Omaha daily bee., 1917-09-01

$500. But no trace OF the man was
then found and police booked the
murder as mystery"
Kelly and the Case.
The night of the murder Of the |
members of the Moore family, it is
said that Kelly spent at least a por-
tion of time at the home OF the Pres
byterian preacher in Villisca and the
next morning left on an early train
for Macedonia, having been assigned
to preach there, at Arlington and
Pilot Grove, small towns near by.
Ii is also said that it was late in
the evening when Kelly arrived at
the home of the Presbyterian minis
ter. However, prior to this he had
attended children's day exercises in
the church.
In the morning, when the minister
arose, it is said that he discovered
that Kelly had gone, but it was sup
posed that he had left for Macedonia
on an early train.
1t has been related that in Mace
donia, between $50 and 9 o'clock of
the morning after the murder OF the
Moores, and before the news OF their
having been killed had reached there,
Kelly, said that he had been unable to
sleep well during the night and that
at about l o'clock in the morning he
arose, went out onto the porch and
that while there heard the thud of the
ak that killed the Moores and that he
was one OF the first men in the Moore
house after the murders were dis
covered.
Letters in the hands OF the Iowa
authorities show that Kelly wrote to
the Presbyterian minister at Villisca
and to brother Of Moore, asking
permission to work on the case.
News at Red Oak.
Red Oak, Ia, Aug. 3i,--(Special.) D.
The Montgomery county grand jury
is in session here. Leaks from the
Jury room Indicate that the jurors are
investigating the alleged irregulari-
ties OF Attorney General Havner in
bringing a murder indictment against
Rev. Lyn George ]. Kelly in connec-
ton with the Villisca ak murders that
shocked the entire state hve years
agoo
The Omaha meeting OF Montgom-
cry county citizens, who were com.
pelied to gather in another state to
exercise the privilege of free speech,
has, apparntly. forced this inquisitior.
Important Witnesses.
Among the witnesses who have
been summoned this week are Rose
Moore, Joe Stillingcr, Mrs. Minnie
Bolt, Alice Willard, ]. w. Hoel, John
Montgomery, H, w. Brandt, Clarence
Miller. Ray Mann. Attorney Clyde
Genung of Glenwood, who was em-
pioyed by the county board of super
visers, is here assisting in the work
of presenting the evidence to the
grand jury.
Sheriff r. A. Dunn has been busy
during the week summoning the Jury
men for the opening of court on Tues.
day OF next week, when the trial OF
Rev. Kelly is set to begin. The spe-
cial venire of seventy-hye rirymen or |
defed by Judge Z. B. Woodruff at
The time the date for the trial was set
has not yet been drawn, and it Is tiri-
ierstood that the drawing will not
take place until just before the jury
men are TO be subpoenaed. The thir-
ty-six jurymen drawn for the May
term OF court are now being SUM
moned.
How Charges Grew.
The charges against Attorney Gem
eral Havner of Iowa grew out OF the
investigation made by Detective VIII
kerson on the case OF the ak murder
OF several years ago in which the en-
tire Joe Moore family and the two
Stillinger girls were cut to pieces In
their beds in the Moore home in VII
iisca, Ia
When Attorney General Havner
and local authorities In Montgomery
county sought to fix the guilt some
months ago upon an Inherent
preacher, Rev. L. G. ]. Kelly, Detec-
tive Wilkerson said openly that Kelly
could not possibly be guilty and de.
clared just as boldly that prominent
politician and business man OF VIII
isca was guilty of having hired an
ak man 70 do the murder.
He alleged that when he submit
ted his evidence to the grand jury the
Jury was fixed by those influential
and friendly TO the man whom Will
kerson thinks guilty. Wilkerson says
that the grand jury investigation at
that time was farce aud he proposed
to have the. case rcopencd and the
evidence against the Villisca politi-
cier considered.
Meet in Omaha.
The detective called a public meet
ing in Red Oak to tell the people At
large what evidence he has against
the viiiisea man, but an injunction
was ciamped down upon him just as
he was beginning TO speak, restrain-
ing him from talking about the case
in Iowa.
He Immediately came to Omaha,
rented the Boyd theater for day and
brought the Iowa multitude here in
trains 10 hear him. That was over
two months ago. II was limited then
that the grand jury would probably
be assembled sooner or later to con-
slider the evidence.
Yyn YyrY MT AYrvNUn