The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-08-31
FINDING OF GRAVES
IS NOT ACCIDENTAL
tails That Lead Ia Recovery Of
Kansas Skrirti
SMALL MOUND REMEMBERED
Rufus King I,aSs1s Iaughingly
Through ITae Where brutal
Murders Nero Committed.

MAPLE IIII. Kan. Aug 40
The uncarthlng OF three skeletons
which appears TO solve the mystery
OF the disappearance OF three men
from Maple i'm years ago, was not
entirely n matter OF accidental dis
CoVery
ny chance. the first skeleton 10 hs
found was dragged from beneath -
pile OF personal properly, said to ho-
long TO Rufus King which was stored
In IL shed In the center OF the town
"a bag fIlled with human bones
identified as the remains OF Reuben
GutBchail
p But two citizens recalling Incl
donts which they related TO The al.
thOritioa, led the officials TO places
where a few minutes OF digging re-
vealed the other two skeletons
Years ago. It is said to have been
told to one citizen. n small mound
OF earth appeared close beside the
livery stable owned by Rufus King,
and not 10 feet from the Hdrwalk OF
the main street Unll the discovery
OF the first skeleton led to the ar
reat OF King on the charge OF muir
der, this citizen thought little ~ the
incident When he had pointed out
the place "A skeleton was uncovered
which In said TO he that OF an intin-
Grant jewelry salesman who dlsap-
peared in 1905 Tho mans skull
was crushed Beside the skeleton
was the barrel OF gun, the barrel
sun loaded
Remembers Depression.
Another citizen recalled that, when
putting new shingles on the roof Of
the livery barn several years ago, ne
"a 81 iiagh 40 "a Lon n ha
ground alongside. the stable. whore a
pool OF water had gathered He dl-
rected the officials TO the place, md
the authorities found there The 10
mains OF a body said TO have been
positively identified by the boys
father as that of John Woody who
disappeared In March, 1903.
Maple Hin today, s far as It's res
idenis are concerned, IN practically
the same Kansas country town 1t was
- years ago, when Rufus King came
here and started IA livery stable
Many men recall John Woody and
Reuben Gutschall and the peddlcr.
aA well as incidents connected with
their strange disappenrance.
The old peddler, a civil war vetcr-
an, had become familiar sight
about Maple IIlll before he disap-
peared In 1908. on earlier trips he
had stayed at the towns boarding
house, conducted by IA gray-halred
woman, In whose safekoeping his
stock OF Jewelry was always left at
night. Shortly before his disappear
anoe, II IN said, he began staying with
Rufus King. Thou he disappeared,
and King s said 10 have explained
TO inquirers that he had purchased
the old mans horse and buggy,
which were sull at HIS stable.
All Strange DisnppcarAnocs.
The disappearance of the old ped
dler, unknown except by casual ac-
auaintances, did not arouse the same
feeling that developed when Reuben
Gutsfhall, n young farmer. and John
Woody, livery stable employe OF
Kings, disappeared. Woody has not
been seen since March, 1909, and
Gutsohall disappeared In the same
strange manner In December. 1913.
Not trace has been had OF them
since,
As the years passed, the three
appearances were
gradually forgotten by the public.
"Rufc" King continued to maintain
his livery stable on the main street.
He divided his time between Il, the
blacksmith shop next door and his
nome ntaTpyt 10 WnlNn ne nhh
brought wife, a Waubasee county
girl soon after he came to Maple
HIN. King was an unfinished arti-
san with tools. an untRught genius
In metal work and mechanics. and
often the towns blacksmith called
on hts native ability 10 solve puE-
Zlc OF mechanics. III he was some
what llliterate, he was genial and
given to public displays OF unselfiAh
ness He was big and hrawny, and
many are the stories OF daredevil
tasks he undertook and accom-
plished. One much-repeatcd story Ia
OF King carrying mans sized load
OF lumber across nearby stream
ss he balanced himself on the single
Eirder OF bridge that was to DO
erected. Then. too. ne was the own
er OF Maple Hill's first automobile,
King left Maple Inn several years
ago, and is said to have spent most
of the time since In Colorado. 1t
was not until August II that he sdw
the little town again-the day the
second skeleton was unehrthcd. In
plain sight OF hundreds who had
gathered around the livery stable
following that discovery, King
passed laughingly through Maple
Hill on his way to jail at Topeka.
facing charges OF having committed
what II alleged to be one OF ths
most brutal series OF murders in the
history OF Kansas