The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-18

nedd IlrSl ana thrown neaQ IlFSI into
the hole in the manure pile. The
grewsomeness of killing a man is bad
enough, but to then take his body and
drag II across the floor. out OF the barn
door. over the ground and throw the
half-clothed body. without hat or
shoes, into a hole in a manure pile is
past the average human power of con-
ception.
Standing on the side Of the manure
pile men watched in breathless in
tentness. Their hearts were beating
with a reckless rapidity as they
watched each little morsel of dirt care
fully removed from the skull There 1
was some pushing and showing from
those who could not see. But. in ALL
Il was a quiet. solemn assembly. They
stood fascinated as the bones of the
shoulder we're uncovered.
They have found another, the
murmur passed around the crowd and
! spread over the town with the speed
OF a forest fire.
"Tt's woody. They have found
woody's skeleton. Tossed out there
I in the manure pile. he was heaved
into the pile with less respect than is
ordinarily paid TO a cat"
That was true too. A panfeI dog,
supposed to have belonged to the ped
dler. was found buried at the back
! end of Kings first residence. II was
wrapped up carefully and placed In
the ground deeper and more respect
! fully than was the body of Woody,
which was merely slammed out into
the manure pile like 1t was a dead
: rat.
Most of the skeleton was uncovered.
/ Covered with particles of mud and
dirt It lay among the manure. In
1 dull cleaning places. the bones showed
! yellow with age and from being in
| the dirt so long. After it was I'M
covered and lay at full length in the
hole just it fell. before dirt was
piled in on il the head was Ioosepad
Father Recognized Teeth.
woody's father. who had stood pa
tiently watching every bit of dirt that
was scooped out was given the skull.
He took it and looked at it. Without
minutes hesitation he said II was
I the skull of his son. Those are his
/ teeth. 1t is John all right" he said.
Soon afterwards he left.
Other men looked at the skull
Many of them knew Woody we'll
They all were sure IT was Woody's
head. He had a peculiarly attractive
smile. they all said. His opened lips
revealed n beautiful set of teeth when
he smiled. They all knew his smile
and had noticed his handsome set of
teeth many times. They knew their |
shape and size. They also knew the |
location OF the gold filled teeth. The |
skull showed the gold teeth-after the |
mud was cleaned out of the mouth and |
the teeth rubbed clean.
Then standing where all could see1
him. Sheriff Ba ker took the skull in |
the palm of his hand. He held it high
in the air where all could see it. He
turned slowly around while the awe
stricken assembly gazed in utter ST.
lence at the skull of the murdered
man, all covered with mud and dirt.
The mob became impatient Indi-
viduals fought. pushed and showed in
an effort to get closer to the hole in
the ground at the foot of the manure
pile. Some leader than announced for
all TO fall back. get in line and then
all could see. In long line they
passed. some OF them several times.
before the hole. and looked at the
Woody boys skeleton lying there in
the hole in the manure pile.
Then they all ganged back again
around the ropes. The workers were
picking out the bones. They put them
I in a little wooden box. Bone after
bone was placed in the box. They
searched slowly and carefully thru the
mud. manure and litter. Bit by bit
they placed the age-blackened bones
in the box.
No Dents on the Skull.
After all vas gathered up the box
/ was taken acress the road in the
shade of the buildings and placed on
Z the road. A space was roped off. The
/ crowd formed ten deep around the
| roped off space. Physicians came.
/ They took the skull. They tapped it,
) turned Il over and over, carefully they
I looked for indications OF blows on the
/ head. to see IL WOody's head had been
broken in as were the others. Moth
ing could be found the matter with
! the skull. There was no indication
that he had been killed by a blow in
the head.
The assembly waited the arrival OF
/ the coroner from Alma. He was a
] AuNa n n
bly, stood patiently reminiscing of
the days when King ruled Maple Hill
with a rod OF iron. He commanded
thru fear. Evidently he was the town
bully. It seems they were all afraid
Of him. Right now there is every in
| dication that there is a feeling of
great. safer satisfaction with King in
Jail. They sincerely hope he will stay
there.
Gambling Game On.
An authoritative report in Maple
Hill Is to the effect that the night of
I Woody's disappearance. a number of
men engaged in a gambling game in
Kings livery barn. King sat in the
game and lost all of his money, 1t Is.
stated. When the game finally ended
early Sunday morning-WOody was
in possession of nearly $3.50 which
had belonged TO his companions. He
was induced to spend the night with
King in his livery barn. That was the
last time Woody was seen alive.
| Later King explained the possession
| of Woody's horses by stating he had
bought the animals. He said the
! young man had gone to Oklahoma.
Relatives wrote to the address given
by King. Their letters were returned
and no word was ever received from
the young man. When the bones of
Rueben Gutshall were found recently
in a shed at the rear OF Kings former
home Dawson Woody became con-
WINGED the body of his son would be
found in or near the livery barn. He
was positive in his Identification.
Hundreds of farmers drove to Maple
Hill Sunday to participate in the
search for additional victims.
New evidence has come to light
which is expected to strengthen the
states case a gainst King for the muir
DR. ~ (.att shalI IL ie nov the theory