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Chase County Kansas Obituaries
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Watchous, Phyllis Hallie
MYSTERY IN FORMER CHASE COUNTY GIRL'S DEATH
Phyllis Hallie Watchous, the 11 year old girl who was shot at the home of her parents, Mr and Mrs Lou Watchous, in Lyon county a few days ago, was born in this county where the family lived untio about two years ago when they moved from Matfield Green to the Frank Ridenour farm about nine miles northeast of Emporia.
Lou Watchous the father of the girl, is a nephew of John Watchous, of this city, and he had lived the most of his life in this county. For several years the family lived in Strong City where Mr. Watchous owned property. Prior to that he had for many years lived on the Albert Rogler farm near Matfield Green where he had been engaged in farming. After leaving Strong City several years ago the family for a short timed lived at Matfield Green.
The girl was found lying in a pool of blood in the dining room of the Watchous home after members of the family had been attracted to the houseby a report of a gun-shot. A charge of buckshot from a 410 guage shotgun was lodged in the girls forehead.
The mystery of the girl's death and in the discovery of another charge of buckshot in the floor of the home which officers said could also have been made by the same shotgun that killed the girl. The charge on the floor was located a few feet from the poisiton of the dead girl's
body at the time she was found.
The entire charge of one shell was found in the girl's skull. The impression in the floor was described by officers as being a full charge of buckshot as found in the girl's head was to be the same also as that lodged in the floor. A 410 guage shotgun and one empty shell was found at the girl's side. The girl was supposedly working in the house and her parents working nearby in the garden. They heard one shot. An inquest was held and a coroner's jury rulled died of
"death from gunshot" leaving the case open for investigation whic county officers will persue.
Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, May 01 1929.
by Lorna Marvin
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