Midwestern Death Trip

Can a convicted murderer be buried in a Catholic cemetery? Yes.

Catholics believe that the final purification occurs after death and that God’s mercy is extended to all—even murderers.

Preston Franklin McBride confessed to killing taxi driver John Watkins and was executed in 1951, just fourteen months after the murder.

Preston was baptized into the Catholic faith on Wednesday and hanged that Friday. Per his wishes, he was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas.

Who was Preston McBride?

Preston Franklin McBride was born in Wichita, Kansas, on June 5, 1925, to Elsie (née Branson) and George McBride. Elsie bore five children, Preston being her fourth. Her third child, a boy, died in infancy. Their youngest, Mable, was born when Preston was about 3. They lived in a little house at 1307 Lewellen Street in Wichita for most of Preston’s life.

Preston’s mother described him as a good boy who always remembered her on Mother’s Day. Others would describe him as a “windjammer,” long-winded, or a big talker with a capacity for telling wild stories.

His parents must have had some clue early on that something wasn’t right. According to his mother, in 1940 when Preston was about 15, she took him to a psychiatrist at a local university after he “got in some trouble.” It’s not clear if he was left to live there, but Preston would later claim to have two years of college education, which could be what he was referring to. One deputy sheriff would later be reported as saying, “The only college work he ever had was out there at the state reformatory.”

His first known brush with the law was for joyriding in May 1942. The charge was dismissed, likely due to it being his first offense, possibly attributable to his young age.

Preston joined the Navy in July 1942, about a month after turning 17. It’s not clear if this was his choice or some form of punishment given to him by his parents, or a condition of the charge dismissal earlier that year. Either way, he seemed proud of his service and wanted to be recognized for it.

Preston would tell the press that he was discharged from the Navy for medical reasons, but his mother testified in court that he was discharged for bad conduct.

After his return from the Navy, Preston went to work. At the time of the murder, he was missing partial fingers on his right hand, an accident he claimed occurred at a factory job in Hutchinson. The accident must have occurred sometime after 1943. When he registered for the draft, his only identifying physical characteristic was a scar under his chin.

Preston’s WWII draft registration card dated June 7, 1943.

In 1944 Preston contracted spinal meningitis, and based on his mother’s recollection, the infection changed his personality and affected his memory. Although Preston was clearly in trouble before contracting the infection, his mother claimed he was never the same after the illness.

It’s not clear if Preston’s 1944 illness came before or after his June 20 wedding to 18-year-old Imogene Kotchavar.

Imogene Kotchavar was born in Oklahoma to Ralph Kotchavar and Janie Rhea. Her parents divorced when she was just 2, and it must have been a messy one. A few weeks after her parents divorce was granted, Imogene and her two siblings were legally adopted by their paternal grandparents.

It’s not clear why Imogene was in Kansas, for how long, or when she met Preston. She did attend Cathedral High School in Wichita for her freshman year, the year before she and Preston married.

Imogene may have been unaware that Preston was on parole for stealing $150 from an overnight bag at a Wichita rooming house. It’s not clear exactly when he committed the crime, but as punishment he was placed on bench parole, and just six months into their marriage, he violated parole. Preston was sent to the Kansas Reformatory on December 28, 1944 and sentenced to a year.

Preston was released from prison on October 27, 1945. Following his release, Imogene was living separately from him and working as a saleswoman at Cleon Whitney’s jewelry store, yet she continued to use the title “Mrs.” and retained his last name.

After his release, Preston took on a brief role as a mortuary assistant and began working as a driver for a local bakery.

The marriage with Imogene eventually ended, and February 16, 1948, Preston married Dorothy Henderson, and she got pregnant almost immediately. It’s highly unlikely that she was aware of her pregnancy two weeks into their marriage on March 7, 1948, when Preston was sent back to the reformatory on another parole violation.

Dorothy, seemingly less patient than Preston’s first wife, promptly filed for divorce on grounds of gross neglect of duty. The divorce was granted in August 1948, when Dorothy was six months pregnant.

Korla Jeane McBride was born on December 21, 1948.

Dorothy and Korla, abt. 1950

Less than a month after Korla’s birth, January 22, 1949, Preston was convicted of embezzlement stemming from the theft $1,000 from his employer. He was sentenced to another year in the Kansas reformatory.

Preston regained his freedom on February 4, 1950, just ten days prior to the murder of John Watkins.

Preston moved into the YMCA in Hutchinson and began working a construction job, building the addition at St. Elizabeth’s hospital in Hutchinson. On Valentine’s Day 1950, he purchased a gift for his wife and another for his daughter. He also purchased a .22 caliber revolver from a Hutchinson pawn shop that day. Whether he visited his ex-wife or daughter in Wichita on Valentine’s Day or if the gifts were ever delivered is unknown, but he did attend the movies that night with another YMCA resident who said Preston mentioned Dorothy and displayed the gun.

The Hutchinson News, Friday, April 21, 1950

The murder of John Watkins

On February 15, 1950, two separate phone calls were made to the McVey Yellow Cab Company asking for a ride for Preston McBride.

The first call was at 8:22 a.m., and the switchboard operator who took the call said that the man on the line sounded “terribly excited.” The caller requested that a cab be sent to the rear of the hospital to pick up Preston McBride. The caller said to tell McBride to “come home at once because his wife is going to have a baby.” Investigators would later confirm that Preston himself had placed this call.

Preston’s first taxi driver was Frank Fields, who was already at the hospital. Frank said he went to the rear of the hospital and asked for McBride as instructed. Preston, who was working on the construction site there, threw down his shovel and hopped in the cab. Preston then provided Frank with a specific address in south Hutchinson, but as they neared their destination, he requested Frank to stop and he hopped out.

The Hutchinson News, Friday, February 17, 1950

Preston was in and out of Liberty Café three times that morning, just a few blocks from where he was dropped off by Frank. A waitress recounted that he paid for his meal using silver dollars, which later became significant when another resident of the YMCA, who had intended to share a room with McBride, reported that $30 worth of silver dollars had gone missing from his room.

Around 10:30 a.m. that morning, two hours after the first call to the Yellow Cab Company, Preston placed another call for a taxi from the Liberty Café. This time, John Watkins was nearby, so he picked up Preston.

Preston told John that he wanted to be taken about 20 miles south of Hutchinson to a town called Partridge. However, since John was not permitted to take the taxi beyond the city limits, they returned together to the Yellow Cab terminal. They exchanged the taxi for a different vehicle, and they set off towards Partridge.

Somewhere near Partridge, Preston shot John five times in the back of the head and once in the neck. Preston never admitted to any argument or struggle; he simply recounted the act of shooting John as he was driving, “just bang, bang, bang.”

Preston said after he shot John the car continued to move, but he was able to turn the car off and apply the emergency brake. Then he pushed John over and continued driving with no immediate destination in mind.

Preston eventually drove the car back into Hutchinson and stopped at the YMCA with John’s dead body still in the car. He collected the shell casings from the car and threw them onto the roof of the YMCA before packing up most of his clothing and taking it with him.

Investigators believe that hundreds of people walked or drove past the car that contained John’s body during the half-hour period it was parked near the YMCA.

Preston intended to dump John’s body in a wooded area near Derby. He took the cash that John had on him – about $4 – and tossed his wallet out of the window somewhere east of the Arkansas river. When he got to the wooded area and pulled over, the car got stuck. And to complicate matters, John weighed nearly 300 pounds, and his large frame prevented Preston from pushing the dead weight out of the car.

Preston headed to a nearby farm and persuaded farmer W. E. Trenkel to give him a ride into Wichita by telling him he had car trouble and that he needed to get to work in Wichita right away. Preston ended up paying most of the $4 he stole from John to Trenkel as payment for the ride.

After abandoning the car and getting a ride into Wichita, Preston called his friends Victor and Trula Casper and asked if he could come over. He gave them the gun and asked them to hold it for him, and then told them he was thinking about joining the ministry and read a sermon that he wrote. Later, Preston took the gun back and began loading it, and according to Trula, this frightened her. Victor managed to take the gun from Preston, and then drove him to his sister’s house per his request.

John’s body was discovered by someone passing by just a few hours after being dumped, and investigators quickly started following the trail. Several law enforcement agencies collaborated to construct a timeline of John’s activities that morning. Through conversations with John’s employer and retracing his last steps, they came up with the name Preston McBride.

Officers found a shirtless Preston the morning after the murder hiding in the half-basement of his family home on Lewellen Street in Wichita. At the time, the residence was occupied by his younger sister Mable and her husband.

“Pasty-faced” and slender Preston gave himself up without a fight and was arrested less than 24 hours after the murder of John Watkins. He admitted to committing the crime, but asserted that he had carried out the murder under the instructions of a drug syndicate.

The Hutchinson News, Thursday, February 16, 1950

Preston McBride’s sensational motive for murder

Preston, who was known for weaving tall tales, told investigators a lurid and extravagant story. He claimed to work as a drug courier for a San Antonio-based syndicate, responsible for transporting narcotics to Hutchinson. He told police that narcotics concealed in marshmallows were flown from Mexico into various locations in Kansas.

According to Preston, this drug ring had been operating in Kansas for a minimum of three years. He further claimed that he personally had made deliveries to eight different cities around Kansas, and drugs valuing $42,000 had just been flown into Wichita.

The Hutchinson News, Thursday, February 16, 1950

Preston also told police that one of his previous embezzlement convictions was actually him taking “the rap for someone else.” He insisted that the drug ring owed him $1,500 for this and that he was ordered to “wipe Watkins out” in order to secure the payment. Later he would tell police that he was given $1,500 and ordered to silence John Watkins because he was going to “squeal.”

Preston provided investigators with names of multiple people who he says were involved in the drug ring. Among those names was Victor Casper, whom Preston claimed had supplied him with the gun used to kill John.

Investigators suspected Preston’s story was a complete lie, but they were obligated to investigate every lead. Meanwhile, local news outlets had already published the details, resulting in the rapid dissemination of this sensational tale. Multiple newspapers reported the drug ring in Wichita as a confirmed fact. Preston’s outlandish claims spread across the country.

Articles from Texas, Arizona, Missouri, and Kansas tell readers about the drug syndicate in Wichita.

Wichitans Victor Casper and his wife Trula thought they were friends of Preston, but the day of John’s murder, they unknowingly stored the weapon that killed John. They turned the gun over to police and were arrested and held for questioning.

As a result of Preston’s stories and actions, at least five people, including the Casper’s, were arrested and investigated. There was no evidence of drugs or excessive amounts of money flowing through anyone’s hands. All were cleared of any wrongdoing, but the Casper’s names remained connected with the case for the duration.

Preston provided a full confession and admitted to the murder, but refused to sign a confession. Within a few days, federal narcotics agents and other local investigators found plenty of evidence to suggest that Preston committed this murder completely on his own, and zero evidence to suggest that any of his stories about a drug ring were true.

Preston refused to talk with reporters about his allegations and would not sign anything confirming his story. “They have not got the dope ring members. The less said the better, until they have ’em.”

The Hutchinson News, Friday, February 17, 1950

The boring legal stuff

The case was handled swiftly – it took just 14 months from the murder to his execution, which wasn’t uncommon at the time, but today it is surprising to see the wheels of justice move without slowing down.

Preston was arraigned on first degree murder charges within a few days of his arrest. He didn’t have an attorney and refused to plead one way or another, so a plea of innocent was entered by the judge on his behalf.

When the subject of bail was brought up, the judge explained that Preston was not eligible for bail because the “proof is evident and the presumption great.” Preston remarked to the court “I couldn’t make bond even if I was allowed to.”

The news reported that Preston was dressed in “an ill-fitting sweatshirt” and “gray plaid trousers” and said his “black hair was neatly combed, but he had not shaved.”

The Atchison Daily Globe, Sunday, February 19, 1950

At his preliminary hearing in March 1950, the state presented evidence and called several witnesses to link Preston with the murder of John Watkins. This evidence included Preston’s confession, the tour he took police on of the crime scene and the route he drove to Derby, and the diagram he drew of his room at the YMCA to show where the bullet casings could be found.

There was no question that Preston did this, but the official plea entered was innocent, and he had the right to a jury trial. A jury trial was scheduled for April.

It was reported that more than 20 people showed up for the preliminary hearing, including Preston’s parents. They also thought it import to report that Preston was wearing “a tieless white shirt, blue trousers, and army combat boots.”

Later that month, county attorneys asked that Preston undergo a mental evaluation. His bizarre tales of narcotics ring rightfully brought his mental condition into question, especially after federal narcotics agents got involved and determined it was a lie. Preston was examined behind closed doors by a court appointed sanity commission to determine whether he was capable of standing trial. If Preston were deemed insane and not competent to stand trial, he may have been sent to the state hospital.

The Hutchinson News, Wednesday, March 22, 1950

For his sanity hearing, Preston was reported to be dressed in “gray trousers and light shirt” and “appeared more worried about a pair of his shoes that were in the sheriff’s office than he did about the hearing.”

After a two hour evaluation, Preston was determined to be legally sane, and a jury trial was scheduled for April 1950.

The Wichita Beacon, Wednesday, March 29, 1950

While Preston was waiting to go to jury trial, the jailers reported that he was calm and confident. He spent his time in jail reading comic books, detective stories, and sleeping.

Jury selection for Preston’s trial began on April 17, 1950, just two months after the murder of John Watkins. Preston was dressed in “a new pin-striped suit,” and the paper reported that he had grown a moustache. He wasn’t handcuffed for the duration of the trial.

Most of the jurors were disqualified for either already having formed an opinion about the case, or for being opposed to the death penalty. The court questioned over 100 people before settling on 12. Preston was said to have watched jury questioning intently.

The court and the public learned during jury selection that Preston’s second ex-wife, Dorothy, suffered a heart attack upon being served a subpoena to appear as a defense witness.

The Hutchinson News, Monday, April 17, 1950

Jury selection was complete on Tuesday, and the state began presenting their case that afternoon to a packed courtroom. More than 20 witnesses were presented to the court over the next two days, recounting evidence that had already been presented in the local newspapers.

The defense began presenting their case on Thursday. Preston’s attorneys did not plan to present any evidence of an international drug ring, and they did not refute any of the evidence presented by the defense.

Despite being found legally sane, Preston’s defense was insanity.

The Hutchinson News, Thursday, April 20, 1950

The defense called a few witnesses that helped explain who Preston was and what his movements were the day before the murders, but they didn’t do much to establish any kind of a valid defense.

The key witnesses for the defense were the two psychiatrists who performed his sanity evaluation. Neither of the psychiatrists had changed their position; they would not say that Preston was legally insane. Both of the psychiatrists who testified for the defense said he did not meet the state’s criteria for being legally insane. They said Preston knew right from wrong.

However, both seemed to agree that he was “ill adapted to social life.” They confirmed that he suffered from an unsound mind, a psychotic personality, or some other kind of emotional illness. They also agreed that he was a pathological liar and removed from reality. While he may not have fit the legal definition of insane, they claimed was not responsible for his actions due to his state of mind.

His ex-wife, Dorothy, was not called to testify. The defense rested on Friday.

The Wichita Eagle, Friday, April 21, 1950

The all-male jury didn’t take long to deliberate. On Saturday, April 22, 1950, the jurors returned their guilty verdict.

The jurors could have chosen several different verdicts and punishments, including hard labor for life, but they agreed on first degree murder from the first vote, and all opted to give Preston the death penalty.

After the verdict was read, Preston asked the judge if he could say something, but he was told no. A reporter who managed to catch him in the courthouse elevator reported him as saying, “I didn’t expect this.”

The Wichita Beacon, Saturday, April 22, 1950

Preston was scheduled to be hanged July 1, 1950, but his lawyers took the case to the Kansas supreme court, arguing that Preston was indeed insane.

Each of their appeals was met with the same answer – Preston didn’t fit the legal definition of insanity. The court pointed out that even his own experts agreed with that.

The Wichita Beacon, Saturday, January 6, 1951

Preston made a last ditch plea to the governor of Kansas, but that didn’t work either.

Governor Edward Arn said, “there is no alternative but to deny the application. I wish there were. Little can be said at a time like this to pleas of a condemned man and his family. I am sorry, extremely sorry, there are no extenuating circumstances to justify the commutation of such a sentence.”

The Wichita Eagle, Wednesday, April 4, 1951

All of Preston’s appeals for mercy were denied, and the execution was set to move forward on April 6, 1951.

Preston was to be the seventh man hanged by the state of Kansas since the capital punishment law was re-enacted in 1935.

Council Grove Republican, Wednesday April 4, 1951

Preston McBride’s Final Days

Preston was said to be calm when he was informed that his appeals were all rejected, and seemed to accept his fate. He met with the prison chaplain on April 4, 1951 and was baptized in the Catholic faith. The chaplain reportedly stayed with him constantly until his execution.

There is no indication that Preston was raised Catholic or that his family had any connection to Catholicism (although his first wife, Imogene, did). Aside from the mentioning to the Casper’s that he wanted to join the ministry, he had no other apparent interest in religion prior to his baptism.

The Hutchinson News, Wednesday, April 4, 1951

The jail warden said Preston was doing “pretty well” and “all right,” and had told prison officials that he was “ready to go.”

For his last meal, Preston chose a well-done T-bone steak, French fries, creamed corn, strawberry ice cream, angel food cake and a bottle of milk. “He ate enough food for two or three people,” the deputy warden told reporters. Preston finished the meal off with a cigar and visited with his parents before being transferred from death row to a solitary cell 300 yards from the gallows where he waited for the next several hours.

The Wichita Eagle, Friday, April 6, 1951

Reporters and observers were told to gather at 11:15 p.m. Thursday night, as the hanging was expected just after 1 a.m. It’s not clear if his parents were present for his execution.

News reports claimed that Preston had confessed that the dope ring story was a lie, and that he had killed John Watkins to steal the car.

Preston’s final words were: “May God bless everybody. May God bless me. All of you fellows pray for me and I will pray for you. May Jesus have mercy on me.”

It took over 13 minutes for Preston’s heart to stop beating.

Who Was John Watkins?

John Watkins did not have an obituary, and if there was a funeral, it was not covered in the newspaper. The tale that may have been told of his life was eclipsed by the circumstances of his death. John never married and did not have any documented children. He was survived by two brothers and no other immediate family members.

John Clinton Watkins, born on July 15, 1888, in Mont Ida, Kansas, was the son of Lafayette Watkins and Mary Jane “Jenny” Van Scoyoc. Although he was not their first child, he was the first to survive infancy. John had a total of four brothers, but two of them passed away before he reached the age of 20.

Growing up in Mont Ida was seemingly uneventful for John, or at least uneventful enough to generate a record of anything exciting in the local papers. John’s younger brothers attended school in Mont Ida, and while census records say he could read and write, he didn’t attended school. His father served as a Sunday school teacher, likely at the Methodist Episcopal church in Mont Ida, suggesting that John may have been a member of that faith. Throughout life, John held various jobs and was generally regarded as a well-liked individual.

John was nearly 30 when he embarked on a journey from Anderson County to the Amish town of Yoder, Kansas, where he took on the responsibility of managing a grain elevator. Some reports said he owned this grain elevator in Yoder, but there’s no evidence that he did. He clearly missed being home.

It’s not clear how successful John was at running the grain elevator in Yoder, or how long he worked there. A few years after arriving in Yoder to run the elevator, John reported that he was working in a restaurant, and while he was known to hold more than one job at a time, he didn’t go back to farming after this.

John’s WWI draft registration card dated June 5, 1917

At some point in the 1920’s, John relocated to Hutchinson a few miles north of Yoder and began working at a local transfer and warehouse company as a night watchman. John was a big man – about 275 pounds and nearly 6 feet tall – but there was no indication that he had an intimidating nature. He was described by people who knew him as “stout” or “huge,” but never things like “aggressive.”

John’s WWII registration card dated April 27, 1942

John was a lifelong bachelor. He didn’t own a home, and could be found rooming around Hutchinson at various houses and hotels. In addition to being a night watchman, he was also taxi driver for the Yellow Cab Company on-and-off for about 25 years. The owner of the taxi company described him as being “well off financially.”

Polk’s Hutchinson City Directory, 1924

Taxi driving was seasonal work for John. He had been back to work for about 3 weeks after a temporary layoff for the winter when he gave Preston McBride a ride on February 15, 1950.

John Watkins is buried with his family at Mont Ida Cemetery in Mont Ida, Kansas.

Resources:

https://www.ancestry.com/

https://www.findagrave.com/

https://www.newspapers.com/

Articles referenced:

Hutchinson Cab Driver Slain – February 16, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Slayer of Watkins Is Captured: Fantastic Tale of “Dope” Ring Told By Killer – February 16, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Drug Link In Slaying – February 16, 1950, The Kansas City Star, Missouri

Drug Rink Death Link – February 16, 1950, The Iola Register, Kansas

Ex-convict Claims Hutchinson Man Threatened to ‘Snitch’ After Argument Over Split of Profits; Murder Price $1,500 Plus Own Family’s Safety – February 16, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

Confessed Slayer Says Cabbie’s Death Ordered by Narcotics Smuggling Ring: Air Delivery of $42,000 In Drugs Here Is Alleged – February 16, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

Wichita Man Admits Slaying – February 16, 1950, The Parsons Sun, Kansas

Watkins Slain in Reno: Officials Taken To Spot By McBride; Motive Is Mystery – February 17, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Wichitan Tells Of Death Ride: Flaws Found In Dope Ring Story – February 17, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Wichita – February 17, 1950, Arizona Republic, Arizona

Alleged Slayer Held In Dope Gangland Plot – February 17, 1950, Corsicana Daily Sun, Texas

Doubt Drug Ring Link to Slaying – February 17, 1950, The Iola Register, Kansas

McBride Held Without Bond – February 18, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

Unruffled McBride Sticks to His Tale Of Big Dope Ring – February 18, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

New Murder Evidence Against Wichitan Found In Hutchinson Inquiry – February 18, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

Officers Trace Slayer’s Gun to Hutchinson – February 19, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, Kansas

Youth Arraigned In Taxi Cab Slaying – February 19, 1950, The Atchison Daily Globe, Kansas

Dope Ring Tale Amazes Couple – February 19, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

Slayer of Watkins Is Captured: Fantastic Tale of “Dope” Ring Told By Killer – February 16, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Death Charge Today Against McBride – February 18, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Mute Before Court – February 19, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

SO FAR editorial – February 20, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Wichita, Kansas

Hearing in Murder Case Set for Tuesday – February 24, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

McBride Hearing Set for March 2 – February 29, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

Confessed Slayer’s Hearing Is Today – March 2, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

McBride to Stand Trial in Slaying – March 2, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

McBride Must Face Jury in Feb. 15 Killing – March 2, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Terms Dope Yarn Fantastic – March 5, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Sanity Hearing For Slayer – March 22, 1950 The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Sanity Test For McBride – March 22, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Test Sanity Of McBride – March 27, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride’s Trial Starts April 19 – March 29, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

McBride To Stand Trial – March 29, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Murder Case Comes First – April 3, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride’s Murder Trial Opens Apr. 10 – April 3, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

McBride Trial Delayed Week – April 6, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Trial Postponed: Officials also in Stoddard Case – April 8, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

McBride’s Trial Starts April 19 – March 29, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

Death Penalty Opponents Off – April 17, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kanas

McBride Jury Nearly Chosen – April 18, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

McBride Admitted Crime, Davis Says – April 18, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

State Opens Murder Case – April 19, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Talked Of Entering Ministry – April 19, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Talked Of Clerical Role – April 19, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

Murder Prosecution Conclusion Soon – April 20, 1950, The Parsons Sun, Kansas

Insanity Plea for Preston McBride – April 20, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Insanity Plea Indicated in McBride Case – April 20, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

Defense Takes Over In McBride Case – April 21, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Case Defense Opens – April 21, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

Choice Of 5 Verdicts For McBride Jury – April 21, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Defense Rests in Slaying Case – April 21, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

McBride Case In Hands Of Jurors – April 22, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride to Hang for Slaying Cab Driver: Wichitan, 24, Guilty Of Murder In First Degree – April 22, 1950, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

First Degree Murder Verdict – April 22, 1950, The Parsons Sun, Kansas

Death Penalty Stirs Court – April 23, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Ask New Trial For McBride – April 25, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Delay In Appeal Hearing For McBride – April 29, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Favors New Sanity Test – May 1, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

New Trial For McBride Overruled – May 2, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride to Die July 1 – May 3, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Gets Death Sentence – May 3, 1950, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

McBride To State Prison – May 10, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Case Is Appealed – May 20, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

April Jury Cost $2717 – May 25, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Gets Delay In Death – May 15, 1950, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Ruling Is Due In Death Case – January 5, 1951, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

Court Upholds Death Sentence – January 6, 1951, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

McBride Must Die, Is Court Decree – January 7, 1951, The Salina Journal, Kansas

McBride Must Face Gallows – January 7, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Would Dodge Gallows – February 2, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Hangs April 6 – February 7, 1951, The Emporia Gazette, Kansas

McBride Must Die Apr. 6 – February 7, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Cabbie Slayer To Die April 6 – February 7, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Ask Clemency For McBride – March 30, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Dawson Silent After Talk With McBride – April 2, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

Arn Deciding if McBride Hangs – April 3, 1951, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

McBride Loses Appeal To Arn – April 4, 1951, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

McBride Must Die Friday – April 4, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

McBride Calm When Informed Appeal Lost – April 4, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas

No Reprieve From Gallows – April 4, 1951, The Parsons Sun, Kansas

To Be Hanged Friday – April 4, 1951, Council Grove Republican, Kansas

Wichitan Must Die For Hutch Slaying – April 4, 1951, The Iola Register, Kansas

Condemned Man Orders T-Bone – April 5, 1951, The Parsons Sun, Kansas

Steak Dinner Is Last Meal For McBride – April 6, 1951, The Wichita Eagle, Kansas

McBride Pays For Murder Of Taxi Driver – April 6, 1951, The Wichita Beacon, Kansas

McBride Dies On Gallows – April 6, 1951, The Iola Register, Kansas

Convicted Slayer Dies On Gallows at Lansing – April 6, 1951, The Emporia Gazette, Kansas

McBride Pays With life For Cold Blood Killing – April 6, 1951, The Hutchinson News, Kansas