WHITEWATER MAN IS SHOT TO DEATH
A Whitewater café operator, Archie Hayes, 49, was shot to death at his café residence during the night, apparently by a burglar he surprised breaking into his establishment. The slaying was the fourth in Butler County since Dec. 6. Sheriff's officers said information could come from no one but County Attorney Darrell G. Mitchel. He could not be reached this morning.
Sheriff Sidney Blakeman could not be reached. He was said to be out of state "on an investigation" apparently not linked with the Whitewater case.
The café, a building that includes basement living quarters for the Hayes family, is located at the west entrance to Whitewater from Highway K-196 about 21 miles northwest of El Dorado. The café is less than a quarter mile from the Harvey county line.
Hayes reportedly had been shot several times. A gun belonging to the victim also had been fired, leading some persons to believe Hayes had struggled with the other person.
An ambulance was called from El Dorado about 12:06 a.m. Reports here indicated Mr. Hayes summoned sheriff's officers and an ambulance in reporting the shooting.
Hayes' wife said they were sleeping in their basement living quarters under the restaurant when they heard a noise upstairs. Her husband took a pistol from under the mattress and went to investigate, she said.
Mrs. Hayes said she heard four shots upstairs. Authorizes said Hayes' own gun had been fired.
The wife telephoned a neighbor, Mrs. Jess C. Whitson and cried, "They've shot him, they've shot him."
The body was taken to Lamb Mortuary in Whitewater. An obituary was not available today.
First in the series of slayings occurred December 6 when Harvey R. Morgan, 47, was shot at his apartment at 423-1/2 West Pine. His wife, Mrs. Barbara A. Morgan, 32, was charged with first-degree murder.
Mrs. Vicky Lynn Howell, 20, of 739 Park Avenue, was strangled and sexually molested December 23 near Oil Hill. The case remains unsolved.
Gene Boman, 44, of Leon shot and killed his estranged wife, Connie, 35, and then killed himself January 8. The murder suicide took place on an Augusta street. (Whitewater Independent, February 13, 1968)
POTWIN MAN FOUND DEAD
The body of Paul Ullum, 35 year old Potwin farmer and stockman who drowned in the rain swollen waters of the Whitewater River and Henry Creek, was found in a corn field today about five miles north of Potwin.
Searchers discovered the body at 7:55 a.m. after having resumed a hunt at 7 a.m.
Ullum disappeared Thursday morning from his 80-acre farm which is situated on the banks of Henry Creek 4.5 miles north and a half a mile west of Potwin.
Law enforcement officers, County Coroner Dale W. Anderson of Augusta, and volunteers were on the scene today. Dr. Anderson was expected to conduct an autopsy.
Meanwhile, the flood threat posed by the 12 to 13 inch cloudburst Wednesday night in northwest Butler County faded. The Whitewater river and small streams overflowed in some areas but all were reported receding today.
No additional heavy rain was reported in this area overnight and in El Dorado only a trace was added to the .94 of an inch which fell Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
Clouds and mild temperatures lingered in the Bluestem area today however, and the weather bureau at Topeka forecast additional nighttime thunderstorms through Saturday. Low temperatures tonight are expected to be in the 60s with the high Saturday in the 80s.
Butler Sheriff's officers said the drowning victims body was found near the place where his truck and horse were located Thursday. Ullum reportedly left his home early Thursday morning to check on his cattle, following the deluge in the Potwin area. The waters of Henry Creek had overflowed into his fields.
Ullum found his cattle standing in water and asked a neighbor, Mrs. Paul Classen for permission to drive the stranded cattle to higher ground on the Classen farm.
When Mrs. Classen's husband arrived home at about 12:45 p.m. the cattle had not been driven to his pastures. Classen went to assist Ullum and found Ullum's pickup turck stuck in the pasture and his horse ground-hitched a quarter of a mile from the truck on the banks of the creek.
The pasture gate was standing open and the cattle had wandered into Ullum's corn field, but there was no trace of Ullum.
Mr. Classen and his brother, Albert, also a neighbor, started searching. Mrs. Classen was reportedly the last person to hear from Ullum.
The Classens summoned sheriff's officers to join in the search at about 2:30 p.m. Some 60 volunteers from the Potwin area also responded but high water prevented dragging operations.
Several El Dorado officers as well as sheriff's officers and highway patrolmen participated in the search.
Deputy Bill Nutter, of the sheriff's department, George McGee Potwin Marshal, John Osborn, Marshal of Whitewater, and Troopers Bob Bauer and Dale Hueford of the Kansas Highway Patrol were among those on the scene.
El Dorado Police Officer Victor Marshall returned to the scene today, Thursday, he joined Officer Robert Dice. Fireman Bob Pinon and Clifton Patty, a local diver. Marshall and Pinon are also associated with the El Dorado Emergency Rescue Service and patty often dives for the organization. (El Dorado Times, July 12, 1963)
PAUL ULLUM DIED BY DROWNING, AUTOPSY SHOWS
Paul Ullum, 35 year old northwest Butler County farmer, died by drowning, according to County Coroner Dale W. Anderson of Augusta.
An autopsy was performed Friday afternoon.
Ullum apparently drowned while attempting to move stranded cattle to higher ground at his farm near Potwin.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Whitewater Federated Church. Burial will be in Restlawn Gardens of Memory, Newton. Lamb Mortuary, Whitewater is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ullum, who had farmed his mother's farm for the past 10 years, had also been employed by the Vickers Refinery at Potwin for the past five years.
He was born Sept. 30, 1928, in Clifford Township and had lived in the Whitewater community all of his life.
He and Wanda R. Corfman were married Sept. 15, 1949 at Hutchinson. She survives.
Mr. Ullum was a member of the Elbing Masionary Church and William P. Phillips Post 65 of the American Legion at Whitewater.
Survivors in addition to the widow, include his mother, Mrs. Blanche Kellum, 521 South Topeka, one daughter, Janette Kay; three sons, Terry, Gary and Jerry Lee; and a sister Mrs. Vivian Bohlin, Sheridan, Wyo.
The victim's body was found shortly before 8 a.m. Friday lying face down in a water soaked field about a quarter of a mile from the farm home of Paul Classen. Flood waters of Henry Creek had swept about eight feet of water about the approximate time Ullum disappeared Thursday. The search party was headed by Undersheriff Floyd Britting. (El Dorado Times, July 13, 1963)
Funeral services for Paul Edwin Ullum, 41, of Potwin who drowned Thursday in floodwaters near his home, were held Sunday from the Whitewater Federated Church.
Rev. Jerry L. Peaster and Rev. Robert Shrock officiated.
Miss Sara Fiedler, Mrs. Margaret Dyck and Mrs. Maxine Motter sang "Heartaches," "Be Still and Know" and "Near to the Heart of God," accompanied at the piano by Miss Carolyn Sue Ewert.
Casket bearers were Ronnie Motter, Richard Gfeller, Don Lewis, Durwood Fiedler, Minno Regler and Elmer Budde.
Interment was in Restlawn Gardens of Memory Cemetery at Newton with military rites conducted by members of William P. Phillips Post No. 65 Whitewater American Legion.
The Lamb Mortuary of Whitewater was in charge of the services. (El Dorado Times, July 14, 1963)
EL DORADO MAN'S BODY IS FOUND
The body of a 20 year old El Doradoan who apparently took his own life, was discovered at his home here Friday afternoon.
The victim was Patrick Lee Watkins, 20, of 311-1/2 West Towanda. Police said a .22 rifle was found near the body.
An investigation is continuing.
Private funeral services will be held Monday at 9 a.m. from the Dietz-Pittman Colonial Chapel. Rev. C.M. Nutter of the First Methodist church will officiate. Interment will be in the Odd Fellows cemetery at 3 p.m. at Norman, Okla.
Mr. Watkins had been a resident of El Dorado since 1951, coming here from Edmond, Okla.
He was a member of the First Methodist Church. He had served in the Air Force for some time but was discharged because of ill health.
Mr. Watkins was born Aug. 26, 1942 at Amarillo, Tex., and was married to Karen Jo Ellis, Oct. 16, 1859 at El Dorado.
Survivors include the widow, of the home, a daughter, Robin 13 months, his mother, Mrs. Leona E. Watkins, 314 West Third, his father, Boyd W. Watkins of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, two brothers, Terry Gordon Watkins, Hartford, Conn., and Temple Boyd Watkins of La Puenta, Calif., a sister, Peggy Joyce Watkins, of El Dorado, and the paternal grandparents Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Watkins of Edmond, Oklahoma (El Dorado Times, July 13, 1963)
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