The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-27

BurcheS and Kennedy had been on the
friendliest terms a few years ago.
The trail of Burch was struck in
Los Angeles, a warm trail that wound
thru the city in a way that excited
suspicion. The detectives found that
he had been calling on the Obenchain
woman, unknown to Kennedy, and
that she had been returning his visits.
So they took the minister's son off
a train in Nevada and brought him
back to face the woman-and the
body.
He viewed both calmly and insisted
that he was innocent of implication
in the crime.
This was August 8, three days after
the brokers' murder. The police were
at their wits end for a solution and
they raked Burch by cross examina-
ton almost feverishly.
He proved he had been in Nevada
on Saturday within twenty-four hours
after the killing. If something def
mite could not be gathered quickly,
other persons perhaps more important
might be scattered in hiding over the
length and breadth of the country, be-
fore the mystery could be pierced.
Damaging Evidence.
But out of the slender diffident
youth, the skilled master of the third
degree drew the admission that on
the night of the murder he had hired
an automobile. Checking up, they
man who hired it gave the name of
j. w. Jones and an address which
proved to be the home of Burchs only
relatives in the city.
A close study of the Kennedy
grounds and road, nearby, which had
been surrounded pending the investi-
cation, showed the imprint of a set of
tires in the mud in several places
and the tread of the tires was that
of the hired automobile. The gar
showed ha
been hired at Z and returned at IL
on Friday highland the killing was
done between 8 and 10, according to
the best estimate possible.
On this the minister's son was held
without bail as material witness,
sharing the status of Madalynne, with
whom he was not permitted to COM
municate.
Detectives were sent to Chicago to
trace the movements of persons con-
cerped in the mystery, and another
squad went to Los Angeles to dig into
Burch's local affairs. Both parties
returned with evidence,
1t was learned in Los Angeles that
Burch had rented a room in hotel
directly opposite Kennedys brokerage
office several days before the shoot
ing.
A woman, whom Burch had de-
scribed as his cousin, had visited him
in this room. The hotel keeper identi-
d
saw Mrs. Obenchain he identified her
also-but explained that she had worn
a wig on her visits to the ministers
son.
Madalynne frankly admitted a
friendship for Burch, and conceded
that she had received $S5 from him,
but explained that this was in pay
ment for debts.
Went West at Her Behest-
Then it was brought out by the ad
missions of both that the young man
had come west at the behest of the
girl-for what purpose was not made
clear.
Ralph Obenchain, now an active at
torney in Chicago, who has come to
Los Angeles to defend the woman
who spurned his love, bore out in sub
stance what his wife had said, and
added that he still was paying her $50
a month alimony. He agreed with her
that Kennedy had broken up their
home.
When questioned by detectives,
MadaIynne insisted that she and the
minister's son were purely platonic
friends" and that he had nothing to
do with the killing of Kennedy.
AS for Burch, he fought every ques-
ticn put to him, declining to talk at all
unless given an opportunity to consult
a lawyer.
Mrs. Kennedy. r,c.her of the muir
dered man, told OF MS resolving o
scribkJed note which read:
'Your Life Is in Danger"
She told. too, of hearing her son
say:
1T don't know why it is, but have
a feeling that something may happen
to me very soon. I guess I won't live
very long, but I don't want anyone
to worry about me-
The medical testimony at the hear
ing brought out that a shotgun was
the instrument of death. Later the
stock of a shotgun was found by a
beach camper eight miles from the
scene of the mysterious shooting. It
was identified by the proportion Of a
local pawnshop as a weapon he had
sold late in July. He could not iden-
tify Burch as the purchaser.
A strange fact in connection with
the case is that Kennedy had not Wis
tied the country house for months.
How did his slayer or slayers know
that he was to be there on this par
ticu1ar night? Mrs. Obenchain as
serts that she herself did not know
where Kennedy was driving her until
a few minutes before their arrival.
Ralph Obenchain and Rev. Burch,
the former husband and the father
respectively of Mrs. Obenchain and
Arthur C. Burch, are in Los Angeles
to direct the fight for the defense |
They are confident 1t will be shown |
at the trial that the persons now IN
der arrest are innocent.