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BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS

MURDER, MYSTERY'S, JUST PLAIN SPOOKY

Above photo submitted by Belinda Larsen. The building is still on Highway 54 east of here. It's been painted a funky red color and has been modified to look like a house. The cutline for photo that was shown with the first article: "Mute evidence of this morning's shooting is under the blanket at lower center as law enforcement officers took pictures of the body of Mrs. Bohannan. State Trooper Jerry Wholer is shown with his back to the camera, Captain Jim garrison of the Augusta Department of Safety is shown with the camera in his hand and Butler County Deputy Sheriff Harold Taylor, who had just taken a picture, is at extreme right. The Bohannan's panel truck is shown in the background, parked near the cafe end of the dual business building east of here on the north side of U. S. 54.

Augusta Couple Killed in Shooting at Service Station East of Here

An Augusta man and woman are dead as a result of an argument that ended in a shooting about 8 o’clock this morning at a combination service station and cafe about 2 1/2 miles east of Augusta along U.S. Highway 54.

Dead are E.L. Bohannan and his wife Grace. He was 32 years old and she was 36.

Butler County Sheriff Dallas Babcock said Frank Hoover, 57, admitted that he shot the couple. The Sheriff said he understood the shooting resulted from an argument concerning the operation of the businesses that are housed in the same building.

The first law enforcement officer on the scene were Captain John Watkins and Lt. Bob Sprague of the Augusta Department of Safety.

They said that Hoover, his wife and son came out to meet them as they drove into the service station drive. They added that Hoover gave himself up voluntarily. He was not armed. He had left the 22 caliber revolver with which he did the shooting inside. Lt. Sprague went into the building and stood by it until Sheriff officers arrived a little while later.

Mrs. Bohannan was killed with a single shot from the revolver, officers reported, and was reported dead when officers arrived. Mr. Bohannan was rushed to Wichita by ambulance, believed mortally wounded with four bullets from the revolver. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a Wichita hospital.

Dr. Dale Anderson, Butler County Coroner, was called to the scene of the shooting, but at noon had not made public any report of his investigation. He was continuing his examination at the Dunsford Funeral Home shortly before noon.

Sheriff officers and Butler County Attorney Warren Ralston were continuing their investigation at the scene of the shooting shortly before noon. Hoover was handcuffed and sitting in the Sheriff’s car most of the time.

It is understood that there were no witnesses to the actual shooting which is believed to have happened about 8 o’clock. The Department of Safety got several telephone calls about 8:20 about a “shooting” at the station east of Augusta. Two cars were dispatched immediately to the station. Along the way, within a 1/2 mile west of the station, two men were seen running west from the scene.

It was later learned that they were fleeing the scene because of the violent argument going on.

According to one source, an argument between the Bohannans and Hoover started over the failure of the Bohannans being called to the cafe earlier this morning. The report further stated that when the Bohannans did reach the business, they called Hoover and complained to him. The argument was said to have ensued. Mrs. Bohannan had been operating the cafe in the building.

It was reported that Hoover first shot Mr. Bohannan a couple of times and when Mrs. Bohannan came to his aid, Hoover turned and fired one shot at her as she reached the door of the cafe. She is said to have turned and started running back to the Bohannan panel truck, but fell to the ground, fatally wounded 12 feet away. It was further said that Hoover then turned again to Mr. Bohannan, firing another shot at him after Mrs. Bohannan fell.

Sheriff Babcock said Hoover was taken to El Dorado and placed in jail about 12:30 this noon. The Sheriff said no charges had been filed at 2:30 this afternoon, but added that he felt sure that Hoover would be charged with murder. He said he did not know when the hearing would be held, possibly yet tonight but maybe not until morning.

Other officers in addition to those mentioned above and shown in the picture, who helped with the investigation were Under Sheriff Forrest Richards, and Deputies Don McGinnis and Jim Peffley.

Mrs. Bohannan was the former Lena Grace Tague. Her father, Joe S. Tague is deceased, but her mother, Mrs. Angie Moser Tague survives but was visiting a son at Bartlesville, Okla. at the time of the shooting. Mrs. Bohannan also has three children, a son, Billy Joe Pickrell, 17, a daughter, Karen Janice Pickrell, 12, and a son, Jewell Dennis Bohannan, 7.

Funeral arrangements are pending. (Augusta Daily Gazette, December 28, 1961, Submitted by Belinda Larsen)

Sheriff Thinks May Have Been Witnesses

Butler County Sheriff Dallas Babcock told the Gazette this morning that as yet investigation has not turned up a single person who has admitted seeing the double slaying at the service station-cafe two and half miles east of Augusta yesterday morning.

Sheriff Babcock said, “We have talked to some who said they saw Hoover with the gun and some who said they heard the shots, but no one would say they actually saw the shooting.”

However, the Sheriff said this morning that he was planning to go to Wichita shortly before noon today on a tip that a Wichita man did see the actual shooting of Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Bohannan who died of a result of bullet wounds from a 22 caliber revolver.

Meantime, Frank Hoover, 57, whose home is near the scene of the shootings, is being held in Butler County Jail, the Sheriff said. The Sheriff said Hoover was booked late yesterday afternoon on first degree murder charges on two warrants as a result of the shooting.

Hoover reportedly told Augusta city officers, highway patrolmen and the sheriff officers yesterday morning that he fired the shots that caused the deaths of the Augusta couple. He is said to have told officers that the shootings followed an argument which stemmed partly from earlier disagreements between himself as service station operator and Mrs. Bohannan who operated the cafe in the same building.

Sheriff Babcock said Hoover has been very calm throughout the time he has been in custody. Upon an offer to use the telephone from the County Jail last evening, Hoover called his wife. Asked if he wanted to use the phone to call an attorney, Hoover said he would use the attorney the court might appoint to represent him.
Hoover’s arraignment late yesterday was before Judge Roy Darlington in Butler County Court. Preliminary hearing was set for next Thursday morning at 10 o’clock before Judge Darlington in county court. (Augusta Daily Gazette, December 29, 1961, submitted by Belinda Larsen)

Sheriff Locates Witness Who Saw Shooting

Sheriff Dallas Babcock said this morning that a man has been located who said he witnessed some of the shooting at a service station-cafe east of Augusta Thursday morning.

He said he and County Attorney Warren Ralston and Court Reporter Raymond Krutsinger were in Wichita yesterday afternoon getting information from the witness who Sheriff Babcock said gave his name as Ray Davis, and employee with an electrical company working on area missile bases.

Sheriff Babcock said Davis told him he was seated at the counter in the cafe when he heard three shots. The Sheriff said Davis told them he turned around and saw a man leaning over the cafe counter, pointing a revolver at another man, then he saw him fire a shot from the revolver at the man behind the counter.

The Sheriff said Davis told them that he then ran to the east side of the cafe, thinking there was an exit door there, but when he found none he turned and ran back to the door which he had a minute before seen the man with the revolver enter the cafe. Sheriff Babcock said Davis told them he rushed out the door, saw the woman’s body in the driveway. He then told the county officials he ran first to the house just east of the cafe to phone, but when he found no telephone available there he ran across the road from where he called the Augusta Department of Safety.

Sheriff Babcock said Davis identified the man who had the revolver as the man who operated the service station, Frank Hoover, now being held on charges of murdering Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Bohannan. (Augusta Daily Gazette, Saturday, December 30, 1961, submitted by Belinda Larsen)

Funeral Services for Bohannans on Friday

Joint funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Bohannan have been announced for 2:30 Sunday afternoon at the Dunsford Funeral Home. Arrangements were completed late yesterday afternoon.

Dr. C.W. Nichols, pastor of the First Christian Church will officiate at the services.

Mrs. Bohannan will be buried in Elmwood Cemetery here, and interment for Mr. Bohannan will take place at Clifty, Arkansas.

Services for Mr. Bohannan will be held Tuesday at Clifty, Arkansas, prior to burial there. (Submitted by Belinda Larsen)