Museum Exhibit, "True Crime...Solving Notorious Cases from Finney County's History in Garden City

Museum Exhibit, "True Crime...Solving Notorious Cases from Finney County's History

The Finney County Historical Museum in Garden City will open a major new exhibit Jan. 25, featuring evidence from a 1920s crime spree and a 1950s murder case that focused unwanted national attention on Kansas. Entitled “True Crime, Solving Notorious Cases from Finney County’s History,” the 525-square foot exhibit is designed to show how the law enforcement community ended the robberies and killings perpetrated by the once-infamous Fleagle Gang, of the 1920s; and brought Richard Hickock and Perry Smith to justice after they murdered four members of the Herb and Bonnie Clutter family of Holcomb in 1959. The display will remain in place at least two years, and it incorporates over 50 historical artifacts and photographs. Those include the car window glass on which robber Jake Fleagle left his fingerprint during the commission of a murder in 1928, leading to one of the earliest convictions based on fingerprint evidence. The exhibit also includes a boot worn by one of the killers in the 1959 Clutter case, since the boot’s print in the Clutter home helped connect Hickock and Smith to the crime. The official opening and ribbon cutting event is set for 4 p.m. Jan. 25, with area law enforcement leaders on hand. Regular viewing hours are 1 to 5 p.m. seven days weekly, but the museum will remain open until 6 p.m. the day of the ribbon cutting.

Categories: Art Galleries & Exhibits | Museums & Attractions