Murder Mystery Stories Butler County Genealogy Trails Kansas

A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY - MISS JESSIE MORRISON ATTEMPTS THE LIFE OF MRS. OLIN CASTLE - CUTS HER THROAT WITH A RAZOR WILL PROBABLY DIE

The most horrible deed that has ever been committed in the history of the town occurred this morning when Miss Jessie Morrison cut the throat of Mrs. Guy Olin Castle with a razor, completely severing the windpipe and aesophagus and mutilating her throat in a terrible manner. The act took place in Mrs. Castle's home on Merchant street, one block north of Central Avenue. The motive is unknown but is supposed to have been committed in the heat of jealous passion. It occurred about 8:45 and it was but a few minutes until the town was all excited and astir. Never before has any incident caused do much comment and excitement.

Mrs. Emma Spangler lives next door to the house, and only a few feet separate the residences. She was sitting at home when she heard someone scream. At first she thought it was a child, but the cries became so pronounced that she ran to investigate. She rushed to the front door of Mrs. Castle's home but the screen was locked. She could hear the sounds of a struggle within. She tried the back door but it was locked also. In passing the north window she looked in and saw Mrs. Castle laying on the floor, covered with blood and over her in a stooping position stood Miss Morrison. Mrs. Spangler called Mrs. E. D. Mobberly and she broke the screen and they entered.

Mrs. Castle was on the floor in the front room, the parlor lying near the couch, which was in the northwest corner of the room. Miss Morrison was bending over her. Mrs. Mobberly had to take her by the shoulders and pull her away. She started toward her home which is only a few doors north. Mrs. Spangler went with her and she turned back, saying excitedly, "Oh there is a letter. I want it. Let me go back and get it." Mrs. Spangler thinks it must have been two or three minutes from the time that she first heard the scream that she went to investigate. Her first impression was, it was a child receiving punishment. Mrs. Mobberly, who lives across the street and Mrs. Ralph Lemon, who lives the first door south, thought the same. Mrs. Lemon came shortly after the other two ladies, and Mrs. Castle motioned for a piece of paper and a pencil. Her windpipe was severed and she could not talk. When the writing materials were given her, she wrote, "Jessie Morrison killed me."
The instrument used was an ordinary hollow ground razor, black handled and very sharp.

Mrs. Castle is frightfully cut. There are several long deep slashes in the front and sides of her neck and a long deep one at the back of her neck, in fact the head was nearly severed from the body. A tube was placed in her windpipe enabling her to breathe. Miss Morrison has several severe slashes on the neck and arms.

Miss Morrison left home this morning and called on Miss Lizzie Davis. She says that on her return she passed Mrs. Castle's who called her in. As soon as she entered the house, Mrs. Castle latched the screen and jumped upon her with the razor and that she acted in self defense.

Mrs. Castle has made a statement of the affair. She was very weak but conscious and understood what was said to her. She wrote and answered questions. She says that Miss Morrison came to the door this morning and she went to meet her as she would any one. Miss Morrison presented her a letter and asked her if she wrote it. Mrs. Castle said that she did not. Just how the struggle commenced is not known. Mr. Castle's razor was found in the accustomed place in his dresser.
Miss Morrison is a daughter of Judge M. H. Morrison, and has always been accounted a bright young lady. She was formerly employed in the Racket store where Mr. Castle now has a position.

Mrs. Castle is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Wiley. Only a week ago yesterday she was married to Mr. Castle and there never was a happier bride than she. She is a beautiful young lady, refined and accomplished of sweetest disposition and manners and loved. (Walnut Valley Times, June 22, 1900)

MAN WHOSE WIFE WAS KILLED BY JESSIE MORRISON HAS MARRIED AGAIN
Olin Castle Weds Girl Who Reported Trial
Miss Morrison with Brother
Awaiting Supreme Court Decision for New Trial - Tried Three Times for Murder

El Dorado, Kan., April 22 - Olin Castle, husband of Clara Wiley Castle, whose throat was cut with a razor when a bride of only one week by Jessie Morrison, was married in Long Beach, Cal., to Miss Lillian De Talente, of Whitewater, Kan., formerly editor of the Whitewater Independent and later a reporter on the El Dorado Republican. Miss De Talente became infatuated with Olin Castle while reporting Jessie Morrison murder trial for the Republican. The Castles moved to California several months ago, where Olin is working in a department store, and Miss De Talente joined them a week ago.

Miss Morrison is with her brother in Enid, Ok., awaiting a Supreme Court decision on her appeal for a new trial. She was tried three times for the murder of Mrs. Castle. On the first trial the jury disagreed. On the second trial she was convicted, sentenced to five years imprisonment and was taken to prison. She appealed to the Supreme Court which granted her a new trial. She was convicted again, sentenced to 25 years in prison and taken to the penitentiary the second time. After serving three months the Supreme Court granted her a fourth trial, and she is now at liberty under $10,000 bond awaiting trial. She has declared that she will never return to prison and it is expected that she will kill herself if she is convicted again.

Jessie Morison went to the home of Olin Castle, with whom he had been desperately in love just a week after he had been married to Clara Wiley. There was a desperate struggle, during which Mrs. Castle was cut so badly with a razor that she died. She swore in her dying statement that Jessie Morrison came to the house and deliberately sought her life.

Jessie Morrison's defense was that as she was passing the Castle home Mrs. Castle called her in and attacked her and that the killing was in self defense. (Newark, Ohio, Newspaper, April 22, 1903)

LEON MAN DIES OF ACCIDENTAL GUNSHOT WOUND

The body of Thomas E. Huntley, 69, was discovered Thursday afternoon in his lifelong farm home about seven miles northeast of Leon. A coroner's jury ruled the death was accidental and resulting from a gunshot wound.

Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Dietz-Pittman Funeral Home, with Rev. C. M. Nutter, pastor of the Leon Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Blakenship Cemetery.

Huntley's body was found by Clem Adsit, a hired hand on the farm, shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday after he entered the house to check on the whereabouts of Huntley, whom he reported not having seen since late Wednesday.

Sheriff's officers were notified of the discovery by Mrs. Frank Lill, also of Route 1, Leon, who lives nearby. Adsit went to the Lill home after finding the body.
Sheriff Ercel Reed said Huntley had fallen forward from a chair placed a few feet from a television set - which was still turned on and running - and that a .22 caliber single shot rifle was lying nearby.

Huntely had been wounded behind the right ear by a shot which apparently came from the rifle. The weapon is the property of Adsit, but according to the sheriff, Adsit did not know it was missing from his home which is a short distance from the Huntley house.

The manner in which the weapon was discharged while believed to be accidental has not been determined. Sheriff Reed said at noon today a routine investigation of the death is continuing but that nothing unusual has been brought to light. Apparently nothing in the farm home had been disturbed before Huntley's body was discovered, officers indicated.

Because of the condition of the body when found, county authorities placed the time of Huntley's death at least eight to 10 hours before it was discovered.
According to the sheriff, Huntley was reported to have been suspicious of prowlers around his home. He was a bachelor and lived alone in the house.

Dr. B. E. White, county coroner, held an inquest late Thursday afternoon at the sheriff's office. The accidental death ruling was made by a six-man jury at that time.
Born Dec. 19, 1889, Huntley lived his entire life on the same farm. He was the son of the late Jacob and Martha Huntely, and had never married. He is thought to at one time have been a member of the Harmony Methodist Church.

Several cousins are the only known survivors. (El Dorado Times, February 20, 1950)

KILLS WIFE AND THEN TURNS GUN ON HIMSELF
Albert Lierle Shoots Mrs. Lierle as she Sits on Edge of Bed at their Home
Little Hope for Lierle
Worry over Finances is Said to Have Been Responsible for Tragedy
A Daughter Saw Shooting

BULLETIN: Lierle's condition was reported unchanged at 2:45 o'clock this afternoon and physicians held out hope for his living until evening.

After shooting his wife, Mrs. Anna Mae Lierle, aged 45 years, in the heart was a .12 gauge shotgun, Albert Lierle, aged 49 years, turned the gun on himself at his home; 518 West Fourth Avenue, at 10 o'clock this morning and tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the left breast.

The discharge tore a large hole just above the heart, but Mr. Lierle was still living early this afternoon at St. Luke's Hospital to which place he was taken immediately after the shooting. Little hope, however, is entertained for his recovery.

MONEY MATTERS BLAMED

Dr. J. M. Devereux was the first person to reach the scene of the shooting. When Mr. Lierle was picked up from the floor, to be carried to the ambulance, he is said to have muttered something about financial troubles being responsible for the tragedy.

According to Peder Paulson, wealthy land owner and pioneer resident of Butler County, Mr. Lierle had worried considerable the past few months over finances. Mr. Paulson is the father of Mrs. Lierle. Anxiety over money matters is said to have irritated Mrs. Lierle and he had quarreled on the various occasions recently with Mrs. Lierle, Mr. Paulson said.

When the shooting took place, Mr. and Mrs. Lierle were at home alone with their older daughter, Miss Ida. She saw her father shoot her mother. The girl ran to the home of Joe L. Smith, the first house east of the Lierle residence and told Mrs. Smith what had happened. Dr. Devereux was called and no one entered the Lierle home until the physician arrived. Miss Lierle was standing near the doorway, leading from the dining room into the bedroom, where the shooting took place, when her mother was killed.

MRS. LIERLE HAD HEADACHE

Mrs. Lierle had not dressed for the day. She had a severe headache, Miss Ida said, and had been up and down all morning. Shortly before the shooting, Mrs. Lierle had been ironing. She had also mended a dress for her daughter.

Mr. Lierle, however, was completely dressed. He had been about the home most of the morning.

Mrs. Ida said she did not hear her parents quarrel before the shooting. Her mother was sitting on the edge of the bed coming her hair. Mr. Lierle secured the shotgun from the bathroom where it is always kept and walked into the bedroom with it. The bathroom is off of the bedroom to the east.

STARTED TO GET UP

When Mrs. Lierle saw her husband approach her with the gun, she is said to have started to arise from the bed. Just then Mr. Lierle, who was standing near the foot of the bed, pulled the trigger of the gun. Mrs. Lierle fell to the floor dead. She was found lying on her left side with her left arm doubled under her. The comb she had been using was beneath the body.

Dr. Devereux found Mr. Lierle lying on his right side. It is believed Mr. Lierle stood in the doorway of the bathroom and shot himself. His feet were in the bathroom and his body was lying through the doorway and in the bedroom. The gun was on the floor, to the left of Mr. Lierle.

SHOT IN THE WALL

A number of scattering shots from the load, which Mr. Lierle discharged at himself, penetrated the wall and ceiling in the northeast corner of the bathroom. Portions of Mr. Lierle's clothing clung to some of the spots. No stray shots from the load fired at Mrs. Lierle was found.

Only two shots were fired, although some of the neighbors believe they heard three. One of the empty shells was found on the floor of the bedroom and another in the gun. In the weapon, the officers also found another shell, which had not been discharged. A similar shell was also found on the bedroom floor.

OFFICERS ON SCENE

Sheriff E. E. McKnight, Frank Knust, commissioner of the poor, and Lon Fugit, day desk sergeant at the police station, were the first officers to reach the scene. County Attorney Stanley Taylor and his deputy, W. N. Calkins, arrived shortly afterwards.

Dr. W. S. Dinsmore, county coroner, reached the scene about 11:30 o'clock. He was preceded by six jurors who had been hurriedly subpoenaed by Sheriff McKnight. The jurors were W. A. Thompson, Joe Elder, M. C. Craiglow, L. G. Sacks, C. A. Smock and C. W. Bersie.

After they had been sworn in and viewed the body, they adjourned until 2 o'clock this afternoon at the office of Sheriff McKnight where the inquest was scheduled to be held. A number of witnesses were subpoened.

WELL KNOWN IN COUNTY

Both Mr. and Mrs. Lierle were well known residents of the northwest part of Butler County, where they had lived most of their lives. They came to El Dorado, with their children about five years ago to make their home. Mr. Lierle was interested in farming and owned some oil production.

Mrs. Lierle was born at Augusta on October 20, 1882. When a little girl she moved with her parents to northwest Butler County where she lived until the family came to El Dorado. The Lierles had four children. In addition to Miss Ida, the others are: Paul and Lucile, who are students in the Junior High School and Allen, who attends Lincoln School.

NUMBER OF SURVIVORS

Mrs. Lierle also is survived by her father, Peder Paulson, and four brothers, Will of El Dorado; Pearl and Emmett, who live in Newton and Charles of Whitewater.
Mr. Lierle has a brother, Charles, who lives at Whitewater and two sisters, Mrs. Emma Varner of Burns, and Mrs. Iona Huddleston, of Chelsea.

Mrs. Lierle was a member of the Methodist Church. She was active in the work of Circle 3 of the organization.

No funeral arrangements for Mrs. Lierle had been made this afternoon. The body is in charge of the Byrd Brothers Funeral Home.

TRIO WITNESSES ARE CALLED AT THE INQUEST

The coroner's inquest into the tragedy which occurred at the Albert Lierle home, 518 West Fourth Avenue was opened shortly after 2 o'clock this afternoon at the office of Sheriff E. E. McKnight at the courthouse. It consumed only a few minutes only three witnesses being placed on the stand.

Dr. J. M. Devereux who was the first person to reach both Mrs. Lierle and Mr. Leirle after the shooting was the first called to testify. He was questioned by County Attorney Stanley Taylor.

Dr. Devereux testified that Mr. Lierle said he had shot and killed Mrs. Lierle and then turned the gun on himself. The physician told of the positions in which he found the body of Mrs. Lierle and Mrs. Lierle. This is described in another story in today's Times.

HEARD THE SHOTS

Mrs. John Davis, 520 West Fourth Avenue, who lives in the house immediately west of the Lierle home, was the second witness. She said she heard the shots, but believe they were noises made by an exhaust of an automobile and did not pay any attention to them until a number of minutes later when she was at the home of Mrs. Lyman Benton, a neighbor, and she saw an ambulance stop in front of the Lierle home. She said she then learned of the tragedy.

Mrs. Davis did not see either Mr. or Mrs. Lierle earlier in the day. The last time she saw Mr. Lierle was late yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Benton were two of the first persons to reach the Lierle home after the shooting.

ALL OF THE WITNESSES

The last witness was Miss Ida Lierle, who saw her father shoot and kill her mother. She testified that her father asked her mother to accompany him on a mission and that her mother refused because she was too ill. Miss Ida also said she declined to accompany her father.

Mr. Lierle was subpoened to appear in the Butler County District Court this morning, it was said, to testify in the trial of the case of Harry Hart versus William Reynolds. Mr. Lierle and several others bought the royalty on the Reynolds farm on a number of months ago. It is believed that Mr. Lierle desired to have Mrs. Lierle accompany him to court.

Miss Ida said the shotgun which was also kept unloaded was then filled with shells by her father. She said she told her mother that her father was going to shoot her. In a few seconds, Miss Ida testified her father killed her mother, "I'm gone," Miss Ida said her mother cried as she sank to the floor.

CALLED FOR HELP

The girl then ran from the house and did not return until after Dr. Devereux had arrived.

Miss Ida further testified that she feared her father would shoot her, and that she heard him threaten her mother with bodily harm on last New Year's Day.

When the girl left the stand, Mr. Taylor desired to call Dr. Devereux again. He had left the courthouse, however, and could not return for half an hour. The inquest was then adjourned until the physician could appear for a second time.

McCRANER RITES ARE HELD TODAY
Larger Number of Persons Attend the Funeral Services of Butler Pioneer

Funeral services over the body of W. H. McCraner, Butler County pioneer, who was found dead in his bed at his home, 204 North Denver Street, Saturday morning, were held at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon at the Byrd Funeral Home. Rev. Fred W. Condit, pastor of the El Dorado Christian Church assisted by Rev. J. H. Higdon of Potwin officiated. Burial was in the Shaffer Cemetery, near Potwin not far from the old McCraner home.

Pallbearers included: Roy Drake, Charles Stewart, Frank Claypool, Harry Martin, Harry Weidman and Howard Brainerd. A wealth of floral offerings and a large number of relatives and friends of Mr. McCraner, who attended the services, attested to the high esteem in which Mr. McCraner was held throughout the country.

HOLD AN INQUEST

Because of the suddenness of his death, an inquest was held into Saturday afternoon and evening by Dr. G. E. Kassebaum, county coroner. After hearing evidence from eight witnesses, the jury returned the verdict that McCraner came to his death from a "blow on the side of the head and other bodily injuries by means or causes unknown to the jury." The verdict was rendered at 7 o'clock Saturday morning.

An autopsy also was held on the body at the Byrd Funeral Home. The stomach was removed to be analyzed.

The coroner's jury included: D. L. Convis, Ted Neely, Harry Overholzer, Lewis List, W.R. Smith and O. E. Coon.

EIGHT WITNESSES CALLED

Those who testified at the inquest held at the McCraner home were: W. H. Mulnix, W. P. Brainerd, Mrs. Edith Brainerd, Mrs. Emma McCraner, wife of the deceased: Mrs. Opal McCraner and Mrs. I. M. Schumacher. Mr. Mulnix, Mr. Brainerd, Mrs. Brainerd and Mrs. Opal McCraner are relatives of Mr. McCraner. Mrs. Schumacher is a neighbor, living in the house just south of the McCraner home.

Following the autopsy at the Byrd Funeral Home, Drs. Kassebaum and L. L. Williams, who conducted it, testified. Sheriff Newt Puercell was present all the time, but he was not called to testify. C. Glenn Morris, deputy county attorney, conducted the questioning, and Mrs. Rachel Adams, stenographer in the office of County Attorney R. C. Woodward, took down the testimony.

ROUND ON BASEMENT FLOOR

According to Mrs. Emma McCraner, who was alone in the McCraner home Friday night with Mr. McCraner, she was awakened about 3:30 o'clock Saturday morning, when she believed some one was trying to get in the back door. She arose and found the door closed, but says she discovered Mr. McCraner lying on the basement floor at the foot of the stairway. She says she asked him what he was doing and he replied that he was resting. Mrs. McCraner says she helped Mr. McCraner to his bedroom. She did not notice any marks or bruises on him at that time, she said.

Mrs. McCraner remained up a while with Mr. McCraner and then retired again. She said she was awakened bout 6:30 o'clock and going to Mr. McCraner's bedroom she found him lying on his bed. He was bruised and bleeding in several places, she said. Mrs. McCraner offered to render Mr. McCraner aid, but she says he refused it. Mrs. McCraner discovered blood stains in the bathroom she said and she believed Mr. McCraner had fallen in there and hurt himself.

DECLINED ATTENTIONS

Later, Mrs. McCraner suggested to Mr. McCraner that she get him something to eat, but he declined any attentions, she says. About 8:30 o'clock, Mrs. McCraner testified that she observed Mr. McCraner was breathing heavily, but she did not call for help. It was not until about 10 o'clock that Mrs. McCraner summoned Mr. Mulnix from his store to her home saying that Mr. McCraner had died. Mrs. McCraner said she did not want to call Mr. Mulnix sooner as she thought he would not be at his store and she did not want to call him at his home because Mrs. Mulnix had been ill and she did not want to disturb her.

The testimony of the other witnesses at the home was meager.

The autopsy showed that Mr. McCraner's skull was fractured on the right side, just above the ear, and slightly back of it. The region about his right eye was black and blue, he had abrasions on his chin, nose, legs, feet and right shoulder.

The jury returned its verdict in about twenty minutes after the last testimony was given it. (El Dorado Times, Monday, April 11, 1932)