The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-01-13
Survivor of Camp Funston,
Kan.. Holdup Identifies
L. r. Whistler.
LEFT NOTE TO A WOMAN
Order for Finger Printing
Caused slayer to End Ills
Life With Rifle.

N0catiOn tO-udy VI 1aDt. ~.
wMsier by Kcarney wornsll. sole sur
y,yor Of the murdcrcus holdup OF the
camp bank last night. In which four men
we're killed. as the man who perretrated
tho crime and Capt. Whisler's subse-
ouent death by suicide have convinced
United States army authorities here that
IA. search for the slayer Is ended.
Capt. whistler killed himself by firing
80 bullets from an army rifle into his
h.sd His death came after Wornall
had recovered CONSEQUENCES at the base
bospital and told the questioning army
ca,cers the story Of the tragedy in which
the Captain had killed with an axe his
victims. including G. Fuller Winters.
yce-presIdent Of the Federal Reserve
bank Of Kansas city. an intimate friend
Of the slayer. Then an order was is
sued tha, all Captains at the cantonment
pport at headquarters to have their
anger prints taken. 1t was then that
the shots from Capt. Whisler's office
we're heard.
note was found with the body 1t
i,e authorities have refused to divuige
!, said:
Il have been thinking Of committing
suicide for long time. but have never
aAd A good reason. Yesterday l went
ou, and made myself 4 reason"
slayer borrowed Matchets.
The room in which Capt. whisler's
oody was found was smeared with blood
spots. Two blood soaked towels were
found in the room and the table was
,pvt,ed with blood.
Capt Whistler had borrowed two
aatchets from a supply company OH
Thursday. according to officials. and
yesterday he borrowed two more.
Army officials tonight declined to say
sAsther any OF the money the robber is
.Qposed to have obtained was found in
capt. Whisler's room.
Wornall. who recovered consciousness
this morning. told the authorities that
ae murderer was an army Captain
hose Sace ne recognized and who. he
aid, was a close friend Of Winters, heAd d
o! The army bank.
wornall In describing the tragedy said
man came to the door of the bank
About $3.50 O'clock last night and raped
.asktently. lie was admitted. and cov-
erns the Ave men with his revolver
forced Worpail to tie the hands Of the
four men. after which he tied wornall's s
hands. The man then proceeded to loot
the bank safe and had reached the door
when Winters said to wornall:
You recognize him. don't you:"
Worna!l answered that he did.
The murderer turned to Winters and
said: You know me. do you"
Il sure do. you black scoundrel!' waA
winters's reply.
Kills -Four Help1esa Men.
wornall says at this point the man
hsstated and then suddenly leaped al
them, swinging his hand axe. He struck
the helpless men down, one BY one. Wor'
nall was the last struck. When he re-
covered consc iousness he managed to
unite his hands and made his way into
the open air. where he was discovered
| by sentry.
Relatives and friends Of Capt. Whistler
were unable tonight to advance any
'heory as to what impelled him to COM
NIT the murders and robbery. Capt
Whisler's former wife, from whom hi
was divorced about a year ago. and
son, ~ years old. reside In Salina, Kan
His parents live at Goodland, Kan.
Capt. Whistler fought in the Spanish
American war and later saw consider.
able service in the Philippines. During
'hs Mexican border trouble he attempted
10 form regiment In Kansas. but the
Plan was not carried out. When the wal
with Germany came ne entered the OF
hcens' Training Camp at Fort Riley
Kansas. and was commissioned Captain
He was about 40 years old.
Mrs Whisler to-day received lette,
har ~vaA tn oh h
sad he was in good health and spirits
The letter. she thought. was writer
YESTERDAY. although It was undated.
Case Regarded a. Closed.
II was announced by army officiali
'ha. Wornalrs Identification Of Capt
whistler would he taken as conclusive
and that the case would be regarded q!
closed Identification was made from
Photograph.
Wornalrs condition continued to i'm
prove rapidly tonight and physicians
expressed the belief that he would re
over lie has a number OF deep cut
about the head and face, inflicted ap
parently by the broadside Of the axe.
oh'cials ri the army bank complete,
'heckinS up the money In the banl
,o'hiEht and made their report to tn
divisional commander. The exact amour
ot money obtained In the robbery va
not disclosed, however.
Some army officers declared to-nikh
mat only a small sum was taken. Thei
opinion was that Capt. Whistler was shor
r" funds and planned to take onl
enough for his immediate needs. Thei
'oeorN Was borne out by Wornalrs state
inen' that when the man entered tn
'snk he said he was "shOrt Of none
ana hated 10 do IT," Another fact tend
ing to confirm their theory II that tn
o'dy o. Mr, Winters was found lying o
Iop Of large number Of bank note
which had been scattered promiscuousl
o'el the floor IN front Of the safe.
'ash amounting to 3475,O00. whic
would have been deposited In the arm
'ank, was sent from Kansas City yet
olday and was scheduled to reach th
oank late yesterday afternoon. How
ever the shipment was delayed and di
sot arrive until to-day. When the rof
oefr occurred II In believed there va
"'vecn $4,000 and 1000 In the banl
The dead are:
{, Fuller Winters. vice president {
me me Ha'ional Reserve Bank OF Kanss
'nl No.
John W. jewell Of Springfield. Nc
'1i'o' of the Camp Funston Trench an
'"'"r and associate owner with h