The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-21
KING BOUND over
Alleged Keeper of Maple Hill
Murder Farm to Trial.
Preliminary Held Before Crowd
at EskrIdge Today.
NO DEMONSTRATIONS THERE
Town Filled With Farmers and
NeighbOrs of Prisoner.
King Sat Thru Hearing With
His Back to Crowd.


bones of the son she believed was
murdered by Rufe King were shaken
from a sack onto the platform of the
opera house here today, Mrs. Levi
Gutshall seated near the front of the
building. went into Mysteries. Friends
near the mother caught her and led
her from the opera house. where the
preliminary hearing of Rufe King.
charged with the murder of Reuben
Gutshall, was held.
King. who sat thru the entire hear
ing with his back to the audience
which jammed the village opera
house, displayed his first sign of in
terest as the mother of the man it is
believed he murdered screamed.
Quickly he turned and glanced in her
direction. For Just moment his eyes
fell on the sobbing mother of Reuben
Gutshall. Then he turned his atten-
tion again to William Gutshall a
brother of Reuben Gutshall, who was
testifying.
Bound Over Trial.
Testimony offered by witnesses con-
tinucd until late hour this afternoon.
There were no demonstrations by the
Z hundreds of people who thronged the
streets of the little town and filled the
opera house to overflowing. At the
conclusion OF Ine LeSllnlOllys Justice a.
j. Skeen bound King over to the dis
trict court for trial without bond.
Warrants previously issued charging
King with the murder of John Woody
and a peddler were found to be faulty
New warrants charging him with
these murders were served on the big
Maple Hill fighter and COW puncher
as he sat in the court room with his
back to the people who had been his
friends and neighbOrs for years. In
NJ fNo rfranr h fan
murder of Woody the Wabaunsee
county attorney took no chances of
King escaping on technicality.
There are four counts against King in
the warrant charging him with kill
ing Woody either by shooting. by
strangulation. by the use of a blunt
instrument or by stabbing.
Kings preliminary on these charges
will be held here next Thursday morn
ing.
King, handcuffed, arrived in Esk-
ridge shortly after 9 o'clock after an
uneventful trip from Topeka. Hours
before his arrival hundreds of resi-
dents of Maple Hill and Alma lined
the streets forming a quiet, orderly,
tho sullen crowd. Dozens of deputies
had been sworn in and were mingling
with the crowd ready to act at a
moments notice.
King, heavily guarded by Sheriff
,
Miller. undersheriff of Shawnee coun-
ty, and three other deputies marched
directly from the automobile to the
opera house where the hearing was
held He looked neither to the right
nor to the eft. He appeared uncon-
cerned. The officers looked around
apprehensively.
The doors of the opera house were
thrown open after Kings arrival. 1t
was near stampede. In five minutes
the opera house was crowded and
there wasn't a foot of room left in the
aisles. Deputies were forced to throw
some out in order to get breathing
space. With the opera house crowded
as il never had been before. not more
than one-third of the spectators were
able to attend the preliminary.
Hello. Sis, He said.
King sat with his back to the crowd.
His glances to both sides were fur
tive He sat directly behind his at
torney, Sen. c. z. Carroll. His sister.
Mrs. Matte Cooper. Of Alma, walked
forward and touched him on the arm.
King turned.
Hello, sis" he said and as quickly
Not once was there a demonstration
that boded Ill for King. His friends
thru life were all present. He didn't
speak to them, nor they to him.
Loading GutshalPs Corn.
william Gutshan. a brother OF
Reuben Gutshall, was the first man
called to the stand. He testified tina,
he last saw his brother, Reuben. in
Maple Hill on Sunday evening. De-
cernber Z. 1913. The next day. he
testified, that he went out to his
brothers farm and there found Rufe
King loading corn from Reuben Gut
shairs crib. King, he testified, told
him that he had purchased all OF
Reuben's crops and horses and cattle
The witness testified that his
brother was living on a farm about
two miles from the home of his par
ants. but that on that particular sun
day night Reuben took supper at home
md later left for St. Marys. William
.estified that he later went to St
Marys and that at about o'clock he
passed his brother on the street there
A few weeks later Gutshall stated
hat he called on King and asked him