Year: 1876

I
the northern extremity Of Third street, were
thrown into a wild tarore OF excitement by
the startling intelligence that a most foul
murder had been committed, and that the
body Of the victim was lying stiff and cold
on the Reserve, where it was evident the
dark deed had been perpetrated. A TINES
Reporter being one of the iirst to hear the
report, arrived on the scene OF the outrage
about six o'clock, and there found the


BODY OF WOMAN


lying dead on the ground, about oLe hun
dred feet from the north end OF Third street,
on the Government Reserve. Ga inquiry.
it was ascertained from the crowd, that the
body was that OF a woman named


ANNA JOHNSON,


who had previously lived in small frame
building, at No 32l Cheyenne street, only
about two hundred yards from the scene OF
the tragedy. The body, when first
found. hy a colored man named William
Smith, was lying face upward on the ground,
with the head resting in a pool OF gore,
I which had been caused to flow from
| FRIGHTE u CASH


in the back of the head, nearly 70 ur iuches
in length. and horrible hole under the
right eye, either of which must have caused
instant death. Narous were the conjec-
lures a. TO the cause and perpetrator OF the
murder, for murder il was, most foul. Some
were of the opinion that a. the woman had,
at one time, had the reputation of being
the possessor of considerable sum Of
money, sh. had been enticed
ing murdered. Others set up the
theory that she had met with s)me woman
OF her class with whom she had had some
difficulty, and had been put out of the way
by some outlaw, at the instigation of her
| incensed adversary. Another advanced the
idea that, empty soda bottle was
found near the corpse, she had got in COM
pany with a party Of drunken compan-
ions, and that she had become the vic
| tim OF a fatal quarrel in that way;
while a fourth surmised that some one
who had a spite at her, had enticed her out
on the reserve, whittier she was not in the
habit of visiting, on the pretext that some
friend wanted to see her, and that the blow
on the back OF the head had been struck
before she was aware Of it. On the ground
near the empty soda bottle was found
woman's round comb, which was unbroken,
and several pieces of a broken bottle, and
some were at first of the opinion that the
blow had been given with bottle, which
accounted for the broken pieces, but it
was evident, on closer examination, that
the fatal blow had been dealt by a heavy
hand and with the


BACK OF AN AN,


as the skull was literally crushed TO pieces.


The murdered woman has for several
years led life of shame, and had Teen at
one time rather handsome, but not above
the average. hhe was about thirty-seven
years of age, and was the mother of four
children, named respectively, William An
drew johnson, aged II; Alonzo, aged 10;
Alice, aged :, and Thomas, aged Z years.
BY the time the above facts had been elicit
ed, Coroner A. Brown, accompanied by
Constable Geo. ". Goddard, arrived and a
jury was selected, who viewed the body and
noted the condition of the ground upon
which it lay. This occupied until nearly
eight o'clock, and the sun becoming too hot
to permit the body TO remain longer in the
open air, it was deemed advisable TO con-
vey it to the late residence of the deceased.
Upon lifting the body in order TO place it
upon blanket,


An ARMY BUTTON,
which had evidently come off military
lying. The pockets Of the dress worn by
the deceased were found to be turned inside
out and near where the button was picked
up, was found two dollar greenback bill.
These, together with the bottles and pieces
of the round comb, which had been broken
by the immense crowd, were gathered up
by the jurors and taken care of.


Before the transfer of the body to the
house, it was ascertained from the boy,
VIM. johnson, that his mother had left
home about nine o'clock on the evening
previous, taking with her large leather
pocket book, containing q large sum Of
m oney, and wore an open faced watch, at
tached to a small brass neck-chain, and
that she told him she was going out to meet
a man named Earlewine, who, he said, had
often asked his mother to marry him
and that he suspected Earlewine of the
murder.


Arriving At the house, the body was
placed on a bed, and the examination of
the various witnesses was begun, but the
small room, which was densely crowded,
becoming too warm, the jury adjourned to
the premises of Mrs. F. Jollie, who lives
near the house, and proceeded with the in
vestigation under the shade OF several large
trees. The evidence ELECTED brought out
nothing that would poin; positively TO the
murderer of the woman, but the chain of
presumptive and circumstantial evidence
pointed very strongly toward the man Earl
ewlne, who had been mentioned BY the boy.
The various witnesses were examined in .
thorough and exhaustive manner by Coun-
ty Attorney L. N. Goddard, and every
thing that could tend to throw any light
whatever on the


DARK MYSTERY
vas followed up in a most determined
manner. The connection of the name of
Earlewine in the matter was of such a na-
ture as TO cause grave suspicion that he
was the party who committed the a,rocious
deed, and As the State had no jurisdiction,
the murder having been committed on the
Government reserve, a complaint was made
before United States Commissioner Le-
compte, and > warrant was placed in
the hands of Deputy United States Mar
shal David Keller for the apprehension of
the suspected party, who was arrested
about 5 O'Clock in the afternoon BY that
officer, and held to await examination.
THERE are several complaints about the
bridge over Five Mile creek, on the Kan
- City rod. 1t is repressssed - very
dangeroua Atteation, county authorities.