The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1921-07-21

and Smith murders was solved the
last of the week by Detective Proper
when he wrung from Hosea Ellis,
14-year old brother of Harry X. FL
lis, who had previously confessed
to be the principal in both murders.
Almost from the start, due to the
numerous confessions of Harry Ell
lis, Frank Miller has been suspected
of being an accomplice, but the
later confession of Harry and that
of his broher, Hosea, practically
eliminates Miller from the case, ex-
cept possibly as an accessory after
the fact. 1t is thought hat Miller
knew of the murder at least.
Proper went to work on the case
almost as soon as he Guild get here
and followed Longnecker, a nephew
of the murdered Oklahoma farmer,
over several states, arrested him in
Iowa and brought him back to
Oklahoma. Circumstantial evidence
against him was strong; in fact, Mr..
Proper is of the opinion that the
net of circumstances was so strong
that had not Ellis been discovered.
and Longnecker had stood trial, he
would have been connected with
the crime. But Proper was not
satisfied. He worked on Miller anc
Harry Ellis, and unknown to anyon,
else, on Harry Ellis, whom he haC
become convinced knew something
Of the crime.
The two brothers were put in ,
room together and Proper, on tn,
other end of detectaphone, lis
tened to their conversation. Afte
this, he was more than ever con-
vinced that the younger brother had
participated in the murder. Finally
he secured confession from Hosea
and later another from Harry, tell
ing the part his brother had in the
affair.
The news Of the completely of
Hosea Ellis created sensation, and
practically eliminates Frank Miller
as we'll as Longnecker. The latter
was at once taken into custody and
returned to the Arkansas peninten-
tiary, where he will serve out the
three remaining years of a four
year sentence for robbery. He
served one year and made his es-
cape, but was traced by means of
the finger print system.
Detective Proper, who was en-
ployed by the citizens of Liberal,
did excellent work on the case and
finally succeeded in unravelling what
he termed as the most complicated
case upon which he had ever
worked.
The following is the confession
of Hosea Ellis, and is followed by
those of his brother, Harry, which
finally cleared up the mystery:
Q-Now, Hosea, do you want to
change your statement any from the
way You gave it to us the other day
at Beaver? No sir.
You have no changes or correc-
ions to make? No, sir.
With reference to the cap that
was left west of John Longenecker,s
place. you know nothing of that No.
Sir.
You deny being at the place where
John Longenecker was killed? Yes
sir.
If your brother Harry says that
you were present at the time John
Longnecker was killed on April
9th, he is falsifying? Yes, sir.
Did you go any where with Harry
at noon on Wednesday, April 27? /
/ am mistaken.
You may speak up if you want to
anything out. Now is the
time. l have told you wrong. II
was present.
Make your statement just as it is.
Tell the straight truth. Well We'd
nesday April 9th, it was about
noon when We left home. We went
one mile west, two and one half
miles north and then one half mile
west to Logenecker's. We drove up
there and John came out and Harry |
asked him if he had a pump. He said
yes and Harry told him he wanted to
borrow it little bit and Harry took !
the pump and pumped up the casing.
When he got the casing pumped up
him and Longecker was talking and !,
Longenecker was squatting down in
front of the car and Harry stepped