Barber County Kansas
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Barber County Kansas |
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The Sharon News, July 29, 1885 D.H. Walkup and wife of Fairfax, Missouri, have been here for a couple of weeks visiting friends and relatives. Mr. W. is a constant reader of the news.
The Sharon News, September 2, 1885 On the inside of this paper will be found a full account of the death of J. R. Walkup, a prominent citizen of Emporia, under very peculiar circumstances. He had been married only a month, and his young and beautiful wife is charged with poisoning him.
The people of Emporia are greatly excited over the affair, and curiosity to get a look at the woman, runs high. The stomach and liver of the deceased is in the hands of an expert for chemical analysis, and if the presence of poison is found there, Mrs. Walkup will be tried on the charge of murder.
The deceased is the uncle of Mrs. J.W. Munich, of this place.
The Sharon News, September 16, 1885 The future does not look nearly so dark for Mrs. Walkup of Emporia, who is charged with the crime of poisoning her husband, as it did two weeks ago.
A Dr. Scott, of Kansas City, has been found who will testify under oath that Mr. Walkup came to him last December for consultation in regard to his health, and stated that he had for years been taking arsenic pills and also a solution of arsenic, as a remedy for severe internal pains.
Mr. Walkup further stated that he had recently become alarmed at the strange sensations he experienced, and wanted to know if they were not caused by the arsenical preparations he had been using.
The doctor’s testimony will in itself no doubt be enough to acquit Mrs. Walkup of the grave charge laid at her door.
The Sharon News, October 7, 1885 The trial of Mrs. J.R. Walkup for the alleged poisoning of her husband is set for the October term of the Lyon county district court. Judge C.B. Graves presiding. Eminent counsel have been engaged. The testimony and proceedings will be published in full from day to day in the Emporia Daily Republican.
The Sharon News, October 28, 1885 The trial of Mrs. Walkup, on the charge of poisoning her husband, is underway at Emporia. It is exciting much interest all through the western States, and many daily papers have special reporters on the ground. Renewed interest has been manifested by the discovery being made that Mrs. Walkup expects to become a mother ere long. If our people want to keep thoroughly posted on this trial, they should subscribe to the Emporia Republican.
The Sharon News, November 11, 1885 A just verdict certainly. The trial of Mrs. Walkup, which has attracted so much attention throughout the country, has at least ended in the acquittal of the defendant, after the jury had been out forty hours. To those who had read the evidence throughout the long trial, the verdict was no surprise, but the surprising thing was that it took the jury so long to agree on a verdict.
For ourself we have never been guilty of bestowing maudlin sympathy on a real criminal no matter what the sex may have been; but owing to the peculiar and distressing circumstances under which this woman was placed, and the malignant hatred that was shown towards her throughout the trial by the relatives of the deceased, and the bullying brutal manner of their counsel, could not help but cause the warm sympathies of the public to go out to her.
The trial has been a good thing for the newspapers, for there was a dirth of excitement just at present. The Emporia Republican has shown enterprise worthy of a metropolitan journal, and we are pleased to learn, has secured a large increase in circulation.
The Union October 29, 1885 We notice, through our exchanges, that Mrs. Minnie Walkup, of Emporia, was married to John Martin on the 24th of this month. Mrs. Walkup has become notorious the world over, and Mr. Martin, by his marriage to her, will share it to some extent. He is the son of Judge John Martin, of Topeka.
The Union, November 20, 1885 Mrs. Minnie Wallace-Walkup walked up the streets of Emporia after her acquittal, receiving the congratulations of her many friends in that city.
The Union, December 11, 1885 We notice by the New York Clipper that Minnie Walkup contemplates doing the dime museums. As to what figure she will represent in that category of living wonders and freaks of nature we cannot say, unless it would be in the character of the Lightning Husband Exterminator; or, the Handsome Face Catches the Jay.
The following off-site links about the case will open in a new browser window:
The Lebo Light The October 23, 1885 issue featured a front page story about the Minnie Walkup murder trial in Emporia. The story reports that when she appeared in court, "She appeared as composed as if she had no connection with the case whatever..."
The Winfield Courier See the October 15, 1885, article and the October 22, 1885 article: "The Walkup trial is stirring Emporia from center to circumference just now. Mrs. Minnie Walkup is only sweet 16½ years old and very pretty. She seems confident of acquittal."
The Winfield Courier See the November 5, 1885, portion of the web page for an account of the Minnie Walkup trial: "IN REBUTTAL. The Defense Rests Its Case for the Present in the Walkup Poisoning Case. Evidence in Rebuttal Being taken.--Mrs. Walkup's Cross-Examination. She Does Fairly Well, But Her Testimony Conflicts Somewhat. Dr. Parr on Arsenical Poison." See the November 12, 1885, article for the following: "THE AGONY OVER. Mrs. Walkup Acquitted of the Charge of Poisoning Her Husband. The Verdict Applauded.--A Kissing Cyclone Follows the Enthusiasm. The Balloting of the Jury.--Almost a Fight.--The Expense. Synopsis of the Celebrated Case."
The Winfield Courier See the December 24, 1885, article for the following: "WALKUP'S HEIR. Another Sensation in the Walkup Case. Emporia Youths Claim to Know. The Way the Prospective Heir to J. R. Walkup's Estate Was Brought About. Mrs. Walkup Denies the Charges in Toto. A Blackmailing and Conspiracy Scheme."
Arkansas City Republican "October 16, 1886: A son of Judge John Martin, of Topeka, is soon to be married to Mrs. Minnie Walkup, of strychnine fame. It is hard to beat a Kansas man for bravery and pure sand."
Thanks to Kim Fowles for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news articles to this web site!
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