The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-08
Rufe. King Is Sentenced by
Judge Heller.
Motion for New Trial Is Over
ruled by Court.
KING SAYS HE WILL FIGHT
Case To Be Appealed to the
Supreme Court.
Appeal Bond of $4,000 May
Be Raised.

The fighting spirit that made Rufe
Kings name a terror in Maple Hill
had not cooled as he looked thru the
bars of the Shawnee county jail to-
day. King was sentenced to life i'm
prisonment for the killing of John
Woody. when Judge Robert Heller
overruled his motion for new trial IN
the Usage county district court Tues
day.
my wife and mother live" he asserted.
TN fight here just the same as
would If I met them on the road. They
can't hurt me by locking me up in
here They couldn't hurt me if they
hung me. My wife and mother are
the ones who are being prosecuted"
Says Case VIII Be Appealed.
King said his attorneys are going
10 appeal his case to the supreme
court at once. His appeal bond was
set by Judge Heller at $4,000 and
efforts are now being made to raise it
for him.
DO you think you can give q bond
in that amount?" he was asked.
We'll, 1 did it before. Why can't
I do it now?"
King was locked in the big iron
cage in the county Jail He was smok-
ing a cigar and joking with the other
best of humor.
when the Judge told me to stand
up for sentence yesterday" he said,
he asked me if there was anything l
would like to say. l told him that
had been railroaded and that 1 had
been convicted on d newspaper deci-
sion"
What do you mean by a 'newspa-
per decisionY" ne was asked.
We'll, there was not a syllable of
evidence in the trial that anyone mad
been killed. All the jurors admitted
that they had read of the case in the
newspapers. OF course, they said they
had not formed any opinions. Well,
I'm not alone. There are lots of men
in here And if all the men were in
jail who should be there you would
Just have to build wall clear around
these United States
"By the way" he continued with a
wink, casting his eyes over the little
group of prisoners who had gathered
TO listen to the conversation, this
place has become a kindergarten since
| was here last. There are only one
or two men here" In truth. most OF
the prisoners We're mere youths.
He Didn't Like Lyndon.
At didn't want to stay in that jail
down at Lyndon" he continued. Il
asked them to let me come up here"
This is the second time King has
been confined in the Shawnee county
Jail He was brought here a year ago
following his arrest in Colorado, Off
GERS fearing danger of mob violence
if he was left in Wabaunsee county.
Lyndon. Kan, Dec. s.-Life i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary was the
sentence pronounced upon Rufe King,
convicted of the murder of John
Woody. by Judge Robert Heizer in the
Usage county district court here Tues
ruled the motion for a new trial. King
was taken imm ediately to the Shawnee
county Jail at Topeka. His appeal
bond was set at $25,000.
Il have been railroaded, that's all
there is to it. 1t was done with pre-
judice," King asserted when Judge
Heizer asked him if there was any rea-
son why sentence should not be pro
nounced against him. The man MAIN
tains his innocence and asserts that he
was not given "a square deal"
Two Charges Dismissed.
The state dismissed the charges of
numbering William +. Ringer and
Reuben Gutshall which had been
placed against King. 1t was said by
attorneys for the state. however, that
in the event it ever becomes neces-
sary' he can also be tried on these
charges
Following the sentence, Sheriff
Peters requested that King be trans
ferred to the Shawnee county Jail, say
ing he feared the Usage county struc-
ture would not be a safe place in
which to keep him. He was brought
to Topeka by Sheriff Peters and Depu-
ty Slick" Morris
The arguments of attorneys for and
against a new trial took up most of
the day Tuesday. Many affidavits
were introduced by the defense writ
ten by persons who claim to have seen
some of Kings alleged victims alive
after they were supposed to have been
more affidavits to impeach the char
acter of the defendants affiants. Judge
Heizer ruled that the evidence was
not sufficient grounds for a new trial