The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-24
HOuSer Planned to Kill Self in
Wichita Jail.
Weapons and Ground Glass
Found i'm His Cell.
SHERIFF DISCOVERED PLOT
Also Planned to Kill His Wife,
Police Declare.
Mrs. HOuser Will Go to Cali
fOrnia to Live.

Wichita. Kan. Nov 24-Art
Houser, accused of heinous crimes in
Topeka, Omaha, here and in nuner-
GUS other places, had a well-latd plan
to end his life just before he was
taken away from the county jail here
by officers from Omaha Sheriff
Frank Sarver frustrated thes'scheme
by Unexpectedly changing Horse-'' s
cell
In the vacated cell, Sheriff Sarver
found a razor, a pocket knife and q
handful of ground glass. Tucked
away under the quilts of the cell cot
were three letters. One of these was
addressed to Housers mother, one to
his wife and the third to Mrs. Sarver
One of 'sLast Letters"
The letter to Mrs. Sarver follows:
Sunday, Nov. 81, 1918.
Mrs Sarver, L thank you for being
so good to me while have been here.
I could stand it if my wife would
come and comfort me but she won't
I am taking my life Goodbye.
Il ask you a dying request to see
that each person gets these letters.
This razor came from inside the
Jail out of a suitcase but I won't tell
who gave it to me-
The first intimation that HouseP in
tended to take his life was carried tn
Sheriff Sarver by Mrs Houser. While
noon the prisoner waved something
before her and whispered:
Here's what will cheat Omaha"
Wife Became Suspicious.
Mrs. Houser could not see what
Houser held but she suspected he
meant to take his life rather than &c
to Nebraska and the electric chair
Later in the evening, when HoGser had
been moved, he told Mrs. Sarver that
he merely was trying to brighten his
wife when he waved a pocket knife
before her earlier in the day,
Sheriff Sarver believes Houser in
tended to kill his wife and then COM
init suicide if given the slightest OPP
portunity. Although he never admit
ted knowing his wife gave him up he
is believed to have learned the truth
through friends.
Sunday Houser begged Mrs. Sarver
to allow his wife to enter his cell.
This was denied as no visitor was per-
NIT: ed closer than six feet to the cage
door. Monday afternoon Mrs. Sarver
promised to let Mrs. Houser into her
husbands cell. But Mrs. Houser was
late in arriving and Mrs. Sarver was
away from the Jail when she came.
This absence is now believed to be the
only thing that saved Mrs. Houser's
life as there is little doubt in the minds
of Sheriff and Mrs. Sarver that Houser
meant to cut his wife's throat with the
razor and then end his own life.
After the discovery of Houser'S sui
eide plot he called Mrs. Sarver to his
cell by a message saying he wanted to
make a confession This confession
nas merely a statement that his wife
had ret aided him in his plan to end
his life.
Houser's last statement to Mrs Sar-
Yer as she left his cell was:
They haven't got me in the electric
chair yet, and take it from me they
amt going to-
If given the slightest chance at |
Omaha Houser will commit suicide, !
the sheriff believes. Warning of the !
plot discovered here was sent to the
Nebraska authorities.
1t is believed Houser got the razor
and pocket knife from other prisoners
the powdered glass by breaking a
drinking tumbler sent to him with his
meals and crushing the fragments to
fine bits on the steel floor of his cell
HOuser's Farewell.
Houser's last words upon leaving
were addressed to Assistant Police
Chief Ben Hanes at the union station +
as Chief of Detectives Maloney of ,
Omaha and L. T. Finn, a deputy /
sheriff, were starting with Houser for /
Nebraska, where he is to be tried for !
first degree murder.
Houser held out his hands, which !
were in handouts, and the assistant
chief grasped the right hand with a /
brief: so long, Art"
The parting was friendly, but it
was noticeable that the customary
good luck" which officers usually
add to their parting salutation to pris-
oners who are being taken away for
trial was not spoken to Houser.
Mrs Houser will go to California
soon with her children to make her
home with a brother
Police Chief Hay indicated that be-
cause of the assistance which the wo- I
man was persuaded to give him in I
the plans for the capture of her hus-
band, some provision would be made
for her until she could join her
brother, if Houser is convicted and
put to death in the electric chair.