The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-09
Find Body of Kidnapped Child in
Abandoned Well.
Murdered by AbductOrs When
They Feared Arrest.
RUSH SUSPECTS FROM CITY
PiersOl Admitted Being at Farm
Where Body Found.
Infant Evidently Thrown Into
Water Alive and Drowned.

Springfield. June 9..The partly de-
composed body of Baby Lloyd Keet,
14-months-old son of Mr.. and Mrs. ].
Holland Keet, kidnapped on the night
of Memorial day from the home of his
parents in Meadowmere Place, was
found in the well at the old deserted
Crenshaw home, eight miles southwest
of Springfield, shortly hefore noon to-
Gay.
Acting on a tip that Piersol one of
the suspects under arrest. has admit
ted being at the Crenshaw place re-
Gently, Nanny Simmons and Ed Conk-
lin went to the place this morning and
began minute search over the house
and grounds. In but a few minutes
the little body was found in an old
well. 1t was wrapped in an old black
petticOat and had evidently been in the
well for at least three or four days.
The body of the baby was taken
from the well on the old Crenshaw
place at 11:15 o'clock this morning.
Death came to the little one by
drowning. There were no marks upon
the baby's body, excepting little
bruise on the face. proba bly, sustained
when the baby was thrown into the
we'll.
Wrapped in Old Skirt.
Before being cast to his death, Baby
VI
quilt and baby blanket taken from the
Keet home when the baby was stolen
a week ago last Wednesday night.
Then wOman's skirt, or pettlcoat of
black silkateen was bound about the
baby This was tightly wired about
the body. A coil of old wire was then
tied to the baby. Nanny Simmons,
Ed Conklin, Charles Holland and Dick
Crenshaw were present when the body
was taken out.
Charles Holland ned Simmons by
the feet and lowered him into the
We'll
- sec something" said Simmons.
II was the body, floating on the
surface of the water, ten feet below
the ground. Simmons was given
pole He fis' ed at the bundle until
he pole became fastened in the wire
and then pulled the bundle up to his
hands and took hold of it. He was
then drawn from the we'll
IT'S the baby" the men cried in
unison when the bundle was placed on
the ground. There was no doubling
its contents.
The package was opened. Simmons
identified the body, slightly decom-
posed and showing signs of having
been in the water three or four days.
Immediately, Conklin and Simmons
rushed back to the city, eight miles
away.
Pass Baby's Uncle on Way.
Prosecutor O'Day and Coroner Dax-
or were notified and drove to the
scene in u minutes. The body was
returned to Springfield.
on the way to the city, with Sim
mons driving his car at a forty mile
pace. the car containing the baby
passed a big blue car. Both cars
pulled up. The second car contained
the uncle of Baby Llcyd. Joe Keet'
a brother of ]. Holland Keet.
once .L--ain the bundle was opened.
It's Lloyd. My Cod" he cried.
The body was then brought on to
Springfield and taken to the PaXon
mCrgue. Keet and his wife are pros
trated.
Prosecutor O'Day awaited only to
see the body. He flashed the news to
the county Jail and Claud Piersol and
the entire Adams family were rushed
from the city by the county author1-
ties for fear of mob violence. Even
while the baby was being pulled from
the well, attorneys were attempting to
secure the release of Piersol from the
custody of the authorities.
The well where the baby was found
is 400 yards from the Crenshaw man.
sion. 1t was unused The opening
was covered by old boards and fence
rails.
Detectives Search for Kidnapers.
Government agents, led by Oscar
Schmidt of Kansas City detective
agency. county and city officers and
officials are searching for the kid
napers.
The only clue about the body was
the woman's petticOat in which the
baby was wrapped. This may have
been taken from the Crenshaw nome
as there was much old clothing hang
ing in the closets of the house.
That baby must have been killed
when the kidnepers feared for their
own safety"
That has been the persisten. state
ment of Conklin, leader of the part
of Keet's intimate friends who locat-
ed the body. Then came a tip today
that Piersol had finally admitted that
he mad been to the Crershaw place.
When Conklin heard of this, the
party, including Dick Crershsw, one
of the owners of the place, hurried to
the estate.
Let's look in the Odd well first
said one of the men, familiar with the
ground.
The search started and ended there
Was Kidnapers' Rendezvous.
The Crenshaw place was mentioned
as the proposed rendezvous of the Ri
ley gang in their scheme to kidnaT
c. A. Clement, a jaweler. according
to the confession of Claude Pierso
and Taylor Adams, two suspects held
in custody with the kidpanping. Botf
men, however, denied that they knew
Continued on Page Three)