The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-04
Ak MURDER TRIAL
BEGINS IN IOWA
REV. LYN GEORGE j. KELLY,
FACES JURY IN BLOODCHILL-
ING ASSASSINATIONS.

Red Oak, Iowa. Sept 4.-The Rev.
Lyn George j. Kelly. was placed on
trial in the district court here today
on an indictment charging him with
the murder Of one Of the eight persons
slain with an ak at Villisca, Iowa, in
June. 1912.
Lyn George J. Kelly, an itinerant
clergyman, was arrested here May IA.
1917, on an Indictment charging him
N N having killed l1year-old Lena Still
one of the eight victims Of the
+. Vilsca, Ia, axe murders of
KEN. pleaded not guilty at his ar.
raignment here in the district court of
Montgomery county, May Is, and was
removed shortly after to the county Jail
at Logan. in Harrison county, where
he had been confined since
The arrest Of the clergyman marked
the most startling Of series Of sensa
tions growing out of the murders at VII.
| lisca. among which were an unsuccess
full 100000 slander suit, a grand jury
exoneration OF former state senator
and his son. and a bitter controversy
between the state department OF justice
and a private detective investigating the
case.
II was on Monday morning. June 10
1912, that Villsca. a city of 1000 popu
lation in the southwest corner OF Mont
gomery county. awoke to find one OF It,
homes a shambles. family of six. anC
two girls visiting IT, the mutilated vic
Tins OF an axe murderer The axe
covered with blood, was found in ont
OF the rooms.
Victims Slain as They Sleep.
The crime was committed in the hom
Of Joe p. Moore. an implement dealer
and the victims slain as they slept
were Moore 43 years old; his wife. 80
their four children, Herman, IL; Rather
inc. 10; Boyd, 4 and Paul. 8 and tw
neighborhoOd children, Lena Stillingei
II, and her sister, Ina, aged s, daugh
ers of Joe Stillinger
Unrivaled in the criminal annals Q
the state. the brutal murders struc
terror TO the city and countryside fo
miles around. while the authorize
vsinly CROPPED for some clew to the a
sassin. One man was taken into Gu
tody. hut was released at his prelim
AIRY hearing because OF insufficient ey
| dence
]. n. Wilkerson. a detective OF IA
sas City. became associated with Il
Investigation. and in the spring OF i9l
a William Mansfield was arrested
r Kansas City. Mo-, at the instlgation
9 Wilkerson. Mansfield waived extrat
d ton and returned here 10 face a grar
jury investigation, which ended wit
the refusal OF that body to indict hin
Wilkerson began holding mass me,
e ngs, and It was at the result Of certa
l. utterances he is alleged TO have ma,
y that r. f. Jones. merchant OF VIM
a ca and a former state senator, brougI
!. suit against the detective for 5000
damages, charging the detective wi
slander.
s Would Implicate Jones.
x After a sensational trial in Novemb,
] AHANH W hN'ANN NhN 0NNhAAA'Ms \ AAf y
- fense introduced evidence intended
d show implication OF Jones and his 50
N Albert. In the axe murders. In Jan
e AIRY, 1917. a grand jury was summon
IS In Montgomery county TO consider &
status OF Jones and his son.
al u. NJ. Havner had assumed the off
d OF attorney general OF Iowa. the IN
h OF the year. and he with a special I
sistant appointed for the case, appear
before the grand jury with evidence
their possession and with the announc
X intention OF refuting the charp
against Jones.
IS In April. Jones and his son were
onerated by the grand jury. which 4
u er reconvened and voted the indictme
I. charging Kelly with the staying OF {
n elder Stllllnger girl.
M Wilkerson, the detective. declar
10 that Rev. Kelly had no connection WI
a. the crime. and the controversy betwc
Kelly and the state department OF !
re tice became bitter. Attorney Gene
e- Havnor finally obtained tempora
IN injunction restraining Wilkerson n,
&c holding further public meetings
'e. Iowa or seeking to influence witness
ss or officials connected with the trial
~ Kelly.
"a. Rev. Kelly Is married and came to
ol. United States from England about
years ago. lie graduated from a Sc
he nary In Omaha In 1919. and has ser,
h a number OF congregations since IN
m. At the time of the ax murders. he v
nd a student at the seminary. but preacl
~ at Macedonia. Ia. and villisca on all
all nate Sundays. He was az villisca ],
20 ., 1912. but ls said to have been at
mt cedonia, In an adjoining county.
on next day at about the time the murd
s." were discovered.