The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-08-23
,ANSAS UNEARTHS ANOTHER MURDER FARM;
THREE SKELETONS DUG UP ON KING PLACE
Discoveries Recall Series of
Strange Disappearance, Last
of Which Occurred Five Years
Ago mer Owner of
Morgue, Who Left for West
Year Ago, Arrested in Colo
RADIO Foothills.
N. e. A. Special to The Tribune

~ e. ~ special 70 nc STI0uue
Maple Hill, Kas.-Kansas has un-
earthed a murder farm
Three skeletons have been dug up
and searchers with spades. and shov-
els are seeking more.
Rufus King, former keeper of a liv-
cry stable here, is formally charged
with three murders. He was arrested
in Colorado and has been brought
back here for trial.
And Mlabaunsee county officials
thing they have solved the eleven.year
mystery of this Port Of Missing
Men,"
Until the first skeleton was found
the mystery was impenetrable, with
never a clew that indicated a solu'
tion. -Four men disappeared in this
little cattle town at different periods.
They left not the slightest trace be-
hind them.
Last Disappearance Five Years Ago
Reuben Gutshall. 20, was the last
to vanish. Relatives were convinced
he was the fictim of foul play, but
they had no proof. That was five
years ago.
A year ago Rufus King left Maple
Hill, going west. The house he had
formerly occupied here remained va
cant. A shed on the lot was fastened
with a paddock. Rent on the property
was paid regularly by local attor-
ney who said he received the money
from King.
The other day the property was
sold. The woman who bought 1t In.
sisted that it be cleaned up and the
material in the shed removed. The
lawyer hired man to remove the
material to his home where he could
take care of it for the owner.
While cleaning out the shed the
workman found human skull. He
ran down town, where he showed it
to a number of citizens. They re.
turned to the shed and after a search
found complete skeleton and quan-
tity of cheap jewelry.
An open air inquest was held in
the main street. in a section roped
off. Relatives identified the skeleton
as that Of Reuben Gutshall. Officers
stated it was known that King was
| the last man who had seen Gutshal
before he disappeared. King at the
time had said Gutshall went west,
leaving his suitcase, In Kings charge.
Arrested in Guich ina7 Colorado Hills
King was arrested in the Colorado
foothills. 40 miles from Pueblo, where
he and his wife were camping out. He
was damming gulch. He left his
wife out in the hills to care for the
outfit and returned to Kansas without
extradition papers. d.,
Two days after King arrived here,
and the day after he was arrested at
Eskridge, the second skeleton was
found in shallow grave near liv-
cry barn formerly operated by King.
! The skull of the sksleton had been
crushed by terrific blow.
1t is believed the skeleton is that
| Of jewelry peddler. name unknown,
who disappeared eight years ago. A
, sea shell watch charm, fastened to a
chain of twisted gold, which the ped
dler is said to have worn, was found
! with the skeleton.
A third skeleton has heen identified
as that Of John Woody, who worked
for King in his livery stable ten years
ago, and who disappeared myster'
| iously.
J One other man is known to have
disappeared here. He was one J..
Morgan, from Michigan. Little is
known of him except that his mother,
seeking information about him, traced
him to this town.