The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-26

through the water pipes and I knew
he was washing and when he came
downstairs he had changed shirts
All morning 1 noticed that he was
dreadfully nervous, but of course
never dreamed that anything was
wrong with my little Edna, but was
certain he had done something that
was worrying him. for he kept rum
ming to the door and looking out as
if he was expecting the police
He looked at me so funny that
did not know how close 1 had come
to the real truth and l never thought
much more about it for we were all
so busy, having. just moved in the
new place, and all were anxious to get
things Strengthened out.
When l heard my baby was dead,
something, I don't know what 1t was.
seemed to cry out in my ears, Fred
Bissel was the guilty man."
Sure of the Man.
CT can't explain what it was, but
it Just seemed to me he was the man,
and I am just as certain that he killed
my poor little Edna as l am that
am here right now"
She was told that every effort was
being made to establish the guilt of
the man who had committed the ter
rible crime, whoever he might be-
Kindly neighbors are doing all that
can be done for the distracted mother
who is moaning and calling for her
little dead child and she lay dressed
just as Sne Threw heisciA uo"i
terday.
"Only one comfort have she
said, as the State Journal reporter left
her, land that is I now know she is
safe where bad men will never more
bother her, but, Oh, how lonesome this
world will be for me without her FOR
she was all I had and all care to
live for
Bartletts Story.
over at the bakery at $50 Monroe
Lott hO s.
terday to the Bissells, said: I know
Fred well and he rode with me several
times. l never did like him for he
was always talking about 1ttle chii-
dren and women. he seemed 10 pe
simply. crazy after women and little
girls.
at exactly S:45 and Fred was net
there. 1 went out on my route 70 oe-
liver and did not return till 1l:15.
know this time was exact for the rea-
son that we have to be at certain
places at certain times and his father
was with me and said that we would
be late delivering pies at certain
place. I looked at my watch and saw
that it was exactly 1915 and told
him we would be on time. This was
directly in front of the bakery anu
a few minutes after we entered not
more than two or three, Fred came
in and I noticed that his hat was wet
like he had been out in the rain
Did you notice him specially, was
he excited?"
Came in Pale.
.-'I noticed that he was rather pale
and that he went to the door and
looked out several times till finally
Anna Curnmins, who works here told
him unless he kept that front door
shut she would shoot him and then he
went UP stairs and remained for about
ten or fifteen minutes
4sXVhRn he came down stairs L was
ready to go out again with some pies
and he got on the wagon with me
and we went to Shaffer's at ll6 East
Sixth avenue.
How did he act on the wagon!
he was asked.
well, l always thought him nutty
and did not pay much attention to
him but he acted much like he al
ways did, rubbering at women and
children as they passed. He sure did
go daffy over women"
Miss Anna Cummins fixes the time
of Bissell's departure after the little
child within three to five minutes
after Edna had left for school.
Are you positive about this?" she
was asked.
Saw Him Go Out.
Positive. for 1 saw him go out and
it was not more than five or possibly
three minutes after Edna had left fOr
school and he did not come back till
bartlett ana MS along
about 11:15 or 11:30.''
Over in the Lincoln school an empty
desk near the teacher on the front row
holds the books of little Edna Dins-
more. Her little scratch pad is full of
spelling lessons on most of which
100" is written showing she stood
well in her limitations
Some time lately the little child
mad placed her little hand on the pa
per and had drawn with a lead pencil
an outline of her hand. On three
of the fingers she had drawn rings
"She was such a dependable little
child" said Miss Helen McNeeley. 405
Locust street, her teacher, land Edna
was one of my brightest pupils. 1
could always depend on her for she
was such a womanly little soul. She
seemed to have more than an average
amount of wisdom for a child of her
age, but 1 attribute it to the fact that
she and her poor mother have had a
hard time of it. Only a few days ago
she went uptown and bought herself
little dress, but she seemed to think
1t too expensive, and returned it and
got a cheaper one All of the little
children spoke of it as being strange
that a child of her age would do such
a thing but of course 1 understood her
condition and l knew why she was
able to display such mature judgment.
81 often have had long talks with
her and she surprised me with her
display of knowledge on living condi-
lions and how hard it is for poor peo-
pie to get along in this world and she
often walked home with me-"
One touching feature of Edna's
spelling lesson was the fact that she
started the page with the word pray
err next came gentle and then
manners all written in a childish
but plain hand. Her books showed
care.