Towanda Masonic Butler County Kansas

Butler County, Kansas

L. H. MEDLEY TO BE CHARGED IN DEATH OF EL DORADO MAN

SLUGGING VICTIM DIES

Charges of murder in the second degree were expected to be filed today or Monday against Lewis H. Medley, 58 of 321 South Poplar, following the death Friday evening of Chalmers G. Spinden, 28, of Route 4.

Medley, a 215 pound man whose nickname is “Slim,” allegedly struck Spinden over the head Friday with a 12 inch ratchet wrench in an altercation at Lewis & West Transit Mix Concrete Co., 414 North Vine. Both men were employees of the company.

Spinden died at about 6:20 p.m. Friday at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, where he had been transferred earlier after being rushed to Allen Memorial Hospital here by ambulance.

At an autopsy conducted this morning in Wichita by Dr. Carl M. Neudorffer, a Wichita pathologist, it was determined that death was caused by a skull fracture from a blow on the head.

Dr. Dale W. Anderson, of Augusta, Butler County coroner, will preside at a coroner’s jury at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in El Dorado.

County Attorney Allyn M. McGinnis said this afternoon that charge of murder in the second degree will be filled early Monday, if not today, against Medley.

Medley was arraigned Friday afternoon in county court on charges of maiming and wounding. He appeared before Judge Roy B. Darlington. Medley was released on $1,500 bond.

An argument reportedly ‘brewing for some time,” took place between Medley and Spinden inside a building for trucks at the Lewis & West firm. Although no one is believed to have seen Medley strike Spinden with the wrench, fellow employees quickly noticed that Spinden had slumped over on a truck fender, according to police.

Police will continue a full investigation of the case until it is closed, Colby said.

The blow to Spinden’s head cracked the interior area of his skull. It was disclosed at the autopsy today. Present for the autopsy were County Coroner Anderson, County Attorney McGinnis, Walter F. McGinnis, Sheriff Dalls Babcock, Chief of Police Colby and Police Capt. Jack West.

Babcock said a formal report from the pathologist is expected to be received here early next week.

Funeral services for Mr. Spinden will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Ebenezer Methodist Church, south of Burns.

Dr. Joe Riley Burns, pastor of the El Dorado First Methodist Church, will officiate at the services. Interment will be made in Ebenezer cemetery.

The Dietz-Pittman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Spinden had lived in the Burns area all of his life until he moved to El Dorado five years ago.

He was a member of the First Methodist Church, Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, Local 5-241, and the Kum Dubble class of the First Methodist Church.

He served with the United States Army for three months in 1958.

Mr. Spinden was born June 28, 1935, at Newton. He and Rutha Hunter were married May 31, 1958 at Dodge City. She survives.

Other survivors include three children, Sharon Kay, 4, Chalmers Garrett “Gary,” 2-1/2, and Karen Ray, one year old, his mother, Mrs. Sam Spinden, of Burns, three brothers, William Spinden, 610 West Tenth, Fred O. and John R., both of Burns; three sisters, Mrs. M. L. McReynolds, Bothell, Wash., Mrs. Robert Argo, 728 Harvard, El Dorado and Mrs. M. Gene Countryman, Hesston, Kan. (El Dorado Times, Dec. 14, 1963)