MYSTERY STORIES

An Arrest in Banta Case - Employee of Wichita Travel Company Is Released After Questioning
Wichita, Kas., July 11 - The first arrest in connection with the mysterious death last week of Arthur Hanta, Great Bend attorney, was made by Wichita detectives Saturday. It was learned today. The officers arrested Joe Haynes 30 years old, a worker for the Wichita Towel Supply Company on information from Great Bend. Following the arrest, Haynes was released but was arrested again Sunday, only to be released a second time this morning. He was questioned thoroughly.
Sam Hill, formerly deputy United States marshal here, now sheriff at Great Bend came to Wichita Sunday and questioned Haynes. He also questioned B. A. Helfrich, Haynes employer.
Although it appears that Haynes will be able to prove an alibi, officers said this morning that the Wichita end of the case will be sifted thoroughly. No warrants had been issued up to a late hour this afternoon, but authorities intimated that they might be issued at any time. Mystery continues to surround the case, especially the phase of which led to information causing Hayne's first arrest. Haynes has worked for the towel supply company here for some time. He and Helfrich both declare he was at work here until 7:30 o'clock the night of Banta's death. (Kansas City Times, July 11, 1921)

NEW BYERS CASE MYSTERY - ARCHIBALD SWEET BELIEVED NOT GUILTY NOW - but a Burns Detective Says He has Evidence That Will cause a Sensation When He Reveals It - As Other Men Arrested
Topeka, Oct. 18 - Mystery surrounding the identity of the murderer of Nellie Byers, the Grant County School teacher, last Friday, deepened today when Governor capper received a telegram from H. W. Stubbs, county attorney of Grant County, saying that Archibald Sweet, an ex convict suspected of the crime was not the guilty man and would be released. Sweet gave himself up to the officers after the murder because he feared mob violence. Yet bloodhounds taken to the scene of the murder soon after the crime was committed followed a trail to Sweet's room in the home of Jared Henson, a mile and a half away.
Late this afternoon came a report from Grant County that J.N. Wilkerson, a detective who has worked a week on the case, had gained important information from Sweet, who was still in jail tonight. Wilkerson promised that the case would show important developments and probably would be cleared up tomorrow - with the arrest of the guilty man, he intimated. Earlier in the afternoon officers at Enid, Ok. Took a man from a train and accused him of the murder of Miss Byers.
Wilkerson promised news that would be sensation. Together with the county attorney, sheriff and deputy sheriff of Ford County, he drove overland to Grand county tonight. They intend to cover the ground of the bloodhounds. They will go to the Henson home where Jared Henson, his wife, their daughter, Mrs. Clint Henson, her husband, a cousin Jared, and Jared's 3 year old son, Alva all are guarded by officers.
What did Archibald Sweet say to the detective? That's the question a whole lot of people throughout the state would like to know. The things he imparted to the detective probably are the remaining threads the Burns man needed with which to piece together his string of evidence upon the strength of which he will ask arrests.
In Enid, Ok., this afternoon, Abe Hansen, 42 years old, and 6 feet 2 inches tall, was taken from a train to be held in connection with the murder. Authorities there would not disclose their reason for his arrest. But they plainly were in possession of orders from Grant County, from where most of the work in the case is being directed.
Hansen wore an undershirt that has been blood soaked, and a new white shirt that had been put on after the undershirt had been soiled, for the blood had soaked through the white shirt too. He has a crooked finger on his right hand and two teeth missing. Hansen's face is scratched as if by angry nails. He told the Enid police he got his scratches from falling from a passenger train.
Hansen gave his home as Mead, where he said he had been working with a thrashing crew. Hansen was in Plains, Kas., the day before the finding of Mrs. Byers body, and explained the scratches on his face, which were fresh then, by saying he had been drunk in Dalhart, Tex., and had fallen down. He had $137.
Grant County officials have been hunting him since Miss Byer's body was found. Hansen was arrested by the Enid officers with four others who were heading their way. The Wichita police requested that two men who are believed to have murdered William Button, an old grocer there, two weeks ago, be taken from the train. Hansen has no connection with the Wichita murder and he is not related to the Hensons of Grant County held in connection with the girl's death.
There is no pretense of an official belief or theory in the case. Governor Capper and other state officials interested in the proceedings are waiting for the developments scheduled for today. (The Kansas City Times, October 29, 1915, page 1)
A Wichita Bank Held UP - Bandit Could Carry only $12,000, an Left $8,000 Untouched
Wichita, Kas., May 10 - A bandit entered the Stock Yards State Bank here at 8 o'clock this morning, forced the cashier to open the safe and made his escape with $12,000 in cash and Liberty bonds.
As the robber was on foot and could not carry any more, he left $8,000 in currency untouched. The method of his gaining entrance to the building is a mystery. The bank was locked. It is believed that the bandit either had a pass key, or sneaked in while the porter was cleaning the building earlier.
No trace has been found of the robber. As far as can be learned from old timers, this is the first bank robbery ever staged in Wichita. (The Kansas City Star, May 10, 1921)

MURDER OF TWO UNKNOWN MEN BETWEEN EL DORADO AND WICHITA CONTINUES TO BE A MYSTERY
The cause of the murder of the two unknown men, between El Dorado and Wichita, two months ago, continues to be a mystery. They are supposed to have been sons of Mr. Elder of Gibson, Knox County, Ill. If so, they were no doubt murdered for their team and what money they may have had. (The Leavenworth Bulletin, July 2, 1870)
A Mystery at the Union Depot - Miss Pauline Ritchie Disappeared Saturday Leaving Her Suitcase
The Union depot officials are looking for Miss Pauline Ritchie, 18 years old. Her suitcase is at the Union depot, where she left it last Saturday. Miss Ritchie, who was on her way to Lexington, KY from Wichita, Kas., arrived in Kansas City last Saturday morning. While waiting to take her train Miss Ritchie went to the lunch counter in the depot. She left her purse containing $8 and her railway ticket on a seat. When she returned it was gone. V. I. Bell, depot master, helped her hunt for the pocket book without success. He last saw Miss Ritchie at 3:30 o'clock in the afternoon. In a half hour the girl had disappeared. Beside her vacant seat was her suitcase. Although the depot officials have made many inquiries, nothing has been heard since of the young woman. (The Kansas City Star, August 4, 1908)

ANDREW F. ROSS OF CLEARWATER FOUND NEAR CRAWFORD'S OPERA HOUSE
Wichita, Kan., March 30 - Andrew F. Ross of Clearwater, who was found Saturday morning unconscious near Crawford's opera house, died from the effects of his wounds this morning. He had three gashes cut in his head and his skull were fractured. No solution of the mystery has yet been reached. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, April 1, 1898, page 5)

AN INDIAN ROMANCE AND SUIT FOR LIBEL - Photograph of a Wichita Girl Purloined and Used to Typify and Indian Heroine
On the first page of the magazine section of the San Francisco Examiner of Sunday May 28, 1899, there appeared an illustrated article headed up, "Slain by Love." The page was gotten up in the usual style of the Sunday magazine supplement, printed in several colors, and giving three portraits. The first portrait was a highly colored one, supposed to be the likeness of Chief Ulatoa, chief of the Arapahoe Indians in the Indian territory. The second was a half-tone portrait of a young lady and this was supposed to represent Blanche, the daughter of Chief Ulatoa. The third and last picture was that of a man being killed by a stroke of lightning, at midnight, over the grave of Blanche, the girl whom he had wronged.
That the story was considered by W. R. Hurst, the publisher of the Examiner as an exceptionally good one, was evinced by the fact that it was given a full page with illustrations in colors in the Sunday magazine section before mentioned, and was also copyrighted by Mr. Hurst. There were a great many people who doubtless believed the story to be true, but it is safe to say that a number who read it regarded it as the workings of the imagination of some newspaper writer. But the connection with one of the portraits there is a true story.
Mrs. Mainer is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Woodman, formerly of this city. This daughter grew up in Wichita, and was known among her associates as Miss Elizabeth Clayton Woodman. She grew to womanhood in this city where she is well known and greatly esteemed. In 1896 she was married to Mr. John Thomson Manier. The year following she went to Jacksonville, Fla., with her husband, where they have since resided. Mrs. Mainer is regarded as a handsome lady of the brunette type, and when the portrait of the heroine of the story published in the Examiner was seen by her acquaintances, it was immediately recognized as a counterpart of a photograph that Elsie Woodman had taken shortly before her marriage.
As a result, Mr. Mainer has brought suit for damages against Mr. Hurst, publisher of the Examiner, for using the photograph of his wife as that of Blanche Brooke. The suit was filed in New York city, the home of the publisher. During the past week many depositions have been taken of Wichita people who were acquainted with Mrs. Mainer and who positively assert the portrait published in the Examiner is from the photograph of Mrs. Mainer taken in 1896. One of the witnesses states in his deposition that his wife now has one of the original photographs at home.
Mr. Dean Gordon is the attorney for Mr. Mainer to secure affidavits in Wichita. Mr. Ed Vail, Mr. J. P. Allen, Mr. Bruce Priddy, Mayor Ross and others have identified the photograph as unmistakably that of Mrs. Mainer.
The story which appeared in the Examiner is credited to Will draper of this city, who has furnished newspapers with similar matter many times. It is a common thing among writers when they can get up an interesting story to select photographs while will fit the bill, and frequently get big prices for these stories. Sometimes they are represented to the publisher as being true, but as a usual thing the reliability of the story cuts no figure with the publisher as long as it appears plausible to the reader, and there is but little danger of the fake being exposed. In this case however, while the portrait selected was an admirable one to represent a handsome burnette, poor judgment was used in the selection from other points in view, as the suit against the newspaper has demonstrated. (The Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, April 13, 1900, page 6)

WAS IT MURDER? MYSTERY SURROUNDING DEATH OF A WICHITA GIRL.

STRANGER PAID HER A VISIT

Claimed He Wanted Some Stenographic Work Done--Girl Found Dead In Her Office Next Morning

Wichita, Kansas, June 25---When the body of Miss Belle Slavin was found at 2 o'clock last Thursday morning in the office of the National Bank of Commerce, death having resulted from a bullet wound in the head, it was supposed that she had committed suicide. Later developments seem to indicate that the young woman was murdered.
Coroner McLaughlin now says her death was not suicidal and the police are working on the theory that murder has been done.
Miss Slavin, who was the bank stenographer, was permitted to take in outside work and was frequently employed by commercial travelers and other strangers in work of this kind, keeping her in the office at the bank until 10 o'clock at night.
Mr. Jobes, president of the bank, now states that on Wednesday afternoon a strange man came to the bank and asked to have some work done. Miss Slavin told him to bring it around after 6 o'clock. Mr. Jobes says that he observed the stranger surveying the interior of the bank very critically.
While waiting for the stranger to keep his appointment, Miss Slavin evidently busied herself by writing letters to friends, for when her body was found three sealed letters were found, one addressed to a young man in Kansas City, one to S. P. Low, Portland, Oregon; and one to Austin Akin of South Haven. All these letters were written in a pleasant vein and there was nothing to indicate self-destruction.
A barber who passed the bank at 8 o'clock saw Miss Slavin standing before the window, apparently wiating for some one. Another citizen heard a pistol sht (pic) just after 8 o'clock.
When Miss Slavin's father, the president of the bank and another citizen went to the bank in search of her at 2 o'clock in the morning they found the bank door unlocked. Papers were scattered around on the floor, the contents of several drawers were disarranged and Miss Slavin's keys were missing.
The revolver found by the young woman's was not her own. Her own weapon was found in a drawer.
The theory of the police is that the murderer expected to secure valuables or money in the bank.
(Idaho Daily Statesman Newspaper ~ June 26, 1899)

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