THE OREGON DAILY' JOURNAL, PORTLAND. WEDNESDAY, MAY -17, 1916
RECORD
OF
BENNET THOMPSON
IS
RECALLED
.Ian Mentioned as Suspect in
Mrs,!enning$' Murder Case
Weir Known. to Sleuths,
4
A 1
he wu ftltiM tout a short time aft
erward got in trouble for stealing
some pip from the Linntoft rock quar
ry, and was sent back to the peniten
tiary. Detective say he - remained
there but a few days, and was again
released. . '-i ...
- After that he went to Ban Prancisc
and returned to Portland about two
r mm. m, mm 1 T.T A mtrm . lm fV
fw v mmt " mm watt...,, - - . ,
firet day he arrived in Portland. He f
was in a box car with a hobo, and
charged with "vagrancy.
Takes to detective headquarters, he
was "shown up" to all the officers and
then released with a warning.
Since that time Thompson bad been
frequently susplcloned of committing
crimes, and has been arrested several
times. Each time, however, the police
were unable to fasten anything on him,
and he Was released. v . . ;-: t
Of latethe detectives say, Thomp
son has been going "straight."- For
several months he has been working
in a north Portland cooperage plant.
Only last Thursday Detective Snow
talked to him at First and Madison;
streets.. Thompson bad injured his ;
thumb and was laying off for a cou
ple of days. I Detective Snow says
that Thompson has been living for a
long time ift the Mt. Bcott district
with ..relatives. ' "
On December 18, 1915."Thompson was
arrested, by Detectives LaSalle and
Leonard in a South Portland rooming
house. The charge was of vagrancy,
the offense that of consorting with the !
ex-wife of his brother. e was brought ,
into the municipal court and the cane
was dismissed with a warning.
Before the 20-year sentence at 6a
lem, Thompson had been in prison for
one .term and was also in the state
reform school.
The pictures of Thompson at de
tective headquarters are excellent like
nesses, and anyone could-identity the
man from these photographs.
SCENES AT FARM WHERE IJIYSTERY MURDER OCCURRED .SHOWN
formerly entenoed to the penitentiary. Hindu laborers were Injured last night
and thl pardon is desired so tfcat la a riot caused by a discussion ot re-
may establish his innocence.'
Bennett Thompson.
"'If Bennett Thompson, "the lone
highwayman." committed the murder
of. Mrs. Helen Jennings at her Tuala
tin' valley home Monday night, he is
fr away from here by now. If he
did not, be will voluntarily report him
self -te police detectives of Portland
and produce his alibi.
This was the unqualified assertion
today of every officer of the Portland
detective bureau who had known
Thompson.
- When first news of the murder ctmo
to the police at o'clock last night,
Detectives Howell and Oolts were as
filghed to assist ,the sheriffs of Mult
nomah and Washington counties in the
Investigation. A Miort time later,
when the full facta of the atrocity
became known, every officer of the
, bureau was placed on the cams, ana
I pome of them worked until 5 o'clock
this morning.
Career Is SeoaUed.
I The: mention of Bennett Thompson
: as the possible -murderer brings many
a memory of the career of tnis man
r- to the Portland police.
Detective Sergeants FVank Snow and
i P, J. Moloney have known him for over
: 15 years, and it was Detective Snow
who, on June 20, 1902, arrested him
on the charge that gained him the title
f of the "lone highwayman," and landed
him in the penitentiary under a sen
; tenee of 20 years.
' . Since his release from the penlten
, tiary under parole about three years
ago, Thompson has been In jail several
i times, but on no occasion for a. very
serious charge.
Thompson was 21 years old when
hfc, was arrested In 1902, and that
would; make him 35 years old now,
iW three months prior to his arrest
he conducted a series of bold highway
robberies, holding up country people
on the Slav in. Taylor Ferry and Pat
ton roads, on Marquam hill, at Mll
waukle, Elk Rock, on the Oswego-road.
and am Oregon City streetcar. In all
of these Jobs until the last he was
alone. .And It was when he took a
partner in with him that he was cap
tured. I
This partner, a man named Wright,
"talked,' boasted through the north
end of (his associations with the "lone
highwayman." As a result Deteotives
Snow and Kerrigan walked Into a sa
loon at Third and Burnslde streets on
the night of June 20. 1902, and the two
were captured after a chase. Each
man carried a gun. Thompson later
confessed to the robberies and was
sent up for the long term.
? About three years ago, through the
efforts.: of the Prisoners' Aid society,
t v.s-i - Alt vwvw u A 4 I
y." i I fer b -t tfcx
'i,K . rr i -r: v-.v? A
i ill 'u2f?s IB I
Ijooks Like
Oeorge Hense,
Thompson.
llglon. '
Four of
the rioters
wera arrested.
brother ef irl ! Dtatrlct "Attorney ManwaU and three
Hense, proprietor of the cigar store at others were killed three years ago in a
14 Second street, in front or wntcn iot on tb Durst ranch.
rencnjr- Rtstman, ;itneur, stooo, saxa i
this morning that the rogue's gallery,
picture lof Ben Thotnpeon. "the Lone;
Highwayman,", now being sought as
the munderer of Mrs. Helen Jennings,
resembled the man who was taken to
Rietmao by Du Mas. another Jltneur,
when Du Mas refused to rent his car
for-the trip t6 Sherwood.
IJved at Belle StaUon.
Special Agent Lou Wagner of the
Portland Railway, Light & Powr Co.
this morning received .word from Belle
station., on the Estaoada line,, stating
that Bennett Thompson, the man eus-j
pec ted of committing the Tualatin val-i
ley murder, had heed living there for'
three or four weeks with a widow and .
her children. The complaint was made
that Thompson had been stealing cop
per wine from the railway company.
Spotted Fever Fatal
To Oregon Man
William Taylor of Tale Dies at Xataes
Hospital Was Q.A.M, Yeteraa and
. Barred Government la West.
Xtarrlman, Or May 17. William
Taylor of Vale died at the Haines hos
pital at Burns, after a short lUnesg
with spotted fever- ,
Mr. Taylor was taken' sick n Mr
way from Riverside to Burns, and
stopped ever, in Harrlman to take
treatment. After leaving Harrlman
and before he got half way to X-.urns.-T
he was taken very sick, and had to be
taken In an automobile to the hospital
at Burns.
Mr. Taylor was born In New York
state in 1SS2, and was a veteran of ?
the Civil war. After the war he came v
west. stlU gerring in the army, and
was stationed both at Camp Curry and -Fort
Harney. Mr. Taylor Is survived
by one oon, C. A. Taylor, and on
daughter. Mra Myrtle Jacobs of Vale.
The funeral was held under ths aus
pices of the a, A. R. at Bums.
i. .il
TWO ARE SLAIN,
SEARCH IS ON
FOR ASSASSIN
(Conttniwd from Pas One)
murdering Mrs. Jennings he encoun
tered Rlstman and murdered him la
order to conceal the facts of his first
murder; or that he had murdered the
chauffeur before killing Mrs. Jennings.
That he concealed Rlstman's body
in the vicinity and made his escape.
Mrs, Jennings was murdered presum
ably while asleep in bed in her large
country home Inherited from her fa
ther, the Jate Captain George A. Oorfc
of this city. Her right temple was
split open with a splitting wedge
taken from the basement of the farm
house by the murderer.
Klstman's Body STot Pound.
Chauffeur Rlstman's lody has not -yet
been found, although searching
parties have scoured the surrounding
country since yesterday afternoon
when the crime was first discovered.
However, sufficient evidence has been
found to ra: rant the conclusion that
he, too, was a victim of the murderer
oY Mrs. Jennings.
Rlstman's Panama hat. his shirt
sleeve, torn off at the elbow and the
green lap robe that belonged to his
machine, were found this morning
about 300 yards from the Gore farm,
behind a fence on the road leading to
Sherwood.
Offiolals Are at Work.
Deputy Sheriffs Phillips, Ward,
Beckman and Chrlstofferson, of Mult
nomah county; Sheriff Reeves and his
deputy, James Andrews, of Washing
ton county, and a number of farmfcrs
in the vicinity are searching for Rlsb-1
man's body, while detectives here and
in neighboring cities are on the look
out for' ex-Convict Thompson.
Robbery is believed by the investi
gating officers to have beenV.he mo
tive for the double murder; but jeal
ousy, too, has been advanced as a pos
sible motive. In either case, Thomp
son is the suspect.
Conditions in the house when It was
entered ; .sterday afternoon by a party
that had started from Portland In
search of Rlstman, upon request from
his wife, who was uneasy because of
his failure to return home, disclosed
the fact that the farm house had been
ransacked. Whether any money or
valuables had been stolen Is not known.
Mrs. Jennings' son, D. V. Jennings,
employe of the Nehalem Timber com
pany at Scappoose, believes his mother
was murdered for her money. He
scouts the jealousy theory.
"My mother was engaged to be mar
ried," he explained this morning, "to
. JYi ends Aid Search. v
Four automobile loa3 of friends and
workers of Rlstman left this morning
for the scene of the murder. One was j
made up of members of the structural
steel men, fellow workers with Rlst-1
man In his trade. Rlstman drove a Jit- ,
ney just to cover the stretches between j
Jobs on steel construction. The three
other carloads wer made up of friends
of the man made in his jitney business.
it ilftTmr-"iiiimtiTi'iinriiri i)iniiii 1 Si
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- , Coroner Holds Inquest.
Coroner Dsrrett of Washington
county is holding an inquest this after
noon at th Gore farm over the- re
mains of Mrs. Jennings. District At
torney E. B. Tongue and Sheriff
Reeves are assisting. Ths Jurors are
men ot the neighborhood, John
Hedges, Walter Hess, John Roberts,
Millard Johnston, Joseph Hess and
Charles Schmokle. .
"Have a heart,' said the
Pitcher, "don't kee a fel
low's mind off his game
with that fragrant Presado
Blend"
e
FRIENON
JNfi 0007
vrrA r ao
i I.- e ; t-r j- -. . -V'-; '.
m
the cigar "witlx tliat '
EresadoBlexid
J. R. SMITH COMPANY, DUtributor.
Portland, Oregon, v
R. Housen, logging operator at Knap
pa, Or., and I had a letter a few days
ago from Mr. Housen."
The son did not know anything about
his mother's tSigic death until last,
night when he arrived in Portland en
route from Scappoose to the farm. He
received news through the newspapers
that were then being circulated on the
streets, and nearly collapsed.
Bon Suspects Thompson.
Young Jennings Is Inclined to the
theory advanced by the authorities,
that Thompson Is the murderer.
Thompson -is known as- "The Lone
Highwayman.'- He was born In Wash
ington county and has passed much of
his time in tn vicinity of Tualatin
since paroled from the penitentiary
where he served about half of his
term of 20 years for a series of high
way robberies. Until about six months
age he was employed by Japanese
truck gardeners not far from the farm
of Mrs. Jennings.
In connection with the jealousy the
ory it is argued that possibly Thomp
son was infatuated with Mrs. Jennings
and that he planned her murder upon
learning mat she was to wed Mr.
Housen.
Indications .are that Mrs. Jennintrs
was murdered Monday night, possibly
about 10 o'clock. Deputy Sheriff Ward
says that be saw Thompson In Port
land at 6 o'clock Monday night, At
that tlm i Vinri a mill nonlro
wrapped in a newspaper in his hand.
It is believed that this package con
sisted of a piece of gas pipe.
Monday evening a man said to ans
wer the description of Thompson ani
proached several Jitney drivers at Sec
ond and Morrison streets, and asked
for one who would take him to Tualatin,
wnere ne saia ne naa been engased to
dig a well. j
Chauffeur Identifies Suspect.
The first chauffeur approached
asked 0 an hour, which the man
considered exorbitant. He . was then
referred to Rlstman, who had a light
er machine, and the latter Accepted the
job at the rate of $1 an hour. Paul
Langas, one of tra chauffeurs, saw
Rlstman and his passengers start for
Sherwood, and when shown the pic
tures of Vhompson this morning, said
that "he was ths passenger."
Discovery of the murder of Mrs.
Jennings was brought about yester
day afternoon through the search for
Rlstman. Leaving for Sherwood Mon
day night, Rlstman telephoned his
wife that he would be homo late, but
rrhen he failed to return yesterday
morning, she asked Ed Gavin, T. Dug
gin, Louie Travelli and George Henze
to start a search tor him.
This party followed the direction
taken by Rlstman and made inquiries
all along thevoad till they finally
found the missing ear In the rear of
th Gore farm.
Instead of the driver, they 'ound
In the tonneau of the car evidence of a
terrible struggle, with blood covering
the seat, the floor and the running
board.
Hastening to Tualatin, they enlist
ed the aid of Deputy Sheriff Andrews
and returned to the Gore farm. Enter
lng the house, they found Mrs. Jen
nings' body. This was at 6:30 last
night. . t
Word was Immediately sent to Sher
iff ReeveS. Sheriff Hurlburt and the
Portland police, and a search for Rlst.
man and the murderer was begun.
Throughout the night the deputies and
residents scoured the fields and woods,
out witnout reward. v
V It was , shortly before noon this
morning that Rlstman's hat was found
tossed with the bloody laprobe and the
torn uhirt sleeve behind the fence.
Whet became of ths body is one of
in mysteries puzxung the searchers.
When Was mistxaam XUledt -
Whether Rlstman was murdered be
fore er after Mrs. Jennings is also a
pussle. - n.
Certain officials1 nrofess 'to bllva
that the murderer killed Rlstman while
the latter; was at the- wheel" bound, for
the farm. The theory Is that th mur
derer struck him over the head with
the gas pipe, and then finished him.
perhaps after a struggle.
- This may have occurred on ths road
from Sherwood to the Gore farm some
distance ; from the: destination,' or it
may have been at the farm house
where the 1 machine was . t oand. - If
seme time before, then the murderer
drove - tho- ar himself to , the farm
Jury Returns Verdict.
The coroner's Jury in the Jennings
murder case this afternoon brought in
the following verdict:
"Mrs. Jennings cams to her death
j from blows inflioted on her head by
a sledge Dimmer or otner blunt instru
ment wielded by a party or parties un
known to this Jury."
County Prohibition
Convention Meets
Chairman Wolverton Bepovts on Work '
Accomplished; to BTams Ticket This
Afternoon.
The Multnomah County Prohibition
convention cam to order at the call of
Bruce ,Woiverton this morning in the
T. MC. A. auditorium. R. H. Tate
was elected temporary chairman and
Mrs. W. B. Swope temporary secretary.
Three committees were appointed on
permanent organization, finances and
campaign and nominations. As coun
ty chairman, Bruce Wolverton made a
report of the. work done during the
past year. This afternoon there Will
be addresses by A, L. Crlm and D. T.
Short, which will be followed by the
report of the committee on nomina
tions and the naming of a county
ticket.
Top, left to right Mrs. Helen Jennings, murdered woman; Ben Rist
man's, automobile, In which murderer? was taken Ut Qore farm,
where crime was committed; Mrs. Jennings buBjalow on the Gore
farm.
Bottom, left to right Fred Rlstman, Jitney driver, who is missing
and supposed to be murdered by Mrs. Jennings slayer; map show
lug location of house where woman was killed.
after having thrown out the body Of
the chauffeur.
'While the country is thickly settled
a number of clumps of trees dot the
fields and it is supposed that unless
the - murderer threw Rlstman's body
into the Tualatin river he must have
hidden it in the underbrush among
these trees.
Other officials believe Rlstman was
killed after Mrs. Jennings had been
murdered in, the house.
Terrlfio Blow Inflicted. x
Rlstman's hat was covered with mud
and the lap robe was saturated with
blood. Brain clots and hair, too, were
found on the robe showing that a ter
rlfio blow had been inflicted. ,
After putting the chauffeur ouCbf
the way, according to one theory, the
murderer went to the house, entered
the basement for the splitting wedgaJ
which he must have known was there.
and stole quietly into the woman's bed
room and struck her over the head. He
then ransacked the house and escaped.
Xst to See Mrs. Jennings.
Joe Galbralth. who lives at Cinole.
apparently was the last person to see
Mrs. Jennings alive. He had been em.
ployed at odd jobs about the Jennings
home. Monday afternoon he said he
was spading up her garden and helping
set out snruDS. Aoout B o clock she
asked him to take her to Tualatin to
make some purchases, which he did.
returning with her about 7 o'clock. He
said he then went to his home, and did
not hear of the murder until late yesterday.
Galbralth sld he had seen Thomp
son about tho neighborhood on Thurs
day, but Inasmuch s he had former
ly worked about the district, he paid
little attention to him. He said that
Mrs. Jennings had onoe warned him
never to get into an argument .with
Thompson, "because he was a bad
man."
District Attorney E. B. Tongue of
Hlllsboro conducted the inquest, which
was held .his morning at the Jennings
home.
Mrs. Jennings had been divorced
twice, her first husband being Oro-
ville A. Jennings, who is a traveling
engineer oir the Southern , Pacific be
tween Ashland and Roseburg. Her
second husband was John S. Seed,
Portland contractor, from whom she
was divorced" three or if our years ago.
She was 41 years of age and was . a
sister of Mrs. J. H. Wilson of Salem
and Mrs. E. H. Robinson of Tualatin.
. Klstmsn Had Vew Car.
Rlstman was born in Germany, "but
spent the early part1 of his life in
Russia. For eight years Mr. and Mrs.
Rlstman lived In Milwaukee and Chi
cago before coming to Portland about
seven years ago. He was about 40
years, of age. He kept his etand in
front of the cigar store at 146 Second
etreet, . He had bought a new Ford
machine Monday and was eager to
give it a tryout run."
, "I'll b hack as soon as I can. boys,"
were his parting words to his friends
when he started out with ths lone
passenger Monday night;
Thompson Pardoned by. Governor.
Salem, Or., May IT. Bennett Thomp
son was first received at the state
prison January 25, 1801, charged with
assault and robbery armed with a dan
gerous weaponi and he was pardoned in
September, 191L Hs was returned to
prison May g..T915, for violating his
parole, and wag conditionally pardoned
May 17, 116, by Governor Withy
combe, the pardon reciting that he was
charged "with a new and different
crime than the one upon which he was
COLUMBIA OUTFITTING
CO. QUITS BUSINESS
Portland- branch of exclusive
house to be discontinued at
' once.
The Colombia Outfitting Co., which
ior many years nag neen carrying i
exclusive men's and women's clothii
business on- the second floor of 148
Kiitn street win be discontinued as a
Portland Drancn of the larser asso
ciation, just as soon .as the stock can
be closed, which is expected to be be
fore the end of the month.
This means that the entire stoek
and fixtures of this magnificent in
stitution will be offered to Portland
buying public at such prices as hav
not ' been heard of before, considering
the ' high grade of the merchandise
which, this firm has always carried.
Maxwell Ball Is
Back in School
....
Willamette College Editor Declares He
Was Only One to Blame for Putting
Cow la the Chapel.
- Salem, Or, May 17. Maxwell Ball
of Portland, editor of the Collegian,
the Willamette university student
whoso stunt in placing a cow in the
chapel a few weeks ago resulted in his
suspension, was reinstated this morn
ing. Ball voluntarily arose In chapel and
said that he was the only student of
the university involved in the cow
affair.
His pies, for reinstatement was re
fused a week ago because a declined
to answer questions of the faculty re
garding the cow Incident. These ques
tions were not for the purpose of im
plicating anyone else, it was explained.
Ball gave in and answered questions
of the faculty Tuesday. Bali was not
required 'to maks any public apology
for his prank. ,
Hindu Laborers Are
Injured During Eiot
Marysville, Cal.. May 17. (P. N. S.) !
Quiet has been restored on the Durst
hop ranch, near Wheatland, where eigiht
HOTELS AND RESORTS
Hotel Oregon
HOOD
EIVEE
OHEGOH
Wtke Columbia RiYcr Highway." Whea
ycrn take year friends teMtM wenoeniu v
lumbis kiw Highway arrange to tp at the
Hotel Oregea. While here do sot fail to show
thorn the beautiful Hood EItot valley. Special
attention rirra to tonrUti and sot pertjea,
HEI1T SEHH. Prop, TED SERB, .Mgr.
Auto a Hood Bivor oonnocta with train IS.
, This ia the building time at - . .
Gearhkrt "By-the-Sea" .
Cottages can be completed by July 1. Make arrangements
,to visit Gearhart Park by Saturday's i special train... Rep- :
i resentative from our office and builders will be on the
ground-' We can rent your cottage for- eithef July or .
i August, or both months if you so desire, giving you good
returns on your investmejit.
n '? GearKart Park Co.
' !k ; bby Fourth Street ; ,
IRall Auto
or irr. soos itt.osti oo.
Boo Hood Biror orohafda In bloom. Bail
Ante mt Hood Biror eonneots with Train It,
leaving Portland at 10 a. m. Lunch at Hood
Eiror. Ball Anto loaves for Parkdale, soar
foot if lit Hood. 11:46. Botunting, connect
with Train 17, reaching Portland 7 p. m. i
Wonderful ewe-day trip. Through tiokoti oa .
tale o-w. a. er ji. rtrtiMujr21i!
The
ne
"OB THE BLUFFS OT THE COLUMBIA.
Aa ideal place for your ammor's toots ill
hours -by rail from Portland. In the CaaoadeeT
magnifteeat scenery. Exoolloot table, goad
for illustrated booklet. . .
C. W. J. BECKER. White Balaton, Wash.
HOTEL DALLES
- THE. DALLES, OB. A UODEBH HOTEL.
European plan. Cafe first class. M mUee front
Portland, oa tho Columbia Blver Highway,
Also ea fits rail sad boat lines, many aoenee
to see. Plan your stay for a day or oo. Re.
OToattona made. JTTDD a. n8H, Mgr.--
TROUT6LAHE
i AT THE POOT Or MT. ADAKA The'Wg
pocklod eoontiee are waiting to mate their
wit against yosxs, Xaay walking aistasee of
ths Ibsmm lava and Icq eaves, . Xaadaanrtar 1
Adama, Sigh eiaes amsaoisont kail aaai
Hotel rates St a week. Address v .
". 6U1ES HOTEL, Oulor, Wfjju ,
x, -i i 4 ' "
Every Woman's Duty
in matters pertaining to the family table is to decide not
only what is best ior herself, but for the husband and chil
dren as welL
. fake the table drink, for instance; the housewife may
l.M, ,m --. rr.. Ck. i 1 a. rr i a. V I
u&c uu w-a u' vwii.c on; auuwa uial cuxtCC ana ICS UC
harmful to many, but she uses her favorite beverage in mod-:
e ration, and thinks it doesn't harm her.
But there's John. He's irritable and nervous, perhaps
his irritation and sleeplessness may be due to tea or coffee.
Again, almost everybody knows that tea and coffee are
specially harmful to the little folks. The next thing, then, is
"what to serve as a wholesome table beverage ?"
In many families the quick and happy answer is
Instant postum
vHere is a delicious, "coffee-like" beverage, as hot and
savory as, high-grade Java coffee, yet pure and free from the'
drugs, caffeine and tannin, which often disagree with health
and comfort.
This pure, delicious food - drink is made instantly by
using a level teaspoonf ul in a cup and adding hot water, also
sugar and cream to taste. Everyone can drink all they desire
without the slightest chance of harm.
' Instant Postum, a real American discovery, is made
of prime wheat and a bit of wholesome molasses, blended
and roasted just like coffee. Its flavor, purity and wonder
ful frocdness have won tremendous favor everywhere.
'There's a Reason"
Grocers everywhere sell Postum. v
HfllfflDDDDDaoa
Four-38
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f. o.
EigKt-38
$985
Factory
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Ho Competitor b Its Class
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mean me - won-
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