DIABOLICAL MURDER FOR THE INSURANCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 202, 5 September 1874, Page 2

DIABOLICAL MURDER FOR THE INSURANCE.

An attempted fraud upon a life insurance company by murder has arisen in Kansas, the conspiracy being disclosed by the confession of one of the murderers. M‘ Nutt and Winner were painters, at Wichita, Kansas, where they murdered an employe named Saviers, last December. M‘N utt, who was subsequently captured, has confessed that he got his life insured for £5,000, and that he and Winner planned to kill and burn some victim, whose body was to be palmed off as M‘Nutt, so that the money could be collected and divided between them. When the plan was laid they lived in Kansas city, Missouri, where they intended to carry it out, but they finally determined to go to the smaller town of Wichita, in Kansas, whence their escape would be easier. Here they began the business of painting, and soon built up a good trade. The want of a victim for some time delayed the execution of the plot, but Winner finally went to Kansas city and employed Saviers to work for them. On his arrival at Wichita they met him at the railway-station, and took him to their shop without any one knowing anything about it. They first made him drunk, and then administered ether until he was unconscious. They then put his face over the fire, and burnt it until it could not be recognised, and laid it on a bed saturated with petroleum. M'Nutt then cut a gash iu Winner’s arm with a pair of scissors ; and, opening a vein in Savier’s arm took out a quart of blood and sprinkled it over Winner to make it appear that he had bled a great deal. M’Nutt then left, dropping his vest and empty pocket-book at the back of the house, to make it appear as if thieves had thrown them away, and going to Achison he took the railway train for Missouri. Winner then set fire to the building, which was burnt, and he reported he was robbed, and M’Nutt killed and burnt. The story took for a few days, until M’Nutt was recognised and arrested. This is one of the most diabolical frauds that have yet been chronicled.