Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
woRNALL's DEATH IMMINENT.

Wornall recovered consciousness
for short time this forenoon but his
story is fragmentary and hazy. Wor
nails injuries will prove fatal, physi
clans believe.
According to Wornar, an insistent
knock at the door Of the bank build
ing at $3.50 o'clock last night, caused
them to admit man who immediate
ly covered them with revolver. He
then commanded Wornall to tie the
hands Of the others, Wornall says
after which he tied Wornall's hands.
ATTACKS HELPLESS VICTIMS.
Wornall's description Of the rob
ber's next action is rather indefinite.
He said he thought the robber real.
lied that he was recognized and that
he decided to kill them. Worna''
says he picked up hand axe from
the floor and began raining blows up
on the heads and faces of the helpless
men. Mr.. Winters. vicepresident Of
the National Reserve bank of Kansas
City and cashier of the army bank,
was the first man attacked. Wornall
says. A blow from the axe struck him
in the back of the head. o. M. Hin
and Carl Ohelson, clerks, were next
struck down sitter which the man at.
tackled Wornall and John Jewell who
were at the opposite end Of the room.
MEMS HEADS CHOPPED.
Wornall says when he recovered
consciousness he found his hands
we're not securely tied and managed
to free himself and make his way
from the building. WOrnall was dis.
covered by the sentry who gave the
alarm.
Winters received four or i've severe
cuts ON the head and forehead. Hill
and Jewell were beaten about the
head almost beyond recognition.
Ohelson was apparently killed instant.
ly by blow on the forehead with the
blade Of the axe.
A feature of the case which At.
tracted particular attention today was
that Carl Ohelson's father, Kansas
City contractor who is building the
new bank at the camp. went to the
bank about the time the murders were
committed.
MURDERER AVOIDS DISCOVERY.
He found the door locked and called
out to Mr.. Winters. The nun jerer
must have answered for Winters, for
he told Ohelson to return today.
When Ohelson insisted that the mat
ter was important, he says, voice
replied:
please 60 away. I'll come to the
new bank and talk with you in Just
few minutes"
Ohelson said he then LEFT.
Today is pay day for the camp and
1t is supposed that there was an I'M
large amount Of cash on hand.
SENTRY FINDS VICTIMS.
The robbery and murders were re-
vealed when a sentry heard groAns
and investigated, Mr.. Winters was
still alive. He was removed to tho
camp hospital where he died early to-
day.
Immediately a guard was thrown
about the camp and all military
passes were revoked.
EARLY today it was reported that an
army officer with police dog that 10
being trained for war work had fol-
lowed trail some distance to an in
terurban car line. That apparently
was the only clew.
The army bank, branch of the ma
tional reserve bank of Kansas City.
Mo-, is situated in the center OF the
huge cantonment. It is housed in q
small frame building and Mr.. Winters
was at the camp to supervise moving
the bank to larger quarters. Young
OhIeson had been sleeping nightly at
the bank and Mr.. Jewell was there
to take the other men in his motor
car to their sleeping quarters.
Yesterday was the coolest day of
the year at Camp Funston, the Their.
mometer registering % degrees be-