Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 October 1911 — PROBABLY A MANIAC [ARTICLE]

PROBABLY A MANIAC

Who Klled Medaryville Family Recently at Colorado Springs. Chicago, 111., Oct. 17.—Frantic appeals by the authorities of three tities were made to the Chicago police tonight to assist in the capture of maniac who, within the last four weeks, has taken a murderous toll of 14 lives. , The mysterious trail of death began in Colorado Springs September 17. From there it'led to Monmouth, 111., on Oct. 1, and last Sunday night the murderer visited the town of Ellsworth, Kan.» satisfied his maniacal craving for human lives, and disappeared. * The murders were all committed on Sunday night and two weeks apart. October 29, if the .murderer maintains his schedule will witness a repition of the murders, and the police of the central and western cities have been notified to keep a strict watch for the criminal. The murders ascribed to the maniac are: Colorado Springs, Sept. 17, Mrs. A. J. Burnham and two children and J. C. Wayne, his wife and child. Families murdered in their homes, their skulls crushed by a blunt instrument. Monmouth, 111., Oct. 1, W. E. Dawson, wife and thirteen-year-old daughter Clara. The Dawson family was murdered in the house as they slept. Their skulls were crushed as though an ax or lead pipe had been the instrument of death. Ellsworth, Kan., Oct. 15, Wilt Showman, wife and three children —Lester, aged 7, Fern, aged 4, and Fenton, aged 2. They were all murdered in bed, and as in the previous murderes their skills were crushed with a blunt weapon. Not a clew has been obtained by the police of the three cities the maniac visited. The similarity of the crimes, their accomplishments on Sunday night and the two weeks intervening between each murderous visit alone give the authorities a tangible working basis. A bloody gas pipe and a small flashlight were found near the scene of the Dawson murders in Monmouth. An inscription on the, searchlight read, “Colorado Springs. September 4.” This date may mark the time of a murder as yet undiscovered.