The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-20
Police Believe He Shot Park
Keeper-His Revolver Found.
Admits Quarrel After Hours of
GrueIling by Officers.
REVOLVER FIRED RECENTLY
Information Revealed Weapon
Left at 3O1 Liberty Street.
Mexican Slipped Loaded Shell
Into Chamber When Caught.

Pollce this afternoon were con-
vinced that Manuel Lopez, 317 Liberty
street, is the slayer of Andrew Hart
wick, park. keeper at Ripley park.
Joaquin Padillo, who was also arrest
ed in connection with the shooting, is
still being held, however.
After hours of gruelling, Lopez. who
at first denied that he was outside his
own yard Thursday, admitted that he
was at Ripley and that he was ordered
away by Hartwick. AS he backed
from the park he kept slashing back
and forth with a file to keep the park
keeper at a distance, he said. He de-
cIared that Hartwick then drew a gun
and that another Mexican, whose
name he does not know, shot him. He
described the Mexican as having
short moustache and a face pitted by
smallpox.
Believe Lopez Fired Shot.
Police do not believe the latter part
the fatal shot himself. All doubt as
to this was erased from their minds
when a gun, which it is claimed Lopez
carried, was found this afternoon at
3O1 Liberty street A small piece OF
a dried weed stalk was sticking in the
barrel. Officers assert that one shot
had been fired from it recently.
Revolver Missing Link.
Information that Lopez's revolver
might be found at 301 Liberty street
was given the police by Juan Torres
a Mexican. The revolver was the
missing link in the chain OF evidence
which the police were weaving around
Lopez. Torres supplies that. Detec-
tives Clarence Bundy and w. c. kiely
went to the Lopez home and INFORMED
the Mexican's mother that Lopez
wanted his gun. The mother accom-
The detectives assert that a Mexican
in the house fumb1ed with the gun and
slipped a loaded cartridge into the
cylinder in place of the empty one be-
fore he handed it over. The cylinder
bears powder marks, however, it is
asserted.
81 do not think killed him." Off
GERS quoted Lopez as saying after
hours of questioning. Plans were be-
ing made to put the Mexican thru a
severe gruelling this afternoon by the
police in cooperation with Sheriff
Robert Miller. Officers hope to get a
! confession from him when he is con-
| fronted with the revolver.
Identified by Mrs. Randall.
Mrs. Jennie Randall. who was walk
| ing thru the park when the shooting
occurred, identified Lopez as the man
serted today. She was coming thru
| the park from the east. She said she
| heard two shots and that she saw
| Hartwick sink to the ground. The
young Mexican came running from the
west, she said, stopped before her
and asked:
| What has happened?" T h n,
/ without waiting for an answer, he
| turned and ran back west, across the
creek. She declared, officers said,
! that he was trembling violently and
! that she saw something shiny in his
| hand. When arrested by Kiely and
Bundy, Lopez denied that he was in
| the park that day. He was then
taken before Mrs. Randall, who posi-
| lively identified him, it was said.
| Lopez then admitted that he was in
| the park and ordered out by Hart
wick. He denied that he had a gun.
Lopez showed great fright and nerv-
BUSINESS when arrested, police said.
| Lopez was first taken to the sher-
| ifs office by Augustine Alba and
questioned. Believing he was not the
man wanted Alba released him.
| Hearing later that he was in the park,
and upon the request of the police,
Alba picked him up again and turned
| him over to the city officers.
| No Knife Wound Found.
! An autopsy performed on the body
| of Hartwick by DR.. H. L. Clark, county
coroner, and DIR. c. E. Joss Thursday
night, revealed that what was at first
supposed to be a knife wound in his
left side was in reality cash made
where the bullet came out. The bullet
| entered his right side, just below the
heart, and passed entirely thru the
body. He bled inwardly. When police
| found him Hartwick was on his hands
and knees with his forehead touching
/ the ground. He was dead, but still
| clutched his revolver in his right hand.
He evidently sank slowly to the
ground and forward, instead of fall
ing.
70 Hold Inquest.
/ Doctor Clark will hold an inquest
into the shooting at the court house
Saturday morning. he said today.
| The revolver found in the Liberty
/ street house was 80 caliber gun.
The bullet corresponds in size to the