The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-10-29
Brutal Assault and
Murder Near Moscow

Murder Near MOSCOW
One of the most flendish and in
human crimes ever committed since
the Southwest was opened for settle
ment happened late Friday afternoon
near Moscow, when Miss Nellie By
ers, school teacher, was wayIaid, as
saulted and choked to death on the
road from her school to the farm
home where she boarded. Under
date of Oct. 49,, the following ac-
count bearing the Moscow date line,
appeared in the Hutchinson Gazette,
which account seems correct when
compared with verbal reports brought
back by the Liberal people who drove
to the scene Of the murder Saturday:
Southern Grant and northern
Stevens counties were shocked early
by the discovery of the body Of Miss
Nellie Byers, school teacher, in pile
of weeds a mile from her prairie
school house. The girl had been at
tackled and beaten in fight to pro-
tect herself. Her clothing was strip
ped from her body before she was
choked to death. The body bad been
dragged to pile of weeds and con-
cealed
"Miss Byers was about "A years old
and came from family of respected
settlers in Grant county. Her father,
Frank Byers, was member of the
Kansas legislature in 1895, represent
ing Grant county. He died several
years ago. The family now lives in
New Ulysses.
"Mlss Byers taught school in dis
trict, part of which is in Grant coun-
ty, and part in Stevens county, ten
miles east OF Satanic and eight miles
northwest of Moscow. Last evening
she remained at the school house UNI
til the pupils had left and it is sup
posed she started for her boarding
place with family named Edmonds
when she was attacked. The place
where she was found was on the
route to the Edmonds home.
1.-THE alarm OF her disappearance was
not started until this morning as she
had told the Edmonds she might 90
to the home of her sister, Mrs. Brew
er, and go with her to Ulysses today
to teachers association meeting.
This morning her disappearance was
discovered and search revealed the
body at $3.50 o'clock. The entire
neighborhood was soon aroused and
an alarm sent In all directions, but
there is no clue to the murderer.
Miss Byers had no known enemies
and the sparsely settled counties of
Southwest Kansas have been almost
free from crimes against women. The
search for the slayer is being extend
ed over all the Southwest part of
Kansas by telephone and telegraph.
The only railway through this sec
ton Is the Santa Fe branch.
Reports from the scene of the
crime are that the whole section is |
aroused and hundreds of men are join
ing the search"
Since the above was published,
Archibald Sweet, farm hand, who
claims he had been hunting near the
spot where Miss Byers met her tragic |
fate on the day it happened, has
given himself up TO the sheriff through |
fear of mob violence. Sweet says he
is innocent of the crime and gave
himself up to the authorities only
for protection. He was Immediately
taken to Lakin and lodged in jail |
Notwithstanding his protests of in
nocense, the bloodhounds that were
brought from Concordia to the place
of the crime took up the scent from
the scene of the murder and wound |
around through the canyons until
they came no Sweets house where
tried to gain entrance. Sweet may
be innocent, but he will have a hard
time explaining the actions of the