The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-21
Aged Berryton Couple May
Have Been Killed, Is Belief.
Sheriff in ThOro Investigation
Following Morning Blaze.
KEPT MONEY IN TIN GAN
Blood on Pillow and Mans
Skull Broken In.
Charles Owens and Wife Burned
to Death on Farm.

The charred bodies of Charles
owens, 65, and his wife. Ruth Owens,
64, were found early this morning in
their burning farm house near Berry
ton. The house burned to the ground.
Suspicion of foul play led Sheriff Rob
hood today to make a more thoro ex-
animation.
Owens's body was found on a pallet
on the kitchen floor where he had
been in the habit of sleeping because
of a physical infirmity which made it
painful for him to sleep in bed. The
! body of his wife was found lying on
the floor near, the edge of her bed in
an adjoining room Her head was
toward the door opening into the
kitchen. The remains of a dog, which
it was said ordinarily slept near Owens,
were found near his body.
The bodies were burned almost to
crisp, according to DR.. H. L. Clark.
county coroner. who. with Sheriff
Miller, was called to the scene. The
mans legs and arms were burned off
and the bones were crumbling from
the heat
Blood on Pillow.
A peculiar circumstance found by
considerable amount of blood on the
pillow upon which Owens's head was
lying. A triangular piece of the
skull had been broken out, also, it
was said.
owens was reputed to have always
kept money in the house and it was
only during the last year that he had
been depositing money in the Berry,
ton bank, it was declared. Whether
he had considerable money on the
premises at this time could not be de-
termined.
The burning house was discovered
about 2 o'clock this morning by
Floyd Breeding and Dean Yingling,
youths who live about two miles north
of Berryton. They drove to Berryton
in Yingling's buggy, where Breeding
unhitched the horse and rode it to the
f1home of M. L. Tevis, amile and half
east of Berryton and less than mile
from the Owens home. He returned
about 1890 o'clock along the road
past the Owens home, but saw no in
dication' of fire at that time, he told
officers. The Owens house sets a
quarter of a mile back from the road.
Saw Bodies Inside.
Arriving in Berryton, he was hitch
ing up the horse again when Yingling,
who had been calling on Miss Bernice
DIETRICH, pointed to a bright blaze to
the north. The three young folks
walked down the railroad track to
point opposite the blaze and then
crossed to the Owens house. The
roof had fallen in and a part of the
west wall had crum bled. The trio did
not know that anyone occupied the
house. They had been there about
twenty minutes and were looking in a
window when a bench just inside the
window crumbled and fell, revealing
the form of Owens lying just beyond.
The flesh was then burned from his
face
where he notified the telephone
operator, who in turn called neigh
bors. The entire house was in flames,
however, and the crowd that swiftly
gathered was powerless to render
help. Coroner Clark was called from
-, Topeka and. in company with Sheriff
Miller, hurried to the scene. 1t was
in order to make a path over which
they could travel TO retrieve the
bodies.
/ The aged couple is survived by two
sons, Harry Owens, farmer living
! near Wakarusa, and John Owens, a
Branner street. A daughter, Mrs.
Watson. lives at 709 Chestnut street.
Mrs. Elixa Lynch, a sister of Mrs,
Owens, lives at 92O East Eighth ave-
nue..
/ Kept Money in Can.
The farm upon which the couple
fivsd consisted of eighty acres, which
had been rented for thirty years. For
the last fifteen years it has belonged
to Charles Zirkle. who lives near Doc
! tor Clark SAID that Zirkle told him
| that when lie went to the Owens home
for the rent. Owens usually produced
the money from somewhere around
the house, often from a tin can. Once
he went out OF doors and got 1t, he
| said. 1t was only within the last year
that Owens's sons had induced him to
put his money in the Berryton bank. 1t
was said.
Because of his infirmity, Owens, the
officers were told, always slept on his
! back. The smouldering remains of
the bed clothes showed they had ap-
parently not been thrown off or dis
| turbed- 1t was belle. ed it would have
| been difficult for anyone to have
| struck the old man on the head, be-
cause the wound was just behind and
above the left ear. Doctor Clark said
it was possible that the heat of the
fire might cause the skull to burst
open. The officers. were unable, how
ever, to explain the fact that the dog
had burned to death apparently be-
fore he moved from his masters side.
Mrs Owens was said to be rather hard
of hearing, and it was also declared
that her mind had been failing for
some time.
/ Neighbors told the officers it had
been customary for Mrs Owens to
night A small heating stove was To-
Gated in her room and a cook stove
in the kitchen.
i
i Turks Start New Offensive.
I London. Feb. 21--The opening of
.-l,