Mystery Stories in Sedgwick County Genealogy Trails Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY, KANSAS

MYSTERY STORIES

WIFE ADMITS SHOOTING 48-YEAR OLD VICTIM, CITY DETECTIVES REPORT

The body of a 48 year old Wichita man was found a few minutes before noon Wednesday inj a shallow grave at the rear of his home, and police said his wife admitted shooting him 10 weeks ago.

Wichita police digging in a garden at the rear of the home of Mrs. Iva A. Jones, 50, at 1806 S. Mosley, struck what they said was a shoulder blade of the slaying victim, Charles F. Jones, at 11:52 a.m.

Detective Lt. Joe Klepper said Mrs. Jones confessed shooting her husband and burying his body after being questioned throughout the morning Wednesday by detectives. The confession, Klepper said, was made to the woman's attorney, A. D. Weiskirch, who was called to the woman's home by detectives.

The confession Klepper said was made about 11 a.m. in the presence of police, and the woman then showed them the approximate spot in the garden at the rear of the home where she said she had buried the body.

When they learned that Mrs. Jones has been married six times, authorities said they probably will excavate the entire premises of the woman's home, where she has lived since 1947.

The officers said that one of Mrs. Jones' former husbands was said to be buried at Anthony, Kan., one at Caspter, Wyo., and a third in Wichita. They also launched a check on a report that the woman has one dead child.

OBTAINED ORDER

An order to dig for the man's body was obtained late Wednesday morning by County Attorney Warner Moore, and police began digging at the spot designated by Mrs. Jones.

At 11:53 a.m. Detectives Floyd Hannon and Richard Brown were digging in the shallow grave when they struck what police said was a shoulder blade of the slain man.

Digging operations were halted at that point and police said they had no indication of the position of the body and planned to dig over a wide area before attempting to remove it.

Mrs. Jones told detectives that she had hired a man to dig a hole three feet deep, six feet long and three feet wide in the garden at the rear of her home about 10 weeks ago. She said she had covered the body with lime and the ground at the surface where the body was buried was covered with straw.

Tomatoes had been planted over the grave, detectives said.

VERY REMORSEFUL

Detective Floyd Hannon said the woman at first denied any knowledge of her husband's whereabouts, but after the confession became very remorseful.

Jones was first reported missing on March 31 by his father, Newton D. Jones, 71 of 1247 Ida.

Police said the recent tip on the possibility of a murder in Jones' case came from a man only identified as Arch Dean. Police said Dean had called the office of the County Attorney and said he had reason to believe Jones was buried in the garden behind the home.

Mrs. Jones was taken into custody shortly before the body was found and police said she would be charged with first degree murder.

Lt. Klepper said Dr. Lyman Murphy, patologist, will conduct an autopsy as soon as possible. He said Broadway Mortuary will remove the body as soon as it is completely uncovered. (Evening Eagle, Wednesday evening, June 27, 1956)

SLAIN JEWELER ALIVE SATURDAY

Autopsy Performed; Police Seek Leads

It has been determined that William F. Braden Jr., 32, who was found dead Monday with 26 stab wounds in his chest, was killed sometime after 6 p.m. Saturday, police said Monday night.

Detective Floyd Hannon said that investigation by police determined that Braden was alive until 6 p.m. Saturday.

An autopsy performed at County Hospital, Monday night found the death of the jewelry store operator was caused by multiple stab wounds to the heart.

Police said Braden's body was found before noon Monday by his partner in the Braden - Glidewall, 35, of 147 N. Topeka.

Reportedly, Glidewell accompanied the dead man's mother to the home of the young jeweler at 516 Beverly Dr., Monday morning in an attempt to locate him.

After they were unable to get anyone to answer the door Glidewell was reported to have gone to a side widow of the apartment and removed a screen and climbed into the building.

Braden's body was found lying on the living room floor of his home clad only in a blue rayon dressing gown. Police said it appeared that Braden's wrist, ankles and mouth had been bound with an adhesive tape.

BOUND, THEN STABBED

Detective Hannon said, however, there was no tape on the body when it was discovered. Apparently said an investigating officer, Braden was stabbed while he was bound, lying face upwards on the floor of the well furnished apartment. After the brutal stabbing, the body was rolled on its side and the tape removed.

The stab wounds, which ranged from the breast to six inches below that point were said to have been abnormally large, but there was no death weapon found at the scene.

WATER IN BATH TUB

The body was stretched out near the east wall of the living room. Both Sunday and Monday papers were found on the front porch of the house and the apartment window air conditioner was turned on "fresh air." Four to five inches of water was in the bathrub of the apartment.

The living room where the body was found was furnished with wall to wall carpeting, two sectional divans, a TV set, a radio record player console set and a piano.

IN CHARGE OF STORE

According to Gldewell, Braden has been running the jewelry store at 133 N. Topeka by himself for the past two weeks. In that time Glidewell has been employed at Boeing Airplane Co., and has been doing watch repair work for the jewelry store in his spare time.

After the body was discovered Bradn's mother left to contact his father, William F. Braden Sr., who was reported to have been surveying an oil lease near Augusta, Kan. The parents of the murdered man reside at El Dorado, Kan.

Braden's auto which was missing from the two car garage was found parked on a downtown street, police said. It was investigated for fingerprints and other evidence which might give police a lead as to who was involved in the slaying.

The dead man's body was removed to Gordon Mortuary Monday. Attendants there said the body would be taken to Kirby Funeral Home at El Dorado Tuesday. (The Wichita Eagle, Tuesday Morning, March 13, 1956)