South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-14
Tells Details of
Camp Funston
Murder Robbery

OAOCA -ANOOOCTy
CAMP FUNSTON. Kas.. Jan. Il.
"Details OF the manner in which
Capt. Lewis J. Whistler robbed the
bank at the army cantonment here.
and killed with a hand axe. four
Of five men, who were in the build
ing were told TO army officers sun
day by Kearnev Wornal, who him
self, seriously wounded. was the
only survivor Of the captains fury.
For as hours Wornall, who was
cashier II the bank, had lowered
between life and death. But today
his progress was satisfactory TO the
army physicians nat they permit
ted him 20 tell the full story Of the
tragedy. which ended with the
death Of Capt. Whistler, self-inflicted,
at the moment Of detection yester-
day.
In the meantime a systematic
search of the cantonment has failed
to reveal any money which was
stolen from the bank by Capt Whis-
Ter. Federal bank examiners today
began checking the banks accounts.
but the interior of the building is
in such a chaotic condition that it
is expected no statement will be
made for two or three days.
II transpired Sunday that a note
Capt Whistler wrote after ne had
decided 70 kill himself was address
ed 70 a young woman at ottawa,
Kas.. but army officers are making
every effort to keep secret both her
name and possible relation 10 Whis-
Ter
Stories Differ Slightly.
Wornalrs story Sunday differed
slightly from that which had pre-
viously been pieced together as army
officers had questioned him during
his infrequent intervals Of conscious
ness. Today WOrnau told how he
was i'm the bank with G. FULLER Win
tiers. vice president of the National
Reserve bnak of Kansas City, Mo;
John w. Jewell, editor of the Camp
Funston paper; Carl Ohlescn Of
Kansas City. and O. NJ. Hill, a clerk
in the bank. when Capt. Whistler
came 10 the bank.
1t was about 1880 o'clock Friday
evening. The door was unlocked
and Whistler easily gained entrance
20 the building. Walking around
the counter he drew a heavy auto
matte pistol and told ne men he
was short i'm his accounts. and be-
lieved that this was the "best bet"
TO remedy H.
Forced to Bind Men.
WornaH says that the officers re-
marks were treated as a joke until
he took an axe from under his over
come and struck Mr. Winters with
its fat side All of the men then
were forced 10 lie face down on the
floor while Whistler selected money.
mostly bills of large denomination,
and threw them into a sack. Wor-
nall says ne then was forced TO get
up and bind the other men. His
own hands then We're tied by the
officer and all of them were gag
ged
Here. SAYS the staff officer who
reported WornaI's statement. tho
cashiers mind is blank. aid he re-
calls nothing that happened until
be became conscious in an ambu-
lance on the way 10 the hospital
Wornall had been found by a SEN
try. wandering aimlessly outside the
bank. about an hour after the crime
was committed. He could not an
- IL
teligably. according TO the sentry.
Don't strike him again Are YOU a
dend o." and finally murmured,
Bank robbed" Then the alarm
was given.
That Wornall knew perfectly what
he was doing last night when he
positively identified the body Of
Capt Whistler as that OF the robber
was attested 10 today by q staff Of
fcer. who was present at the identi-
hcatiOn Before the body Of the
army officer was wheeled into Wor-
nails presence, the wounded cash
Ter was made 10 read from a maya
zine To show that he could see and
understand
Then Whisler'S body dressed in
his olive drab campaign uniform.
and upright in q chair. was wheeled
into the ward and placed directly
before Worua'l.
That's the man, that's the captain. -
exclaimed wornaU. according 10 thu
staff officers story. Wornall then
made a sworn statement that Whis-
Ter was the man who had robbed
the bank and committed the muir
ders.
After the crime it now has beel
esta bHshed. Whistler Went 10 the
ouartermaster's office where he re-
moved the blood stains from his
hands and garments. He then pro-
ceedod 20 a class i'm French.
When an order came from head
quarters for report from all com
pany commanders yesterday the
captain seemed 90 know that detec-
ton was at hand To was then he
shot himself 20 death.
Capt whistler recently took out a
government Insurance policy for
10000 Ii was made payable 10
his 14-vear-old son. Duane, Salina.
Kas Whisler's home. or in case Of
the sons death 20 Whisler's father
Capt. whistler. who was SO years
old. and ms wife. Mrs Vadne WINS