Evening star., 1915-01-11

Hughes and her companion reached the
womans home, below Clark station. ac-
cording to information obtained by
Crandal Mackey, commemorative at
torney. and Detective oBrien. who
participated in the investigation, and
1t was about o'clock when news o.
the tragedy reached this city. Mrs.
Hughes regained consciousness some
time after she was beaten and shot
and managed to reach the premises of
Representative Philip Campbell Of
Kansas, some distance away.
o. Xander. who is in the employ Of
Representative Campbell, was aroused
by Mrs. Hughes and was told the story
of her terrible experience. Xander ac-
companied her to her home. called
other neighbors. and DR.. james W.
H.r- was summoned to the house. He
rendered first aid and had the patient
taken to Sibley Hospital after day
break.
Evidence of Desperate Struggle.
Commonwealth's Attorney Mackey
and Sheriff Barbor. who investigated.
Detective O'Brien assisting them. found
blood stains on the walls. which sug-
gested that Mrs. Hughes had engaged
in desperate struggle with the two
burglars, She had lost the sleeves Of
her dress and her clothing wa. badly
torn.
Mrs Hughes, suffering from the bull
let wound, terrible cash across Ier
face. one eye closed and numerous
bruises to her arms and body, was
able to relate most of the story Of the
ter1ib affair to the officers She told
of her visit to this city Saturday after
noon Of the purchases she made and
of sending her father nome with them
Remaining in the city until after
dark. Mrs. Hughes stated, she met
fov NI..O rnFS l,,ts
he consented to accompany her hone.
Trey entered Coleman's automobile iE
trout of the Grand Hotel about mid
night, crossing the river OYER the High
way bridge.
When the automobile stopped in
'ront of the home of Mrs. Hughes and
her father its occupants got out,
Mrs. Hughes went to the door. leaving
Coffinas. her companion. to settle the
automobile bill, and to return to the
city or follow her into the house.
Il took out my keys to open the
door" she said. land finding the door
ajar / feared something was wrong.
1 opened the door. however, lit the
electric light on the lower floor and
started through the hall"
Burglar Drags Her Through Door
Mrs. Hughes said she had gone but
short distance before she saw one
of the burglars. He grabbed her and
dragged her through the kitchen door,
striking her on the face with revol-
yer. Near the kitchen door, she said,
the second man appeared. and then she
was thrown down and kicked and
beaten.
81 screamed" said the wounded
woman, and my father came down the
stairs. That was the last l knew until
l came to my senses and crawled from
the house."
On her way from the house Mrs.
companion near the pavement, but did
not know he had been killed. She went
as far as Representative Campbells s
premises, she said. about 200 yards dis
tant, and called xander.
Shortly after she summoned assist
ance she reached her home and had to
step over the dead body of her father,
at the foot of the stairs, in order to
reach her bedroom. Coffinas' body was
found in front of the house later.
Mrs. Hughes told the officers that
Coffinas had been in the business of
buying and selling stores and that she
was about to make a purchase. Cof-
f1nas was going to remain at her home
overnight, she said. and she was going
to accompany him to the city yester-
day morning.
An examination of the body of Mr..
Waldrop disclosed four bullet wounds,
one through his arm and three in his
body. while only one wound was in the
tered his back, it is stated, and passed
through his body, suggesting that he
was facing the road and probably was
running when he was wounded.
Cigarette in Dead Mans Fingers.