Murdered ON EVE OF WEDDING
Mystery surrounds the death of an Abilene woman found choked to death in her chair.
Abilene aug 15--- Bertha Benignus the daughter of Charlie Benignus a butcher of this city was found in her room choked to death yesterday morning. She was seated in a chair with her hands tied behind her back. From the condition of the body the Physicians have decided she had been dead for some time when found at 8 clock. The family have very little information to give that throws any light on the murder Miss Benignus retired at the usual hour and no one in the family recalls hearing strange noices during the night. She was the second daughter of a large family.
Miss Benignus was to have been married Sunday to Earl Livingston of Topeka. Mr Livingston is employed as the cashier of the Harvey house in Topeka. But is now on vacation he was in Salina at the time of the murder was committed but as soon as he heard of it he started for Abilene where he is now aiding the police of their endeaver to find some clue to the identity of the murder.
ABILENE MURDER HAS NO SOLUTION AS YET
Written NOTE FOUND IN DEAD GIRLS ROOM.
Ladder left a print in the dirt below her window--she carried life insurance payable to her mother.
Abilene Aug 18-----While 1,500 person followed the body of Bertha Benignus to the Abilene Cemetery, the sheriff and deputies made the first thorough search of the house in which she died. There was a long search for the ladder, the marks of which were at the edge of the porch, but no where in the neighborhood was one found to fit.
Of all her articles of Jewerly only one is missing, a ring of no great value. Every clue that led to any of her young men aquaintances has been followed to the end and every one has failed.
The fact that the note was clearly prepared with intention to deceive is lending more mystery to the situation. In it the spelling, My God I Killed her fore Christ sake take the poines and meet me a couple of blocks n. of here.
NOTE IMPORTANT
The words "Christ" "here" and "Couple" are spelled correctly, while for has "e" added to it , deliberaterly, after the word was written. This in the manuscript.
While some of the words are badly scrawled others are well written. The note is counted as the most important feature of the evidence.
Note was found beneth the girl's bedrooom window by her brother-in-law Roy Shearer, a hafl hour after the discovery of the tradgery. This is the only real basis upon which the police are working. That room was entered from the porch and that she was killed by pouring chloroform down her throught is eveident. No post mortem was held, the physicians declaring it unnecessary.
Many from the country attended the funeral today. The pallbearers were her young friends from the city, the service was simple.
Familiar With The Room
A notable fact that the police work on the story, is that the note was written on a town merchant's bill-head that was hidden in a box at a distance from the girl's bed. In this box she kept receipts and this one had been opened at the top one taken out.
Either the murderer had made a long search for writing paper or was somewhat familiar with the room and it's contents.
Today was Earl Livingston's birthday, to whom she was to be married yesterday. She purchased for him a ring, and this was the last purchase she mad Saturday evening. She recived two letters Saturday one of which seemed to cause her uneasiness. This cannot be found. From who it came it is unknown, but it was not from her fiance.Prominent at the funeral were the two societies to which Miss Benignus belonged, the Faternal Aid in which she was a social member without insurance and Sons and Daughters of Justice, in which she had 800 life insurance, payable to her mother. She had no other insurance.
Added By Jean Feaster.
Autopsy is being held.
Mrs Benignus" testimony throws little light.
Abilene, 22 Aug---The body of the Benigus girl was exhumed this morning and an autopsy begun to determine, if possible the cause of the death by chemical analysis of the contents of the viscera.
The girls mother was the first witness before autopsy jury.
She could throw little light upon the affair. She said the entire family seemed to sleep unusually sound Saturday and were drowsy Sunday morning, which gives rise to the theory that the entire family was drugged. None of the family heard a sound during the night of Saturday and Sunday.
Sent to me by Bertha Hood.
Mystery surrounds the death of an Abilene woman found choked to death in her chair.
Abilene aug 15--- Bertha Benignus the daughter of Charlie Benignus a butcher of this city was found in her room choked to death yesterday morning. She was seated in a chair with her hands tied behind her back. From the condition of the body the Physicians have decided she had been dead for some time when found at 8 clock. The family have very little information to give that throws any light on the murder Miss Benignus retired at the usual hour and no one in the family recalls hearing strange noices during the night. She was the second daughter of a large family.
Miss Benignus was to have been married Sunday to Earl Livingston of Topeka. Mr Livingston is employed as the cashier of the Harvey house in Topeka. But is now on vacation he was in Salina at the time of the murder was committed but as soon as he heard of it he started for Abilene where he is now aiding the police of their endeaver to find some clue to the identity of the murder.
ABILENE MURDER HAS NO SOLUTION AS YET
Written NOTE FOUND IN DEAD GIRLS ROOM.
Ladder left a print in the dirt below her window--she carried life insurance payable to her mother.
Abilene Aug 18-----While 1,500 person followed the body of Bertha Benignus to the Abilene Cemetery, the sheriff and deputies made the first thorough search of the house in which she died. There was a long search for the ladder, the marks of which were at the edge of the porch, but no where in the neighborhood was one found to fit.
Of all her articles of Jewerly only one is missing, a ring of no great value. Every clue that led to any of her young men aquaintances has been followed to the end and every one has failed.
The fact that the note was clearly prepared with intention to deceive is lending more mystery to the situation. In it the spelling, My God I Killed her fore Christ sake take the poines and meet me a couple of blocks n. of here.
NOTE IMPORTANT
The words "Christ" "here" and "Couple" are spelled correctly, while for has "e" added to it , deliberaterly, after the word was written. This in the manuscript.
While some of the words are badly scrawled others are well written. The note is counted as the most important feature of the evidence.
Note was found beneth the girl's bedrooom window by her brother-in-law Roy Shearer, a hafl hour after the discovery of the tradgery. This is the only real basis upon which the police are working. That room was entered from the porch and that she was killed by pouring chloroform down her throught is eveident. No post mortem was held, the physicians declaring it unnecessary.
Many from the country attended the funeral today. The pallbearers were her young friends from the city, the service was simple.
Familiar With The Room
A notable fact that the police work on the story, is that the note was written on a town merchant's bill-head that was hidden in a box at a distance from the girl's bed. In this box she kept receipts and this one had been opened at the top one taken out.
Either the murderer had made a long search for writing paper or was somewhat familiar with the room and it's contents.
Today was Earl Livingston's birthday, to whom she was to be married yesterday. She purchased for him a ring, and this was the last purchase she mad Saturday evening. She recived two letters Saturday one of which seemed to cause her uneasiness. This cannot be found. From who it came it is unknown, but it was not from her fiance.Prominent at the funeral were the two societies to which Miss Benignus belonged, the Faternal Aid in which she was a social member without insurance and Sons and Daughters of Justice, in which she had 800 life insurance, payable to her mother. She had no other insurance.
Added By Jean Feaster.
Autopsy is being held.
Mrs Benignus" testimony throws little light.
Abilene, 22 Aug---The body of the Benigus girl was exhumed this morning and an autopsy begun to determine, if possible the cause of the death by chemical analysis of the contents of the viscera.
The girls mother was the first witness before autopsy jury.
She could throw little light upon the affair. She said the entire family seemed to sleep unusually sound Saturday and were drowsy Sunday morning, which gives rise to the theory that the entire family was drugged. None of the family heard a sound during the night of Saturday and Sunday.
Sent to me by Bertha Hood.
Murdered ON EVE OF WEDDING
Mystery surrounds the death of an Abilene woman found choked to death in her chair.
Abilene aug 15--- Bertha Benignus the daughter of Charlie Benignus a butcher of this city was found in her room choked to death yesterday morning. She was seated in a chair with her hands tied behind her back. From the condition of the body the Physicians have decided she had been dead for some time when found at 8 clock. The family have very little information to give that throws any light on the murder Miss Benignus retired at the usual hour and no one in the family recalls hearing strange noices during the night. She was the second daughter of a large family.
Miss Benignus was to have been married Sunday to Earl Livingston of Topeka. Mr Livingston is employed as the cashier of the Harvey house in Topeka. But is now on vacation he was in Salina at the time of the murder was committed but as soon as he heard of it he started for Abilene where he is now aiding the police of their endeaver to find some clue to the identity of the murder.
ABILENE MURDER HAS NO SOLUTION AS YET
Written NOTE FOUND IN DEAD GIRLS ROOM.
Ladder left a print in the dirt below her window--she carried life insurance payable to her mother.
Abilene Aug 18-----While 1,500 person followed the body of Bertha Benignus to the Abilene Cemetery, the sheriff and deputies made the first thorough search of the house in which she died. There was a long search for the ladder, the marks of which were at the edge of the porch, but no where in the neighborhood was one found to fit.
Of all her articles of Jewerly only one is missing, a ring of no great value. Every clue that led to any of her young men aquaintances has been followed to the end and every one has failed.
The fact that the note was clearly prepared with intention to deceive is lending more mystery to the situation. In it the spelling, My God I Killed her fore Christ sake take the poines and meet me a couple of blocks n. of here.
NOTE IMPORTANT
The words "Christ" "here" and "Couple" are spelled correctly, while for has "e" added to it , deliberaterly, after the word was written. This in the manuscript.
While some of the words are badly scrawled others are well written. The note is counted as the most important feature of the evidence.
Note was found beneth the girl's bedrooom window by her brother-in-law Roy Shearer, a hafl hour after the discovery of the tradgery. This is the only real basis upon which the police are working. That room was entered from the porch and that she was killed by pouring chloroform down her throught is eveident. No post mortem was held, the physicians declaring it unnecessary.
Many from the country attended the funeral today. The pallbearers were her young friends from the city, the service was simple.
Familiar With The Room
A notable fact that the police work on the story, is that the note was written on a town merchant's bill-head that was hidden in a box at a distance from the girl's bed. In this box she kept receipts and this one had been opened at the top one taken out.
Either the murderer had made a long search for writing paper or was somewhat familiar with the room and it's contents.
Today was Earl Livingston's birthday, to whom she was to be married yesterday. She purchased for him a ring, and this was the last purchase she mad Saturday evening. She recived two letters Saturday one of which seemed to cause her uneasiness. This cannot be found. From who it came it is unknown, but it was not from her fiance.Prominent at the funeral were the two societies to which Miss Benignus belonged, the Faternal Aid in which she was a social member without insurance and Sons and Daughters of Justice, in which she had 800 life insurance, payable to her mother. She had no other insurance.
Added By Jean Feaster.
Autopsy is being held.
Mrs Benignus" testimony throws little light.
Abilene, 22 Aug---The body of the Benigus girl was exhumed this morning and an autopsy begun to determine, if possible the cause of the death by chemical analysis of the contents of the viscera.
The girls mother was the first witness before autopsy jury.
She could throw little light upon the affair. She said the entire family seemed to sleep unusually sound Saturday and were drowsy Sunday morning, which gives rise to the theory that the entire family was drugged. None of the family heard a sound during the night of Saturday and Sunday.
Sent to me by Bertha Hood.
Mystery surrounds the death of an Abilene woman found choked to death in her chair.
Abilene aug 15--- Bertha Benignus the daughter of Charlie Benignus a butcher of this city was found in her room choked to death yesterday morning. She was seated in a chair with her hands tied behind her back. From the condition of the body the Physicians have decided she had been dead for some time when found at 8 clock. The family have very little information to give that throws any light on the murder Miss Benignus retired at the usual hour and no one in the family recalls hearing strange noices during the night. She was the second daughter of a large family.
Miss Benignus was to have been married Sunday to Earl Livingston of Topeka. Mr Livingston is employed as the cashier of the Harvey house in Topeka. But is now on vacation he was in Salina at the time of the murder was committed but as soon as he heard of it he started for Abilene where he is now aiding the police of their endeaver to find some clue to the identity of the murder.
ABILENE MURDER HAS NO SOLUTION AS YET
Written NOTE FOUND IN DEAD GIRLS ROOM.
Ladder left a print in the dirt below her window--she carried life insurance payable to her mother.
Abilene Aug 18-----While 1,500 person followed the body of Bertha Benignus to the Abilene Cemetery, the sheriff and deputies made the first thorough search of the house in which she died. There was a long search for the ladder, the marks of which were at the edge of the porch, but no where in the neighborhood was one found to fit.
Of all her articles of Jewerly only one is missing, a ring of no great value. Every clue that led to any of her young men aquaintances has been followed to the end and every one has failed.
The fact that the note was clearly prepared with intention to deceive is lending more mystery to the situation. In it the spelling, My God I Killed her fore Christ sake take the poines and meet me a couple of blocks n. of here.
NOTE IMPORTANT
The words "Christ" "here" and "Couple" are spelled correctly, while for has "e" added to it , deliberaterly, after the word was written. This in the manuscript.
While some of the words are badly scrawled others are well written. The note is counted as the most important feature of the evidence.
Note was found beneth the girl's bedrooom window by her brother-in-law Roy Shearer, a hafl hour after the discovery of the tradgery. This is the only real basis upon which the police are working. That room was entered from the porch and that she was killed by pouring chloroform down her throught is eveident. No post mortem was held, the physicians declaring it unnecessary.
Many from the country attended the funeral today. The pallbearers were her young friends from the city, the service was simple.
Familiar With The Room
A notable fact that the police work on the story, is that the note was written on a town merchant's bill-head that was hidden in a box at a distance from the girl's bed. In this box she kept receipts and this one had been opened at the top one taken out.
Either the murderer had made a long search for writing paper or was somewhat familiar with the room and it's contents.
Today was Earl Livingston's birthday, to whom she was to be married yesterday. She purchased for him a ring, and this was the last purchase she mad Saturday evening. She recived two letters Saturday one of which seemed to cause her uneasiness. This cannot be found. From who it came it is unknown, but it was not from her fiance.Prominent at the funeral were the two societies to which Miss Benignus belonged, the Faternal Aid in which she was a social member without insurance and Sons and Daughters of Justice, in which she had 800 life insurance, payable to her mother. She had no other insurance.
Added By Jean Feaster.
Autopsy is being held.
Mrs Benignus" testimony throws little light.
Abilene, 22 Aug---The body of the Benigus girl was exhumed this morning and an autopsy begun to determine, if possible the cause of the death by chemical analysis of the contents of the viscera.
The girls mother was the first witness before autopsy jury.
She could throw little light upon the affair. She said the entire family seemed to sleep unusually sound Saturday and were drowsy Sunday morning, which gives rise to the theory that the entire family was drugged. None of the family heard a sound during the night of Saturday and Sunday.
Sent to me by Bertha Hood.
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