The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-19
KING CASESET
FOR TOMORROW
"Rufe" King Trial To Be Held
Wednesday at Lyndon.
Work of Empaneling Jury VIII
Take Two Days.
Dali F0N TT rVTnn lrtnnnn
CALL FOR rs EXTRA JURORS
Defendant Has Been Working
Here Since Release.
Between Fifty and Sixty Wit
nesses Are Summoned.

"Rufe" King. former Maple Hill
iveryman, will go TO trial tomorrow
morning in the district court OF Usage
county on the charge of murder. il
was officially announced today.
King and his attorneys, together
with attorneys for the prosecution,
went to Lyndon this morning. Judge
Robert c. Heller has sent in a call for
seventy-five extra jurors to be present
at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning.
The work of empaneling a jury will
begin at once. 1t is predicted that at
least two days-probably more-wiil
be consumed in this important work.
Witnesses have been subpoenaed to
ing.
Been Working Here.
King has been working in Topeka
for the Merchants Transfer COMPANY
since his release on bond from the
Shawnee county jail several months
ago. His case has been continued
twice since its removal to Usage coun-
~. Between fifty and sixty witnesses
nave been summoned. it was stated
John Schenck of Topeka, Sen. C. e.
Carroll and A. B. Crum are the at
torneys King retained for his defense
Otis Hungate, and A. +. Crane of To-
peka, were retained by relatives OF
the prisoners alleged victim to assist
the state in the prosecution.
Mysterious Case.
The Maple Hill case is one of the
most sensational and mysterious that
ever developed in the state 1t began
on August 5, 1919. when a skeleton
wrapped in gunny sack was found in
| shed in the rear of home formerly
occupied by King. The skeleton was
alleged to be that of Reuben Gutshan,
a h rt,rN H,.o i
King and who had been missing for
| several years.
On August I, King was arrested
forty miles southwest of Pueblo Colo.
\ where he and his wife were living in
tented wagon. Fear of mob violence
resulted in officials bringing the liv-
eryman to Topeka, where he was
placed-fn~the Shawnee county jail.
Find Three Skeletons.
On August 13 another skeleton was
found by state officials who had
started probe of the case. 1t is be-
lieved to have been that of William
Ringer jewelry peddler, who disap-
peared eleven years ago. A third
skeleton. thought to be that of John
Woody, young farmer who dropped
out of sight several years before, was
also discovered. In each case. it was
said. King was discovered to be in
possession of some of the belongings
planned this possession satisfactorily to
the curious.
Preliminary at Eskridge.
! A coroner's jury at Maple Hill held
that the third skeleton unearthed was
that of John Woody and that the
young farmer came to his death at the
hands of the ex-liveryman. Kings pre-
liminary was held at Eskridge.
| The discovery of the skeletons and
| the arrest of King caused a tremen-
dous sensation in and around Maple
Kill-a sensation that rivaled the dis
| covery OF the notorious Kate Bender
murder farm in southern Kansas
| twenty-five years ago. The gossip
courts of the little towns in Wabaun-
| see county convicted King Of the most
infamous crimes. Many stories that
had never come to light before were
| told about the former liveryman.
Within the next ten days 1t is prob
able that the fate of the accused man
will be passed upon by an Usage coun-
/ ty jury.