The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-03
Ringer Brothers Would Bury
Maple Hill Skeleton.
They Are Convinced 1t Is That
of PeddIer Brother.
REST IN FAMILY CEMETERY
They Plan To Provide Decent
Burial for Victim.
Neither, However, Can Posi-
lively Identify Him.

Altho they refused to positively
identify the missing peddler," when a
human skeleton was exhibited at a re-
cent Rufe King preliminary in Esk-
ridge, the two Ringer brothers are
ready to take the bones to the family
plot near Tilden, Neb.. for burial. Be
fore leaving Topeka. T. o. Ringer,
brother of William F. Ringer. an al
legged King victim, stated he could not
identify the bones but was sufficiently
convinced the bones are those of his
brother that he will ask permission to
take them to Nebraska
The two brother-T. o. Ringer and
o. F. Ringer-both declared thew
were convinced their peddler brother
was slain by King when he suddenly
disappeared thirteen years ago. Yet
on cross examination in the King pre-
liminary in Eskridge both men said
they would not testify that the bones
offered in the states gruesome ex-
hibit were those of their brother. The
fact that their missing brothers prop
erty was found in the liveryman's pos
session was sufficient to justify their
belief that the human bones are those
of the missing peddler.
Many Bones Missing.
When the trial of King is concluded.
1t is quite certain the two brothers will
ask Wabaunsee county officials for
permission to take the skeleton to Til
den, Neb., for burial. Many of the
bones of the human body were missing
in the exhibit which was placed in DO
sitton in Justice Skeen's court last
week. The bones were badly deterior-
ated. The Ringer brothers looked at
the skull and carefully studied its
shape But they refused to state that
they could identify the skeleton.
II wouldn't attempt a positive iden-
tification of my brothers bones" said
T. Q. Ringer before returning to his
nome. None the less I am thoroly
convinced William was killed by King.
There is no other explanation of his
disappearance. He disappeared Just
about the time evidence shows he was
in Maple Hill and stopped at Kings
livery barn. The fact that so many of
Williams actual possessions were
found on Kings premises removes any
doubt from my own mind as to the
Identity of the body. am sufficiently
assured in my opinion, at least, to
claim the body. I will ask permission
to take it to our family burial plot
when the case is ended"
To Offer Little Testimony.
In spite of the personal opinion of
the Ringer brothers that their brother
was a King victim, they will be able to
offer very little testimony of value to
the state other than the Identification
Of the missing mans property. Since
this Identification was previously ad-
mitted by King. few of the real issues
in the case seem to have been settled
by the finding of the peddler's broth
ers. Except for previously admitted
identifications of personal belongings,
the strongest testimony of the two men
was their story of the disappearance
of their brother in 1906 and their
statement of an unsuccessful search
for the missing man. The fact, tho,
that the two men are anxious to take
the human bones to their old home
for burial has given a new light on the
sincerity of the men who will furnish
much of the states strongest testi-
mony in the case.