried when she left the
nome of James p. Burdette, where she
roomed, were missing. The authorities
are struck with the fact that Miss
Leegson, like Mrs. Allison-Rexroat,
was lured by a telephone call to the
spot where she was murdered
Stayed Only Month
Mason City. Ia. Oct 6.-Aiss Ida Leeg-
was employed here as a teacher in
the graded schools from. September 1 to
noon on September %. At that time she
asked the board of education for re-
lease, saying that she had a position as
supervisor in another school. which sire
did not name. She left this city last Mon
dav evening. She came here from a Chi
cago teachers agency, and had pleased
the school board with her work.