MIDNIGHT
REPORT FROM KANSAS
More Indian Diabollsm
Leavenworth, June 1
About twenty persons have been killed
by the Indians in Western Kansas during the past week. Murders have been committed by roving bands of Indians.
No large bodies having been heard of and the massacres have been the result of guerilla fighting rather than a
general Indian war. The scene of operations has extended from the Republican and Salmon rivers to the end of the
Kasnas Pacific R. R. The steelements in that part of the State are scattered and very much exposed. Gen. Scholfield
has only a small number of troops at his disposal, but is making the best use he can of them. Gov. Harvey has organized
two companies of scounts for which Gen. Schofield will furnish arms. There are now in the field tour United States
Surveying parties all without military protection. Two of these parties are north of Fort Hays or between Hays
and Larned, and one sixty miles west of Hays. This is the most exposed part of the State and fears are felt for
the safety of the Surveyors.
St Louis, June 1
A dispatch from Topeka, Kansas, says:
The Sheriff of Saline County reports thirteen persons, women and children, killed by the Indians and as many more
supposed to be carried off. The settlers of Saline County are coming eastward for protection.
A correspondent says if the Quaker
agents do not hurry up the poor innocent savages will destroy all the frontier settlements of Kansas and Colorado.
(Daily State Register, June 2, 1869)
THE
METTMAN MURDER
The Case is Rapidly Developing and the Murderer is Probably Found
The Daughter is in Jail
Her Paramour Charges Her With Knowing All About the Murder
And He Then Runs Away
Four Hundred Dollars in Money the Probably Motive of a Cruel Murder
Leavenworth, Kan., April 23 - Marshal Doane yesterday arrested Mrs. Mary Rautzhan daughter of Mrs. Mettman, on
suspicion of knowing a great deal about the murder of her mother. She declares that she is innocent of any conspiracy
in the crime, but admits that she told Marshal Doane enough to send her to the penitentiary for life.
The letters that Charles A. Benson, the missing pattern maker sent to his wife, accentuated the suspicion that
he was implicated in the murder, and very likely the actual assassin have been made public. They are as follows:
Says Mrs. Rautzhan Knows the Secret
Kansas City
Mrs. Benson - I write to you that I am going to leave Kansas City. I saw my name mentioned in the newspapers in
connection with the Mettman murder. It is an infernal lie. I cannot stand it. I have nothing to do with that family.
I am innocent. That infernal liar of a woman that wants to accuse me of the crime is a snake and knows the secret
herself. She is a snake, as I know to my sorrow, and ought to be in hell with her lies. Farewell. Give my love
to my daughter, Rose. We shall never meet again.
No signature
PERSISTS IN HIS DENIAL.
Kansas City
Mrs. Benson
Go to Kansas City and you will find the things. They are at 511 Bluff Street, room 6. You will find a key in my
old clothes; the other keys are with the furniture that I bought with the $45 you sent me. The rent is paid till
May 1. Don't you ever believe I had anything to do with the murder. Don't believe, because I was in Leavenworth
at the time, that I am guilty. We are parted forever. Goodbye. Benson.
Says Mrs. Rautzhan concocted the Crime
Kansas City
Dear Wife Benson
I have to write to you that the officers are after me, and the newspapers are full of the crime and I am accused
of the murder. I can not stand it. I have wronged you, my good wife. For three years I have been intimate with
Mary Rautzhan, and every three or four weeks she would come to Kansas City and keep house for me. Mrs. Shaunessey
can swear to the fact. She lives on Sixth and McGee streets, east side. Her husband is a painter. The other lady
is Mrs. Lauer. She lives on Bluff street, the same house I do. In my room you will find Mary Rautzhan's garments,
of different kinds. She sent them, intending to come and live with me next month. She expected to bring her children
with her, but her mother was murdered and now she intends to shift the blame on me and free herself. I am innocent
and very unhappy. The officers are hunting for the murderer. They are right when they think Mary Rautzhan knows
all about it. She is the cause of it all, and knows everything. She says in the papers that I was there the night
of murder. I was there on the 22nd of March, 10 o'clock and she gave me a warm welcome, and the first thing Mary
said to me was that her mother wanted to speak with me. After conversing with Mrs. Mettman, she left the room,
and Mary and I remained until between 2 and 3 o'clock Sunday morning. I then went to the depot and arrived at Kansas
City Sunday morning at 6 o'clock.
Now Mrs. Rautzhan wants to put the murder on me. She is a false snake, and knows all about it. She says she recognized
the muffler. She is a ______ liar - she never gave me the muffler that was found, but she made me a present of
one.
All the people here will tell you that Mrs. Rautzhan is Mrs. Waldo; that she passed here as my wife. She is the
one that concocted the murder, and is the one to blame.
Her mother never carried the $400 with her. Mrs. Rautzhan should be made to confess who she gave the money to and
then the world will know the whole mystery. Her mother has been in her way for a long time. Mrs. Benson - you were
in the way too, and if it were not for you and her mother she could have had a better time and had everything her
own way. She should be subjected to a close examination and everything will come out. If the coast was clear she
could be more intimate with her father. Now she is alone with him and he can call her his "sweet darling."
She thought she lay everything on me but she will get left. How could the false snake implicate me when she knows
I am innocent? But I am not innocent of being intimate with her for three years. Good-by Mrs. Benson, I shall never
see you again.
Benson
Who Did She Give The Money To?
Kansas City
Mrs. Benson
I want to tell you I have been married to Mary over six months under the name of Richard Waldo, and Mary was known
to my friends by that name, and the women I have named are witness to the fact.
The factory people will remember that I set up a keg of beer on the occasion of our marriage; I swear to you that
I am innocent of murder. Mary should be made to tell who she gave the $400 to and then the secret is known. On
the 22d of March I wrote to my wife, Mrs. Waldo that I was coming to see her and not to see her mother. Now, farewell
forever, I leave Kansas City.
Benson
Says Mettman is Innocent
Kansas City
Dear Johannah - You ask the people in the house and they will tell you that Mary is Mrs. Waldo. Mr. Mettman is
innocent, but his daughter knows everything. She knows where the money is and has the whole guilty secret in her
heart and knows I had nothing to do with it. Dear Johannah, forgive me. Mary is the cause of everything and has
turned me away from my wife and child. She prefers her father now to me. Forgive your erring husband.
Albert Benson
(Topeka Weekly Capital, May 1, 1890)
TWO ARE
STILL AT LARGE
Search for Prisoner Who Escaped From Kansas Penitentiary
Leavenworth, Kas., Nov. 17---Estell and Cravens, the convicts who escaped from the state penitentiary yesterday
after a running fight with the guards, are still at large. The men took shelter in the timber that surrounds the
penitentiary, and in the shots exchanged last evening, before darkness made further pursuit impossible, it was
believed that one of the convicts had been shot. Search at daylight, however, indicated that neither was hit. Armed
mounted guards are today searching the timber in all directions.
Sam Smith, the convict shot by one of the guards during the break for liberty, is still alive, but will die. Kansas
first came to Kansas penitentiary from Sumner county in February, 1898, under a year's sentence for grand larceny.
He broke away form an outside guard in the following June, stole a horse and rode to Butler county, where he took
part in the robbery of a train and killed a man. Smith was convicted of murder and brought back in December, 1898,
under sentence of death.
At 12:30 p.m.--Estell and Cravens have been surrounded in an old farm barn west of the prison and reenforcements
have been sent to the posse. The convicts are heavily armed.
The barn was surrounded and will be fired if the convicts refuse to surrender. Warden Tomlinson has sent to the
federal prison for Krag-Jorgenson rifles, his guns being demed insufficient.
(The Morning Olympian ~ November 18, 1900)
ESTELLE
CAUGHT
Slayer of Deputy Marshal Roberts Behind Bars
Jail Breaker Adds to His Numerous Crimes that of Murder – Desperate Race for Liberty
E. F. Estelle, the Marshall county safe-blower who shot and killed Deputy Marshall Roberts of Dunlap, Sunday morning
while resisting arrest, was captured five miles southeast of Hartford last night. When captured, Estelle and his
accomplice, James Murphy, were asleep in the woods. Murphy at once surrendered, but Estelle started to run, and
was shot through one of his legs. The men were taken to the Lyon county jail at Emporia, where they were at once
threatened by mob violence. A large number of Morris county people who were friends of the murdered deputy, were
anxious to avenge his death.
Estelle was located in the woods in the vicinity of Dunlap in Morris county, early Sunday morning. Some of the
officers attempted to arrest him, when he discharged a shot gun at the party, the shot passing through the heart
of Deputy Roberts. The other officers fled, not knowing how well the fugitives might be armed.
Estelle and his companion then started in a southerly direction, pursued by a posse of hundreds of farmers and
others. Yesterday afternoon they were surrounded in some woods between Burlington and Emporia and after some hours
of waiting on the part of the officers, they were captured.
The posse making the capture was in command of Sheriff O’Connor, of Emporia, and was composed of citizens and officers
from various places, among whom were Patrolman Carpenter, of Topeka and Sheriff Guthrie of Marshall County.
Estelle escaped from jail in Marshall county on May 9, and Sheriff Guthrie immediately undertook his recapture.
The sheriff followed him over 150 miles at some times not being more than twenty minutes behind him. During the
time Estelle and his companion were trying to escape they stole two horses. Murphy his companion, escaped from
the jail at the same time as Estelle. He was not an accomplice in the crime for which Estelle was confined in the
jail, however, Estelle will now have to face the charges of safe-blowing, horse-stealing, resisting an officer
and murder.
ARRESTED IN THIS CITY
Estelle was arrested in this city January 29, on the charge of breaking a safe at Irving, Kan. In 1896 he blew
open a safe in the postoffice at Altamont, Kan., for which crime he served a sentence of twenty-seven months in
the Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth. Previous to the time of his imprisonment he had formed the acquaintance
of Miss Nora Lowman of Lafontaine, Kan., and wishing to marry her, he kept up a correspondence with her all the
time he was in prison. He sent the letters to some friends in Dennison, Tex., who forwarded them to the girl. She
was ignorant of the fact that he was in prison, and in his letters he represented to her that he was in the book
business in Dennison and was doing well. He told her that one of the books he was selling was a Life of Christ,
and to confirm his statement he sent her a copy of the book.
After his release from prison Estelle went to the farm of the girl’s father and proposed that they be married.
Miss Lowman consented and they went to Iola on January 18, where the ceremony was performed. From Iola they came
to Topeka and took lodging at a local hotel. On January 25 he told his wife he was going to Kansas City but instead
went to Irving, where he robbed the safe on January 26. He came back to this city and began to place in circulation
some of the money taken from the safe. The money was battered and gave the suspicion that something was wrong.
On the night of January 29 he was arrested by Sergeant Donovan and a force of policemen.
Detective Gilmore and Chief Ramsey then started out on a tour of investigation. Estelle claimed that he had not
been in Irving on the day of the robbery, but the officers named visited a number of towns and traced Estelle from
Topeka to Irving and from there back to this city.
The fact was quite well established that he had committed the robbery and he was turned over to Sheriff Guthrie
of Marshall county, from whom he escaped on May 9.
MADE A FULL CONFESSION
A few days after Estelle was taken to the Marshall county jail, Detective Gilmore visited him for the purpose of
trying to obtain a confession. After two days work, Estelle made a full confession to Gilmore in which he said
that he had committed the crime for which he was arrested. He took the detective to the place where he had hidden
some of the things taken from the safe. He gave a history of all his actions in connection with the affair including
the manner in which he was married.
Estelle is an innocent appearing man, but his photograph is in the Pinkerton collection of criminals and in every
rogue’s gallery west of Chicago. He is an accomplished criminal and has escaped from prison many times. (Kansas
Semi-Weekly Capital, May 15, 1900)
BEN
CRAVENS’ CAREER LIKE THAT OF “YELLOW-BACK” FICTION HERO
Ben Cravens s southwest Missouri boy, farm hand and jockey, the rider of many winners on Missouri and Kansas tracks,
has been wanted by the United States government since March 1901, for the murder of Assistant Postmaster Alvin
Batesman at Red Rock, Oklahoma, then in the Otoe Indian Reservation. Rewards aggregating $10,000 it is said are
on Craven’s head $6,000 of which is offered by the Anti-Horse Thief Association. Cravens was indicted for the murder
of Bateman and the indictment was only recently received by another federal grand jury sitting at Enid.
BORN IN 1861
Cravens was born in 1861, and is now therefore about 20 years old. His parents were farmer folk who located in
Chautauqua county, Kansas, while Ben was a lad. Chautauqua county was on the northern boundary of the Osage County,
then the greatest breeder of outlaws in the southwest, and it was the call from this country that made Cravens
a bad man. As a lad he was a school bully and in his teens he became mixed up with numerous shooting affairs at
country dances and such places.
As a school boy he was a student of Thompson B. Ferguson, later to become governor of Oklahoma territory and of
Bird S. McGuire, now congressman from this Oklahoma district. Schooling was not much to his liking, however, and
he became a farm laborer, working for the neighbors in that locality and later riding race horses for a Putnam
county (Mo.) man. A chronological history of the man from the time he was 18 years old to the present is considered
now of the great interest.
History Of His Life
1879 – Cravens, then 18, finally answered the call from the Indian country and became a whiskey peddler among the
Osages, Kaws, Otoes, Poncas and Creeks, down in Oklahoma along with Lige Higgins and Henry Starr. He operated in
the vicinity of Lela ad Morrison in the Otoe and Pawnee Indian country, along the Cimarron river in the Creek country.
1893 – Had a a fight with “Dago” Williams at Chautauqua, Kan., was witnessed by Sam Dima of Lela, who recently
identified Maust as Cravens and by Bird McGuirty now congressman.
Broke Kansas Jail
1895 – Seen in Eldon, Kan., by Henry Dawson, now of Morrison, who also recently identified Maust as Cravens’ about
this time Cravens made a daring escape from the Shawnee County (Kan) Jail.
Dec. 1896 – Cravens was desperately wounded in a duel with officers, led by A. O. Lund of Blackwell, then a deputy
United States Marshal; there had been many highway robberies, including the robbery of a general store at Hewens,
Kan.; Lund learned that Cravens and “Kid” McElhaney, known as “Diamond Dick,” were planning to rob the Bank of
Blackwell accompanied by Deputy Sheriff J. R. Cox, Jack Hunter and William Sherr, all of Blackwell, and L. W. Clark
of Baxter Springs, Kan. Lund had a trap for Cravens and McElhaney, into which they walked; a duel occurred, during
with McElhaney was killed and Cravens wounded. Cravens was guarded at Blackwell by Lund for several weeks. Lund
recently identified Maust as Cravens by the wounds Cravens received in the Blackwell battle.
Sentenced to 20 Years
Jan. 17, 1897 – Having been turned over to Chautauqua county by Lund, Cravens was convicted and sentenced to serve
twenty years in the Kansas State Pententiary at Lansing for highway robbery; he was at Lansing three years, working
in the shops, in the coal mines and later in the prison kitchen. He was seen there by Yardmaster David A. Walker
of the prison and Maust was recently identified by Walker as Cravens.
Leaves State Pen.
November 14, 1900 – Cravens escaped from the Lansing prison with E. F. Estelle and Sam Smith, both life terriers.
Estelle a Frenchman had killed a man at Marshall county during a jail break and Smith, aged 23, had killed a man
during a train wrecking in Butler county. The three men shaped wooden revolvers to resemble .45’s and with these
they held up the prison guards. Smith was killed and Cravens received a bullet in the top of his head. He escaped
in a cornfield. Estelle was captured several years later at Memphis, Tenn. for a train robbery near Quincy, Ill.,
and is now in the Joliet prison. When his term expired he will be returned to Lansing to complete his life term.
December, 1900 – Cravens appeared at the ranch home of “Uncle Joe” Webb in the Otoe country. When he went to the
penitentiary he left a horse and several head of cattle with Webb to keep for him. He forced Webb to accompany
him to the barn loft and cut the bullet from the top of his head with a razor. He swore Webb to secrecy, not wanting
Mrs. Webb to know of the operation.
Appeared at Dover
January, 1901 – Cravens appeared at the home of Bert Welty, near Dover, in Kingfisher County, Okla. Welty had been
serving a term in the Kansas prison for horse stealing and knew Cravens there. Welty had recently been pardoned
by Governor Barnes of Oklahoma at the solicitation of Col. A. A. Ewing, now living in Guthrie. Ewing acted because
of Welty’s parents, being friends of Ewing.
March 18, 1901 – Cravens and Welty attempted to rob the Schwartz store at Red Rock of which Alvin Bateman was manager
and also assistant postmaster. They got $1,200 in money and during the fight that resulted Bateman was killed.
In escaping Cravens mistook Welty for a pursuer and shot him. His wounds were critical and Cravens left him to
die on the Otoe prairie, according to Welty’s confession later to Bird S. McGuire, then federal prosecuting attorney.
During the Red Rock robbery, Cravens, with a Winchester rifle forced nine men to stand with their hands up while
Welty got away with the booty. The story is told that Cravens wanted money in order to get married. When Welty
was shot by Cravens he dropped the sack of booty in a wheat field, where it was found perhaps by cowboys.
A Narrow Escape
March 18, 1901 – Cravens in escaping sought refugee in the ranch house of Isom Cunningham in Pawnee county. The
house was surrounded by officers, headed by George Foster of Perry. Cravens thought Mrs. Cunningham had “peached”
on him and threatened to kill her. Opening the door Cravens shot his way through the officers, killing Deputy Sheriff
Tom Johnson of Pawnee and escaped.
Scheme Failed
April 1, 1901 – Attempt made to catch Cravens at Catrose, Okla., with decoy letters from his sweetheart. When Cravens
asked for his mail an officer was present, intending to shake hands with him and then grab him. Cravens avoided
the handshake and darted from the door, leaving the thoroughly alarmed officer open-mouthed. Cravens, however,
dropped the letter which fell into the officer’s hands.
1902 – Adopted guise of traveling salesman and went over the southwest with his grips frequently visiting saloons
and was often under the eyes of officers who were looking for him. This life he kept up off and on, for several
years.
1902 – Reported as the head of gang of highwaymen who held up party of wealthy oil men in Osage county, getting
all their valuables.
1902 – Located on ranch in Woods county, a woman telephoned Deputy sheriff Pilio Jayne at Perry that Cravens and
her husband were then on a certain ranch. Sheriff George Foster of Perry and Sheriff Pat Oates of Alva, investigated.
Cravens got news and fled after the woman’s story was verified.
Heard of in Mexico
1904 – Early – Reported in Guadulajara, Mexico, posing as son of a Pennsylvania governor and about to wed a millionaire
miner’s diner. Oklahoma authorities investigated the report.
1904 – (Late) – Reported in Oklahoma City; he was seen by a territorial official who recognized him, the official
gave money to another man for the purpose of getting Cravens drunk and then capturing him, the other fellow got
drunk instead and Cravens escaped.
August, 1905 – Rode in wagon with two traveling men, George W. Fanning and Ed W. Northington, between Glencoe and
Morrison, Okla.; the driver knew Cravens and talked with him but both traveling men were too afraid to act, he
exhibited an ugly wound through his body which he had recently received and said it was cured by an aged Cherokee
Indian woman; he seemed tired and exhausted and while riding in the wagon led his horse behind.
December, 1905 – Located visiting his aunt in the Seminole Indian country near Wewoka, Sheriff W. A. grace and
posse of Pottawatomie county, attempted his capture, but he failed.
March 21, 1906 – Reported captured in Nebraska, investigation made by Sheriff McGehee of Perry.
September, 1906 – Reported in Cripp Creek, Colo., where he was joined by his cousin, Norris Watkins, of the Osage
country; Watkins was under federal indictment for murder and was out on bond.
Reported Taken Again
October, 1906 – Reported captured in Guthrie by Sheriff Bart Murphy; Sheriff Foster of Perry, failed to identify
him, and he was released.
August 8, 1907 – Reported captured at Osceoia, Neb., identified as Cravens by Chaplain J. D. McBrain of Lansing
prison, who as prosecuting attorney in Chautauqua county, had sent Cravens to the prison, was shackled and taken
to Lansing, where the prisoner proved to be only a wandering Jew jewelry peddler, named Albert Scattier.
October 4, 1907 – Reported visiting his parents and brother near Princeton, Mo., made himself known to some old
acquaintances; plans to capture him failed.
June, 1908 – Reported living as Mexican on Navajo Indian reservation in New Mexico; deputy sheriff there identified
him.
Arrested in Missouri
1908 (later) – Arrested in Missouri; later attempted a jail break; a letter was sent to Kansas prison authorities
regarding him; hand writing recognized as Cravens; then Charles Maust, who has been identified by many as Cravens;
went to the Jefferson City penitentiary to serve a four-year term.
March, 1910 – On tip given by prison barber that Maust was Craven, whom he had shaved in the Kansas prison, an
identification followed by William Duckett, record man at the Lansing prison.
March 11, 1911 – Maust identified as Cravens by William McClaughry of the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth.
April 1, 1911 – Cravens identified by A. O. Lund of Blackwell.
Identified by Wounds
August 1, 1911 – Lund again, visited Jefferson City and identified Maust as Cravens by wound marks on shoulder
and through body, near kidneys, received in fight with Lund. Also identified by J. H. Livingston, Bertillon expert
at Jefferson City.
September 4, 1911 – Witnesses subpoenaed in Oklahoma for re-indictment of Cravens at Enid for Bateman murder.
September 15, 1911 – Cravens re-indicted by federal grand jury, case presented by John Embry, United States attorney.
October 10, 1911 – Cravens indictment papers forwarded to United States Attorney Lyon at Kansas City for use in
transferring Maust as Cravens to federal jail in Guthire.
October 21, 1911 – Congressman McGuire gave out statement, including Welty confession, relating to Red Rock robbery
and Bateman murder.
Maust Released
November 1, 1911 – Oklahoma witnesses subpoenaed to appear at Jefferson City on November 8 to identify Maust as
Cravens.
November 8, 1911 – Maust released from Jefferson City prison; immediately re-arrested as Cravens and taken before
United States Commissioner Geisberg for preliminary hearing; Maust identified as Cravens by A. D. Lund of Blackwell,
Sam Dunn of Lela, Henry Dawson of Morrison, Postmaster Walker of the Lansing prison and J. H. Livingston of the
Jefferson City prison; trial attended also by Postoffice Inspector Leahy of Guthrie.
November 10, 1911 – Maust brought to Guthrie federal jail by United States Marshal Martin of Kansas City; J. H.
Livingston and Deputy Marshals Al Coff and Chris Madsen of Guthrie, prisoner wore Orgeon boot to prevent escape.
November 13, 1911 – Maust identified by Adjutant general Frank Canton.
November 15, 1911 – Preliminary trial papers from Jefferson City filed for record in United States circuit court
at Guthrie.
November 17, 1911 – Al Jenings has been interested also in trying to get a pardon for Welty.
November 20, 1911 – Developed that deputy marshals had visited Mrs. Welty, mother of Bert Welty; understood she
will be subpoenaed as identifying witness against Maust.
November 21, 1912 – Congressman McGuire reports letter received from Mrs. Anna Bateman urging that President Taft
pardon Bert Welty, although Welty and Cravens had murdered her son at Red Rock. (The Daily Oklahoman, January 26,
1912)
