Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-07-23

| III lIlt W w IL. HiOCA pau ~ 49, =
Carter Edwards livery stable ant
McTaggart's blacksmith shop
Bayles then asked why he did mol
try the saloons, they being K%enslerf
usual resort. Fred said he forgot
which strengthened Bayles' sus'
pieions.
Volunteer searching parties were
organized in Glenns Ferry, and
| searches for the missing man were
made in every direction for the next
two weeks, but all OF no ayail-no
trace of Kensler, dead or alive
could be found.
A squad Of Indian police were
sent for to the reservation, and ar
rived, but the night they came a
heavy snow fell and search was sus-
pended.
A citizens meeting was held in
Glenns Ferry, and a committee APP
pointed to confer with District At
torney Rogers. 1t being ascertained
that a few days before Kensler's
disappearance Freel had bought a
quantity of strychnine at Mays drug
store, a complaint was filed charg-
ing Josie Kensler and Alfred Freel
with the murder of John Kensler by
poison, and they were arrested and
held to answer by Judge Mullany.
Recalling the statements of Mr..
Bayles and lobe about the main ditch
being full Of water on the Canfiled
ranch, and also the statement that
on returning to the ranch after his
conversation with Freel, he found
the water turned off, but not by him
or lobe, Constables John Smith OF
Glenns Ferry and Sigel Morell OF
Soldier entertained a new theory
that the body Of John Kensler was
buried under one of the irrigation
bitches.
These officers procured a steel rod
eight feet long, and with a barbed
end, and getting a search warrant,
on the goth day of the ensuing De-
cember, commenced a search for the
body by probing the main ditch,
commencing at the place of diversion
from the creek. Going down this
ditch to the headgate of the Kensler
ditch, they started down the latter,
probing the bottom every few feet.
AT a place in this ditch, about fifty
feet northeast of the Kensler dwell
ling house, they found the bottom
of the ditch very soft and easily pen
etrated. Driving the rod down into
this place to a depth of four feet,
the rod was stopped by something
soft like a roll of blankets. The
barbed point of the probe became
caught In this, and ii took the unit
ed force of these two strong men
to draw it up, when they found
cotton shreds on the barb. One re-
naming on the ground, the other
went to Glenns Ferry and brought
out a posse, who proceeded to dig
through the soft mud.
At a depth of four feet the body
Of John Kensler was found, dressed
in a suit of underwear and wrapped
in a quilt. In this grave also were
found his hat, shoes, overalls, vest
and socks.
The body was in a state of per-
feet preservation. A wound was
found upon the skull-an opening
four inches across, on the top, to-
ward the left.
An autopsy on the body was made
by DR.. w. +. Smith, and acting cor
Mullaney held an inquest, the
Jury rendering a verdict charging
Josie Kensler and Alfred Freel with
willful murder Of John Kensler.
Pending the inquest, Mrs. Kensler
made a written confession, charging
with shooting Kensler through
he head while he laid in bed asleep.
Ind compelled her to help him con-
Zeal the body where 1t was found.
District Attorney Rogers, on being
ipprised of the facts, dismissed the
of murder by poison, and Con-
Smith swore out a complaint
charging Mrs. Kensler and Freel
With the murder of John Kensler by
ihooting.
In February, 1897, the pair were
from the county Jail before
Judge Sinnott for examination. In
he latter charge District Attorney
appearing for the state and
~Bierbower, ]. S, Waters and f.
u. Wolfe appearing for the defense.
The defendants were held to ans
yer to the charge and without bail.
Through the exertions of the off
iers and ex-Commissioner Corker.
many items of material evidence
we're gathered to be used in the COM
ng trial.
In the early part of the ensuing
day the trial commenced before
Judge Stockslager in the district
curt. In the course of time, a iurv
vas worn-in to try Freel, they being
ried separately.
Mrs. kensler swore that on the
light of October 16, John and Freel
anne home drunk and with a quart
of whiskey between them.
which they drank of until a late
our, keeping UP a carousal: that
hey got John to bed, and when he
vas asleep Fred came into the room
With a .45-calibre carbine and said
e was going to kill John. That she
ried to prevent him, hut was pow
rless, and Freel put the muzzle of
he gun against the head of the
leeping mar and fired it, sending a
ullet through his head, and thence
trough the board in the head of the
ed into the wall, where it was
uried; that they then rolled tn body
ut of the bed upon a wagon sheet
nd dragged it to the ditch. she
aving turned the water out of the {
itch, the grave was dug and the
ody wrapped in a quilt, was thrown
a and covered, and next morning
he water turned back. The wagon
beet was cut in two and sacked and
The bloody ned and bod