TAXI DRIVER MURDERED BY CAR BANDITS
GUST KONDAKS SHOT TO DEATH ON COLORADO ROAD NEAR HERE
Gust Kondaks, Greek driver of a taxicab which had its stand in front of the Athens candy store on West Lincoln Highway, was shot twice through the back of the head last night at a lonely spot five miles south of Cheyenne on the Fort Collins road and instantly killed. His body was gathered from the road where it had fallen from the car, and dragged, by the murderer to a point in the field 40 yards west of the road, where it was partially hidden in an effort to conceal the crime.
Kondak's frozen body was discovered by a motor party early this morning and the discovery reported to the sheriff at Fort Collins. Apprised by the Colorado official of what had transpired on the edge of Cheyenne, Deputy Sheriff George Carroll went to the scene with Coroner Clyde Early and at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon brought the body to the Early mortuary.
An examination of the scene of the crime disclosed a pool of frozen blood at the side of the road, where it appeared the body had lain for a short time after the shots were fired. That the taxi driver was killed by a person in the rear of his car, who had decoyed him from the city for the purpose of the crime, is the belief of the officials who are conducting the investigation of the murder. The distance that the body was dragged and other circumstances are said to indicate that there may have been more than one person concerned in the crime.
No trace has been found of the car in which Kondaks drove from the city. A revolver was found at the side of the road where the man was shot, but it was picked up by unknown persons who reported their discovery to the Fort Collins sheriff and taken to the Colorado town.
Kondaks came to Cheyenne from Denver. He had been here two months. No persons have been found who saw him leave the city last night.
© Wyoming Tribune no. 294 December 08, 1917, page 1
_______
Kondaks, who lived in rooms over a Greek coffee house at 304 West Fifteenth street, was well liked by all members of the Greek colony, according to Nick Mandanis, a merchant, who has a wide acquaintance among his countrymen. Kondaks was unmarried. He has a brother with the expeditionary forces in France and another brother who lives in Utah.
Excerpt from © Wyoming Tribune no. 295 December 10, 1917, page 1
_______
Signed confessions have been obtained from four men arrested in El Paso, Tex., admitting the murder of Gust Kondaks, a Cheyenne taxicab driver, the night of Dec 7. The men arrested are William L. Brown, formerly clerk at the Normandie hotel and a "would-be" cowboy; W. J. Frisbie, a Texas cowpuncher; Walter Headlee believed to be a deserter from the United States army, and Joe Hamilton, confessed deserter from L troop of the First cavalry, stationed at Fort Russell at the time of the murder.
Following is a statement made by Frisbie to the correspondent of the Associated Press at El Paso:
"We were drinking that day and night of Dec. 7," said Frisbie. "We met Brown and Hadley in Cheyenne and arranged to make a trip to Colorado and then to Texas, where I wanted to spend Christmas. While in a room in Cheyenne I heard Brown say something about bumping him off but I didn't pay much attention. I remembered saying we would not pull off anything like that. That night we employed the auto driver to take us to Carr, Colo.
When we had gone about ten miles out of Cheyenne I saw Brown draw his pistol. He pointed it at me first, then fired. The driver crumpled up and someone in the back seat with us I believe it was Headlee fired again.
The body of the driver was then taken by Brown to a point 100 feet from the road and left there. He took $80 from the man's pocket which he kept. Brown then drove the auto and we went through Denver and Pueblo to Raton, N. M., and from there to Socorro, where the car was sold for $80, the money being divided between the four of us."
Tom Holland, special agent in Cheyenne, was asked by El Paso authorities if anyone had deserted the army the night of Dec. 7 and was informed that a man named Brown and three others were being held there. Holland at once notified Pat Hays, sheriff of this county and was told that Brown was the man that was wanted in connection with Kondak's murder. They sent a telegram to the El Paso officials, asking for a description of all the men, with the result that they all confessed to the killing.
© Cheyenne State Leader no. 300 December 18, 1917, page 1
Submitted by Lostnwyomn June 2013.
GUST KONDAKS SHOT TO DEATH ON COLORADO ROAD NEAR HERE
Gust Kondaks, Greek driver of a taxicab which had its stand in front of the Athens candy store on West Lincoln Highway, was shot twice through the back of the head last night at a lonely spot five miles south of Cheyenne on the Fort Collins road and instantly killed. His body was gathered from the road where it had fallen from the car, and dragged, by the murderer to a point in the field 40 yards west of the road, where it was partially hidden in an effort to conceal the crime.
Kondak's frozen body was discovered by a motor party early this morning and the discovery reported to the sheriff at Fort Collins. Apprised by the Colorado official of what had transpired on the edge of Cheyenne, Deputy Sheriff George Carroll went to the scene with Coroner Clyde Early and at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon brought the body to the Early mortuary.
An examination of the scene of the crime disclosed a pool of frozen blood at the side of the road, where it appeared the body had lain for a short time after the shots were fired. That the taxi driver was killed by a person in the rear of his car, who had decoyed him from the city for the purpose of the crime, is the belief of the officials who are conducting the investigation of the murder. The distance that the body was dragged and other circumstances are said to indicate that there may have been more than one person concerned in the crime.
No trace has been found of the car in which Kondaks drove from the city. A revolver was found at the side of the road where the man was shot, but it was picked up by unknown persons who reported their discovery to the Fort Collins sheriff and taken to the Colorado town.
Kondaks came to Cheyenne from Denver. He had been here two months. No persons have been found who saw him leave the city last night.
© Wyoming Tribune no. 294 December 08, 1917, page 1
_______
Kondaks, who lived in rooms over a Greek coffee house at 304 West Fifteenth street, was well liked by all members of the Greek colony, according to Nick Mandanis, a merchant, who has a wide acquaintance among his countrymen. Kondaks was unmarried. He has a brother with the expeditionary forces in France and another brother who lives in Utah.
Excerpt from © Wyoming Tribune no. 295 December 10, 1917, page 1
_______
Signed confessions have been obtained from four men arrested in El Paso, Tex., admitting the murder of Gust Kondaks, a Cheyenne taxicab driver, the night of Dec 7. The men arrested are William L. Brown, formerly clerk at the Normandie hotel and a "would-be" cowboy; W. J. Frisbie, a Texas cowpuncher; Walter Headlee believed to be a deserter from the United States army, and Joe Hamilton, confessed deserter from L troop of the First cavalry, stationed at Fort Russell at the time of the murder.
Following is a statement made by Frisbie to the correspondent of the Associated Press at El Paso:
"We were drinking that day and night of Dec. 7," said Frisbie. "We met Brown and Hadley in Cheyenne and arranged to make a trip to Colorado and then to Texas, where I wanted to spend Christmas. While in a room in Cheyenne I heard Brown say something about bumping him off but I didn't pay much attention. I remembered saying we would not pull off anything like that. That night we employed the auto driver to take us to Carr, Colo.
When we had gone about ten miles out of Cheyenne I saw Brown draw his pistol. He pointed it at me first, then fired. The driver crumpled up and someone in the back seat with us I believe it was Headlee fired again.
The body of the driver was then taken by Brown to a point 100 feet from the road and left there. He took $80 from the man's pocket which he kept. Brown then drove the auto and we went through Denver and Pueblo to Raton, N. M., and from there to Socorro, where the car was sold for $80, the money being divided between the four of us."
Tom Holland, special agent in Cheyenne, was asked by El Paso authorities if anyone had deserted the army the night of Dec. 7 and was informed that a man named Brown and three others were being held there. Holland at once notified Pat Hays, sheriff of this county and was told that Brown was the man that was wanted in connection with Kondak's murder. They sent a telegram to the El Paso officials, asking for a description of all the men, with the result that they all confessed to the killing.
© Cheyenne State Leader no. 300 December 18, 1917, page 1
Submitted by Lostnwyomn June 2013.
TAXI DRIVER MURDERED BY CAR BANDITS
GUST KONDAKS SHOT TO DEATH ON COLORADO ROAD NEAR HERE
Gust Kondaks, Greek driver of a taxicab which had its stand in front of the Athens candy store on West Lincoln Highway, was shot twice through the back of the head last night at a lonely spot five miles south of Cheyenne on the Fort Collins road and instantly killed. His body was gathered from the road where it had fallen from the car, and dragged, by the murderer to a point in the field 40 yards west of the road, where it was partially hidden in an effort to conceal the crime.
Kondak's frozen body was discovered by a motor party early this morning and the discovery reported to the sheriff at Fort Collins. Apprised by the Colorado official of what had transpired on the edge of Cheyenne, Deputy Sheriff George Carroll went to the scene with Coroner Clyde Early and at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon brought the body to the Early mortuary.
An examination of the scene of the crime disclosed a pool of frozen blood at the side of the road, where it appeared the body had lain for a short time after the shots were fired. That the taxi driver was killed by a person in the rear of his car, who had decoyed him from the city for the purpose of the crime, is the belief of the officials who are conducting the investigation of the murder. The distance that the body was dragged and other circumstances are said to indicate that there may have been more than one person concerned in the crime.
No trace has been found of the car in which Kondaks drove from the city. A revolver was found at the side of the road where the man was shot, but it was picked up by unknown persons who reported their discovery to the Fort Collins sheriff and taken to the Colorado town.
Kondaks came to Cheyenne from Denver. He had been here two months. No persons have been found who saw him leave the city last night.
© Wyoming Tribune no. 294 December 08, 1917, page 1
_______
Kondaks, who lived in rooms over a Greek coffee house at 304 West Fifteenth street, was well liked by all members of the Greek colony, according to Nick Mandanis, a merchant, who has a wide acquaintance among his countrymen. Kondaks was unmarried. He has a brother with the expeditionary forces in France and another brother who lives in Utah.
Excerpt from © Wyoming Tribune no. 295 December 10, 1917, page 1
_______
Signed confessions have been obtained from four men arrested in El Paso, Tex., admitting the murder of Gust Kondaks, a Cheyenne taxicab driver, the night of Dec 7. The men arrested are William L. Brown, formerly clerk at the Normandie hotel and a "would-be" cowboy; W. J. Frisbie, a Texas cowpuncher; Walter Headlee believed to be a deserter from the United States army, and Joe Hamilton, confessed deserter from L troop of the First cavalry, stationed at Fort Russell at the time of the murder.
Following is a statement made by Frisbie to the correspondent of the Associated Press at El Paso:
"We were drinking that day and night of Dec. 7," said Frisbie. "We met Brown and Hadley in Cheyenne and arranged to make a trip to Colorado and then to Texas, where I wanted to spend Christmas. While in a room in Cheyenne I heard Brown say something about bumping him off but I didn't pay much attention. I remembered saying we would not pull off anything like that. That night we employed the auto driver to take us to Carr, Colo.
When we had gone about ten miles out of Cheyenne I saw Brown draw his pistol. He pointed it at me first, then fired. The driver crumpled up and someone in the back seat with us I believe it was Headlee fired again.
The body of the driver was then taken by Brown to a point 100 feet from the road and left there. He took $80 from the man's pocket which he kept. Brown then drove the auto and we went through Denver and Pueblo to Raton, N. M., and from there to Socorro, where the car was sold for $80, the money being divided between the four of us."
Tom Holland, special agent in Cheyenne, was asked by El Paso authorities if anyone had deserted the army the night of Dec. 7 and was informed that a man named Brown and three others were being held there. Holland at once notified Pat Hays, sheriff of this county and was told that Brown was the man that was wanted in connection with Kondak's murder. They sent a telegram to the El Paso officials, asking for a description of all the men, with the result that they all confessed to the killing.
© Cheyenne State Leader no. 300 December 18, 1917, page 1
Submitted by Lostnwyomn June 2013.
GUST KONDAKS SHOT TO DEATH ON COLORADO ROAD NEAR HERE
Gust Kondaks, Greek driver of a taxicab which had its stand in front of the Athens candy store on West Lincoln Highway, was shot twice through the back of the head last night at a lonely spot five miles south of Cheyenne on the Fort Collins road and instantly killed. His body was gathered from the road where it had fallen from the car, and dragged, by the murderer to a point in the field 40 yards west of the road, where it was partially hidden in an effort to conceal the crime.
Kondak's frozen body was discovered by a motor party early this morning and the discovery reported to the sheriff at Fort Collins. Apprised by the Colorado official of what had transpired on the edge of Cheyenne, Deputy Sheriff George Carroll went to the scene with Coroner Clyde Early and at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon brought the body to the Early mortuary.
An examination of the scene of the crime disclosed a pool of frozen blood at the side of the road, where it appeared the body had lain for a short time after the shots were fired. That the taxi driver was killed by a person in the rear of his car, who had decoyed him from the city for the purpose of the crime, is the belief of the officials who are conducting the investigation of the murder. The distance that the body was dragged and other circumstances are said to indicate that there may have been more than one person concerned in the crime.
No trace has been found of the car in which Kondaks drove from the city. A revolver was found at the side of the road where the man was shot, but it was picked up by unknown persons who reported their discovery to the Fort Collins sheriff and taken to the Colorado town.
Kondaks came to Cheyenne from Denver. He had been here two months. No persons have been found who saw him leave the city last night.
© Wyoming Tribune no. 294 December 08, 1917, page 1
_______
Kondaks, who lived in rooms over a Greek coffee house at 304 West Fifteenth street, was well liked by all members of the Greek colony, according to Nick Mandanis, a merchant, who has a wide acquaintance among his countrymen. Kondaks was unmarried. He has a brother with the expeditionary forces in France and another brother who lives in Utah.
Excerpt from © Wyoming Tribune no. 295 December 10, 1917, page 1
_______
Signed confessions have been obtained from four men arrested in El Paso, Tex., admitting the murder of Gust Kondaks, a Cheyenne taxicab driver, the night of Dec 7. The men arrested are William L. Brown, formerly clerk at the Normandie hotel and a "would-be" cowboy; W. J. Frisbie, a Texas cowpuncher; Walter Headlee believed to be a deserter from the United States army, and Joe Hamilton, confessed deserter from L troop of the First cavalry, stationed at Fort Russell at the time of the murder.
Following is a statement made by Frisbie to the correspondent of the Associated Press at El Paso:
"We were drinking that day and night of Dec. 7," said Frisbie. "We met Brown and Hadley in Cheyenne and arranged to make a trip to Colorado and then to Texas, where I wanted to spend Christmas. While in a room in Cheyenne I heard Brown say something about bumping him off but I didn't pay much attention. I remembered saying we would not pull off anything like that. That night we employed the auto driver to take us to Carr, Colo.
When we had gone about ten miles out of Cheyenne I saw Brown draw his pistol. He pointed it at me first, then fired. The driver crumpled up and someone in the back seat with us I believe it was Headlee fired again.
The body of the driver was then taken by Brown to a point 100 feet from the road and left there. He took $80 from the man's pocket which he kept. Brown then drove the auto and we went through Denver and Pueblo to Raton, N. M., and from there to Socorro, where the car was sold for $80, the money being divided between the four of us."
Tom Holland, special agent in Cheyenne, was asked by El Paso authorities if anyone had deserted the army the night of Dec. 7 and was informed that a man named Brown and three others were being held there. Holland at once notified Pat Hays, sheriff of this county and was told that Brown was the man that was wanted in connection with Kondak's murder. They sent a telegram to the El Paso officials, asking for a description of all the men, with the result that they all confessed to the killing.
© Cheyenne State Leader no. 300 December 18, 1917, page 1
Submitted by Lostnwyomn June 2013.
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