Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1887 — The Rev. West Wanted for Murder. [ARTICLE]

The Rev. West Wanted for Murder.

Late deyelopements have mode it almost certain that Wm. West, the local preacher who lately absconded from Chesterton, Porter county, hiking with him his hired girl Susie Beck, has added murder to his other crimes. He went to bt Louis with the girl, where they lived for a short time, as husband I nnd wife, under the name oLAbbott. On July 18th the girl died after a very brief sickness, was buried next day and the same day 1 West disappeared. Circumstspces raised a suspicion-as to the cause of the girl’s death arid her body was disinterred and she was found to have died from being poisoned with arsenic. It is supposed that West persuaded her to take the poison under the pretense that it was a drug intended to produce abortion. Immediately after burying his victim West returned to his wife at Chesterton, but on learning that his crime had been discovered he again fled and has not been apprehended. The police authorities of St. Louis have issued a circular asking for West’s arrest. It describes him as being 31 years old, 5 feet 6 inches high, dark auburn hair, brown eyes, full square face and chin, clean shaven, and stoops slightly when walking.