The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-17

property. In the case of Woody and
Gutshall, horses and buggies belong
ing to the farmer lads, were in King S
possession. He dismissed inquirers
with the flat statement that he bought
the property and that the young men
had left ths- community.
Skeletons Found Years Later.
In early August-nearly two years
after King had left Maple Hill and
moved to a town near Pueblo, Colo.
= sack of human bones was found in
a woodshed at the rear of Kings for
mer home. week of wild excite
ment in Maple Hill resulted in gem
eral digging campaign in the old hv-
cry barn formerly conducted by King.
The first skeleton--probably one-half
the bones of a human body-was al
4eged to be that of Reuben Gutshall
Gutshall disappeared from the COM
munity pine years ago. 1t was de-
elared thaN he had been last seen in
company with King. And as in the
Woody and Ringer cases, King claimed
possession of the missing mans prop
erty.
Volunteer diegers unearthed human n
bones near the livery barn on the main
street of Maple Hill. These skeletons
were identified as those of Woody
and Ringer Two of Ringers brothers
came to Kansas from their homes in
Nebraska. identified property found in
Kings former home as having be-
longed to thar missing brother and
made partial Identification of the sack
of bones.
Altho the state was to offer evidence
showing that the three missing men
have not been heard from since they
left home and that King came into
possession of their property, the states
case was not regarded strong in many
essential details, 1t will be difficult,
observers have pointed out. to eStab-
lish the charge that the murders were
committed in Wabaunsee county and
that King was the actual murderer
An even more serious problem before
the STATE is the positive Identification
OF the three sacks of human bones as
those of the missing men. Relatives
have. made partial Identification based
on teeth and shape of head. But un-
der cross examination in the district
court. the process of Identification
may by hard and tedious.
Disappeared in 1909.
woody disappeared in 1909. A skel-
eton. asserted by the state -and rela-
tives of the missing boy to have been
those of the young man, was found
August IT. this year.
Threats of mob violence We're made
in Maple Hill following the finding of
the skeletons, Because of feeling in
the community King was taken to To-
peka for safe keeping following his
arrest in Colorado, Preliminary hear
ings in eskridge, Kings former home
town, on August 21-2S failed to de-
velop either a mob spirit or a demon
stration against the accused man.
However, when attorneys for the de-
fense presented their application for a
change of venue to Judge Heizer in
Alma October s. the court issued an
order removing the trials to Usage
county. Both Wabaunsee and Usage
counties are in Judge Heizer's district.
King was brought to Lyndon Sun
day evening from Topeka. He is kept
in the Usage county Jail while not
in the court room and is carefully
guarded at all times. Several special
deputy sheriffs have been assigned to
watch the prisoner and the crowds
from scene of the alleged murders.
Legal Array In Case.
The prosecution of King is being
conducted by County Attorney Martin
OF Wabaunsee county; Maurice Nc
NeiH. assistant. attorney general; Otis
Hungate and A.. e. Crane of Topeka.
specially retained by Wabaunsee
county and relatives of the missing
men. Kings defense is in charge of
Sen. c. E. Carroll of Alma and John
Schenck, Topeka. Schenck, well
known as a successful criminal law
yer, is expected to conduct the cross
examination of witnesses for the state.