The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-25
Prosecutor McDanieIs Makes
Statement Defending Self.
Trying to Blacken Name OF
Slain Wife, He Says.
GRAND JURY HAS Been CALLED
Special Prosecutor Charges He
Beat Wife to Death.
Alleges Divorce Was Threat
ened by Mrs. McDaniels.

st. Joseph, Sept. 25.-Judge
sheriff to summon a special grand jury
Thomas F. Ryan today directed the
to report in the criminal court
Wednesday morning to consider the
McDaniels case. In the meantime Nc
Daniels will be given into the custody
of. the sheriff and transferred from
the police station to the county jail.
McDaniels said he would ask for an
early trial. He is a candidate on the
Democratic ticket for reelection in
November
The people have right to know
whether l am innocent or guilty" he
said. and Il have never denied any
body an early trial"
McDaniels also said that he would
make application for a bond and that
the amount made was a matter of in
d1fference to him.
Makes Signed Statement.
Mr.. McDaniels' declarations rvar.
made IN the form of a signed state
ment given out from his cell at the
county Jail In it he chara ct terized as
Ialse the statement made by Bart
lockwood, the special prosecutor. thar
McDaniels was guilty of the crime
countless false and sIanderous
rumors have been circulated about me
ana some have tried to blacken the
lalr name OF my wife" the accused
mans statement read. ut seemed in
their sight not enough that NV ME,
whom L have known and loved since
she was 12-year-old girl should he
torn from me- They hope to assas-
sinate the character and blacken the
Iuture OF the one left to care for and
safeguard the welfare of my three
motherless children"
Ihe statement shows that Mr.. Nc
Daniels will base his defense on theory
.hat the murder was committed bv
burglars and saws: =
THE statement of Lockwood aI,o
shows that he knows nothing of the
connections. operations and desperate
character of the three gangs of done
fiends and robbers that have Infested
tnls city during my term of office.
Neither has it occurred to Mr. Lock-
wood that desperate burglar would kin
woman to get a 5000 diamond and
other articles and to avoid identifica-
ton as the thief
Offered $3.50 Reward Himself.
When told that a special grand jury
had been called to investigate the case
McDaniels said that such action was
very proper and for his sake a grand
jury should have been called before
this.
ou remember that recommended
a grand jury investigation of the mur-
der several weeks ago." he said.
MOnra
that McDanie1s called upon him Ia ST
Saturday night and in a conferences
with the heads of departments asked
TO have special detective assigned tn
the investigation of the murder and of
Tered to put up $3.50 for any expense
that would be incurred 1t had been
arranged to have the police board con-
slider the proposal at a meeting tornor-
row night
Special Prosecutor Handles Case.
ST. Joseph, Mo, Sept. 25.-When
the fall term of the criminal court
opened today, Special Prosecutor Bart
Lockwood asked the court to call the
grand jury to hear the charge of wife
murder against County Prosecutor
Oscar McDaniels. arrested al his home
here last night. Lockwood will ask
an indictment alleging Mrs McDaniels
had threatened divorce and was slain
after a quarrel.
Lockwood will charge that Nc
Daniels was not ar lodge the night of
July IA as she supposed. that McDan-
was reproached for his deceptions and
threatened with public exposure, the
quarrel reaching climax in the beat
ing of Mrs. McDaniels to death. The
special prosecutor will also charge
that the fake telephone calP' was
McDaniels's invention and part of a
plan to divert suspicion to those who
had threatened him for his official
acts.
/ AIlege Attorney Fired Shots.
! Lockwood will charge further that
McDaniels left the house after the
murder and fired all the five shots
heard by the neighbors Lockwood
declared the case is conclusive and
based largely on testimony of wit
nesses who were Tot heard at the in
quest McDaniels took his arrest
! lightly, laughed, said "All right" and
walked two miles to prison
Mrs McDaniels was found dying by
! her husband when he returned from
answering telephone call to come to
saloon and get mis- brother, who was
\ in trouble He said the murderer
| fired at him as he returned home and
that he returned the fire. In an adj
! Joining room the McDaniels children
J slept undisturbed by the killing of
their mother.
| Woman Found Dying.
| Mrs. McDaniels was found dying by
her husband, who told during ex-
/ haustive coroner's inquest. of a mysti-
fying and sensational series of cir
cumstances which excited public feel
/ ing to a high pitch. The murder of
Mrs. McDaniels was coupled with
an alleged attempt to kill the prose-
cutor also, and in public statements,
Mr. McDaniels charged that law vio-
lators against whom he had been
active were responsible for the crime.
/ On the night of the murder Nc
/ Daniels declared at the inquest. he re-
1 ceived decoy telephone message
| which took him down town in his
automobile. He returned home after