The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-02-05
SLAIN IN HIS HOME
Saline County Man Killed by
an Assassin Who Fired
Through Window.
NO MOTIVE KNOWN FOR CRIME
John Bush, WeiI-to-Do Farmer, Had
Many Friends But No Enemies,
Neiehbors Say.


the kitchen window Of a farmhouse
near the little town of Shipton, eight
miles northwest of Salina, the other
night, killed John Bush, a well-to-de
farmer, and then vanished.
The crime was planned to a nicely.
The telephone wire to Bush's home
was cut, supposedly by the murder
,er, and half an hour after the shoot
ing the ground had become so COW
cred with sleet that officers were pow
erless to find a trace of the slayer
outside the window. Not even frag-
ments of neighborhood gossip could
be offered the sheriff, under sheriff
and county attorney, when they ar
rived at the scene of the crime.
Mrs. Bush and her mother, who
owns property in Salina, were in an
adjoining room. neighbors said, but
heard no shot fired. Bush was killed
by a shotgun. Wads from the gun
were found just outside the window.
The women, it is said, found the
body when they had gone into the
kitchen to learn from Bush the prob
able trouble with the telephone.
Mrs. Bush then ran nearly mile,
it is said, to neighbor's home to tele-
phone for a doctor.
John Bush was 40 years old and
had lived in Saline county thirty
years He was happily married, ac-
eording to neighbors, and was rather
wealthy. There are no children. He
was widely known throughout the
county, had many friends and no enc
mics, as far as could be learned.
The countryside was thrown into
excitement by the crime. Never since
the sale of the town of Shipton at
auction in 1909 has such public inter
est been aroused by any occurrence,
and as well as the condition of the
roads would permit, citizens joined
the officers in their fruitleSs search
for the murderer.
Police Chief Won Damage Suit.-A
Hutchinson jury recently brought in a
verdict for George T. Hern, chief OF
police, in a damage suit in which he
was sued for $4,000 damages by Isa-
dore Smith, a junk dealer. Smith al
legged false arrest
X x X
Drowned in WeiI-Everett Leon
ard, years old, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Leonard of Chetopa, while
playing, fell in an abandoned well and
drowned the other day.
x x x
What Kansas Pays Teachers.-The
average salary paid teachers in Kan
sas 1-teacher schools is about $3.50
a month, according to figures compiled
by Carl T. Salser. director of extern
sion of the Kansas State Normal
School here. The report points out
that the highest salary reported was
sos a month in several counties. Reno
and Marshall counties. it is said. have
the largest number of teacher schools,
there being 127 in each. and Hamilton
County. with Twenty-Five. the smallest.
x x x
Got Aid for Mother.-Mrs. Nellie
Crouch, the wife of Arthur Crouch, OF
SaffrodviEe, recently fell down a long
flight OF stairs in her home. She was
made unconscious. Her little son, who
is barely more than a baby. climbed
upon chair and telephoned to his
grandmother when he saw his mother
was hurt
Oil Boosts Kansas Land.-One hun
6red and sixty acres of land a few
miles northwest of Eldorado sold two
weeks ago to c. E Thompson for
$4,000 Recently c. F. BurlIngame, OF
Bartlesville. Ok. brought the quarter
for $22, 500. He will start drilling for
oil at once
Woman Killed by Train.-Mrs. Min
erva A. Hardin. IS years old, was kill
ed at Ottawa recently by a Santa Fe
freight train while she was crossing
the tracks.
TWO Pioneers Dead-Henry Well
man. rs years old, and a resident
there for thirty-seven years, is dead
at his home in Salina, where he and
his wife celebrated their golden wed.
ding anniversary last August. Frank
Hronek, 65 years old. is dead after
living in Saline county forty-five
years. He was a farmer near BaVa,
ria.
A Suicide With Dynamite-Luke
Bablesek. so years old, coal miner
of Radley, committed suicide recently
by exploding a stick of dynamite in
his mouth.
K <
To install Gift Organ.-The frs:
Christian Church, of Columbus, has
let the contract for $4,000 Kilgen
pipe organ to be installed before East
er Sunday The organ is a gift to the
church by Mrs. R. A. Long, of Kansas
City Mr.. Long gave more than $4,000
toward the construction of the pres
ent church building.
= x
Blister Caused Death-A little bis
ter he noticed on his foot ten days
ago ended fatally the other night fol
Mayor H A KobeI of Peabody. Gan
creme developed.
y X y
Breaks Stock Feeding Record-The
abundance of all kinds of feed N
Western Kansas is the cause for the
heavy shipments of cattle to that par
of the state. In December more thar