The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-08
Preparations Being Completed
for Murder Hearing.
Attorneys Leave for Lyndon
With Mass of Evidence.
INTO WOODY'S DEATH FIRST
Defense Will Use Banta DEPOSIT
tiOn, Recently Obtained.
State Summons 20 Witnesses in
murder Farm" Mystery.

Preparations were being completed
tooay Tor the Rufe King murder trial
scheduled to reopen Wednesday at
Hyhoon oerore Judge Robert Heizer.
Attorneys for both sides left today for
Lyhoon with portmanteaus filled with
documents to be used in the trial.
which promises to continue for two or
three weeks in the little Usage county
seat town.
King former Maple Hill liverynsn.
Is charged with the murder of three
men and the state claims the bodies ~
his three victims were found buried
near his old home at Maple Hill. The
bones were displayed at his prelimi-
nary held at Eskridge. They will be
displayed again at the trial this week
The alleged King victims include
John Woody, an employe in the King
livery barn: William Ringer of Ne
braska, a peddler said to have been
last seen IN the King livery barn, and
William Gutshall. who, it is charged,
was last seen at the King home.
To Hold Woody Trial First
The Woody trial will be held first
A recent deposition obtained by the
defense after months of search thru
out the country for Frank Banta, for
mer employe of King. asserts that
Woody one day told Banta he intended
to leave Maple Hill the next day and
that Banta might have his job. Banta
applied for the job and began work
Immediately, according to his sworn
deposition, obtained at Provo. Utah,
where he was finally located recently.
Banta also states in his deposition
that he took Ringer. the peddler, to
the train at Maple Hill, and saw him
get on the train and leave.
The Gutshall case involved the al
legged ruin of a Maple Hill girl, ac-
cording to statements made by King.
The prisoner has declared that
Gutshall called at his home one night,
saying he was in trouble with a girl
and was going to leave. King claims
property and that Gutshall left that
night.
"Good-by Rufe, tell mother the
same and tell the old man to go to
he'll" were Gutshalrs farewell words
to him, according to statements made
by the 1iveryman. =
Upset Little Community.
Woody, Ringer and Gutshan were
characters in Maple Hill from seven
to ten years ago. King continued to
live in Maple Hill for several years
after their disappearance and moved
then with his wife to Colorado. Last
summer neighbors found what are al
place.
The little community went wild.
So did the country for miles and miles
around. Hundreds swarmed to the
King place, armed with spades and
dug trenches all over the farm.
Skeletons of three alleged human be-
ings were found on the place.
In the King house jewelry was
found, claimed by the state to be the
property of Ringer. Stories of Rufe
G1--I~
propensities were circulated. He was
arrested in Colorado and taken to
Wabaunsee county. Mob violence was
feared AMI he was hurried to Topeka,
where he has remained in the Shaw
nee county Jail ever since.
When his preliminary hearing was
held at Eskridge, the mother of one OF
his alleged victims cried aloud in the
court room when the bones of the
man believed to be her son were dis
played. She pointed to King and
shouted:
You murderer"
Spirited King Away.
Bob Miller. undersheriff, quickly
slipped the handouts on King and
hurried him outside and into a motor
car. They arrived in Topeka safely.
King. in Jail Tere. has been the
! leader among prisoners. He Is as pro-
fame as a "doughboy" on guard duty
on rainy night, according to the
jailers. Yet tears have been seen IN
his eyes when his fellow prisoners were
sick and suffering. He always nursed
the sick prisoners. One time the SAL
vation Army was holding services in
the Jail and one of the prisoners be-
gan making remarks to embarrass the
worshippers. King jumped at him
and picked him up in his huge arms.
He carried him to a cot and placed
him there none too gently.
" said King. Don {
make fun of religion It's all right if
a fellow feels that way"
Large Number of Witnesses.
The defense obtained a change of
venue on account of the feeling against
King in Wabaunsee county. The trial
at Lyndon. November Is. was contin-
ued at the request of the defense who
at that time was still securing the
country for the Banta deposition.
John j. Schenck, Topeka, and c. E.
Carroll. Wabaunsee county, will de-
fend King Assisting John Martin.
/ Wabaunsee county attorney, in the
/ prosecution will be Otis Hungate. To-
! peka, A. E. Crane. Topeka, John Nc
Laughlin, Usage county, and Maurice
Mcneil, assistant attorney general.
! The state has issued subpoenas for
J seventy witnesses. approximately that
many will be ued by the defense.
TRLSTATE SHOE ORGANIZATION