Jackson County, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Newspaper Articles
"Murder"

Killed for Money
Mrs. Jane Wright Murdered at Kansas City
The Perpetrators Arrested
John Clark, A Recently Released Kansas Convict, and Harry Jones, a Kansas City Cook, Under Arrest for the Crime – Clark Has Confessed and Implicate Jones – Other Criminals
Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 11 – Mrs. Jane Wright, proprietor of Madame Wright’s employment agency in this city, was found dead in her office in the Hall building Saturday evening. She had been foully murdered and the deed was committed within hearing of thousands of people, as her office were in the heart of the city and was killed when most people are on the streets – about 5 p. m. When found by the janitor of the building she was lying upon the floor with her hands and feet tied together and her face presented a horrible sight as she had been struck several blows which disfigured her in a terrible manner. She had evidently been strangled to death as finger marks were plainly noticeable upon her throat.
It was difficult to obtain a clue to the perpetrator of the crime, and until yesterday there is nothing to indicate who was the actually guilty party or parties. Her son, John Froisy, by her first husband, and Albert Lauck, who had been in their employ for some time, were arrested on suspicion, but were subsequently released, there being not enough evidence against them to warrant the opinion that they were connected with the crime.
There seems little doubt now that the real perpetrators of the crime are now under arrest and that their object in killing the woman was for money. Yesterday afternoon the police arrested one John Clark, who was released from the Kansas penitentiary September 3, after serving a five years’ sentence for burglary, and he has confessed his participation in the murder, in the actual work of which he claims to have had no hand, however. The other, Harry Jones, a cook who lives with his wife at 118 Independence avenue, denies connection with the crime. There is no doubt, however, that the real murderers have been captured.
A little Swiss watch, with chased gold case, which had belonged to the dead woman, led to the direct unraveling of the crime. It had been constantly worn by her. It had been stolen from her body by the murderers. It had fell to the share of Clark. Within two hours after the crime, Clark, unstrung and excited, summoned an acquaintance and friend of a week, Charles Cheek, a bartender. To him he showed his money, then pulled out the watch.
“I’ve a mind to throw it away,” said Clark.
“Why?” asked his friend.
“Well – I’ve a mind –,” said Clark, “that’s what I’ll do. I’ll throw it away. No,” suddenly changing his mind, “here, you take it and keep it.”
Had he kept his first resolution regarding the little gold timepiece the murder of Mme. Wright might still be a mystery. But the watch was passed to Cheek.
A little scroll upon the front of the ease bore the initials “J. W.” And when Cheek read of Jane Wright’s murder yesterday morning it flashed upon him that he had in his keeping the watch of the dead woman and that he, probably alone, knew the identity of her murderer.
The police were notified. A son of Mme. Wright and her woman bookkeeper identified the watch at a glance.
The watch had a broken crystal and the hands had stopped at one minute before 6 o’clock. The timepiece had doubtless been out of the way a few minutes for Mme. Wright’s bookkeeper, last of her friends to see her alive, did not leave the office until after 6 o’clock on the night of the murder. When shown the watch Froisy at once identified it as having belonged to his mother he had not noticed its disappearance the night before else the motive of the crime would have been at once apparent.
Last night Clark confessed that the had had a hand in the murder, but that Harry Jones was the principal. It was Jones who knew of the woman and her hoarded wealth. It was Jones who planned the robbery. Opposite Madame Wright’s office on Ninth street the two men stood Saturday until they saw Miss Williams leave the office at 6:15. Then Jones went up and soon appeared at the window, the signal for Clark to join him. As Clark reached the door Jones was beating and choking the prostrate woman. They searched her body for the money together. It was Jones who found it and Jones who tied her hands and feet with cord taken from his pocket. Then they fled and in a vacant lot near the jail divided the booty - $300 and the tell-tale gold watch.
After Clark’s confession Harry Jones was soon before the chief – a smooth faced man of medium height and build, neatly dressed in dark coat and vest and light trousers. He has black hair and a rather open, intelligent face. He is 28 years old. He was laboring under great excitement. He, too, was questioned by he denied knowledge of the crime or more than a passing acquaintance with Clark, if any acquaintance at all. There is no doubt, however, that Jones is guilty.
(The Guthrie Daily Leader; Guthrie, Oklahoma; September 12, 1893. Transcribed as written by D. Donlon)

The Mystery Solved
Mrs. Wright’s Murderers All Caught – Complete Confessions
Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 12 – The mystery surrounding the murder of Madame Wright has been entirely solved and the three perpetrators of the heinous crime are safe in jail and a complete confession taken from each one. The third and last one of the murderers, John A. Bartchey was arrested yesterday about noon. Jones admits planning the robbery which resulted in the murder, and, according to his story, Clark, the other murderer, was only taken into the plot last Thursday. Two week ago Jones and John A. Bartchey, another cook, talked of the robbery, according to the statement made by the negro porter at Froisy & Purcell’s employment agency, No. 9 West Ninth street. He says that last week they met him and asked him to be a party to the robbery of Madame Wright, but he refused to have anything to do with the affair.
John Clark, an ex-convict, but recently pardoned from the Kansas state penitentiary, and Harry Jones, a restaurant cook, were the two men who actually committed the murder and robbery. Clark, who was the first man arrested made a written confession admitting the robbery, but declaring that Jones was the actual assailant of the woman. Jones when arrested denied all knowledge of the affair, but he afterward made a full confession, but declared that the ex-convict was the murderer. Jones tells a detailed story of the crime, which is as follows: “Clark and I by engagement met at Ninth and Walnut streets and remained there, waiting until the clerk for Madame Wright, Miss Williams, left her office. we saw Miss Williams leave the office about 6 p.m. or a little later. We then started for Madame Wright’s office, Clark in the lead. Clark entered the office of Madame Wright and closed the door. I stood at the door. I heard a scuffle and a fall on the floor. I stood at the door some three minutes and then went into the office.
“The body of Madame Wright was lying on its side and Clark was sitting astride of the body. He then turned her over. All this time he had her by the throat, choking her. I had a cord in my pocket. I took it and tied her legs. While I tied her legs Clark was looking for money in Madame Wright’s bosom. Clark got up from where he was sitting. He took hold of Madame Wright’s body and rolled her over on her face. Clark then took hold of Madame Wright’s hands and held them while I tied them. I searched her dress and found a large pocketbook. This pocketbook was sewed up in her dress. I cut it from her dress and put it in my pocket. About this time I heard a light tap at the door. This tap alarmed us. We made no further search for money. We both left Madame Wright’s office, I going out first, Clark following me. He pulled the door shut after him.”
They went to a lot near the jail and divided the money, after which they separated.
Bartchley was arrested at 11:30 o’clock yesterday morning at work at a restaurant on Main street. He confessed to the fact that he and Jones had planned to rob Madame Wright and they met about 5 o’clock Saturday afternoon and agreed to meet again at 8:30 o’clock across the state line. Jones then said he and Clark were going immediately to rob her. Bartchey and Jones met across the line, came up town together and buried the money at the corner of Sixth and Bluff streets. Sunday night Bartchey says he went to Jones’ home, 118 Independence avenue, told him of the capture of Clark and advised him to flee. Before Jones could take his advice Detectives came and arrested Jones.
(The Guthrie Daily Leader; Guthrie, Oklahoma; September 13 1893. Transcribed as written by D. Donlon)

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