The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-30
M'DoLE, THE MURD ERER
BEHIND THE BARS.


VISIT TO M'DoLE IN PRIsoE-HIs PERSON
Al. APPEARANCE AND LIFE HIsToRY-THE
PUBLIC FEELING REGARDING HIS GUILT.
The Cincinnati Enquirer of the 26th inst.
gives the following interesting account of
visit to the cell of the supposed murderer.
William M'Dole: ''On Wednesday night
last an Enquirer reporter accomplished an
'interview' under peculiarly solemn circum-
stances. he was kindly admitted by Louis
Weitzel, the famous sheriff of Dearborn
county, Indiana, into the presence of Will
liam McDole, committed that very afternoon
without bail, to answer for the murder of
the Bradley family" with the horror of
which deed the countryside was vet
ringing. 1t was only 8 o'clock, but already
without the Jail could be heard the muir
muring of the fast gathering crowd of men
prisoner. He was to be taken, so ran the
wild rumor, with its only foundation in the
fact that such horrible things had been sug-
gested, to the lonely cabin where the man
gled corpses of the woman and her children
had been found. There he was to be tied to
the stake, or nailed to the floor, while the
wretched and blood-stained hovel was given
to the flames. The moon rays, as they scant-
lily showed through the heavily barred win
dow on the north, were wierdly suggestive
of what the proposed ride to "the Bradley
hut" and its tragic termination was to be-
If consideraed merely from a dramatic
standpoint. The professional instinct of the
reporter was therefore naturally strongly
aroused, and he was eager for 1.-THE last inter
view." AS the sheriff went out momentarily,
however, even his journalistic confidence
was shaken for an instant, for while triple
barred iron door closed tightly behind him,
the hastily introduced Monster lowered,
a lank but brawny giant, in the dim lamp
light before. standing erect in the corridor of
the Jail. What might not that man attempt
for liberty, with the door unlocked and the
road to freedom apparently blocked by only
one life, when three had not stood as straw
INTHE WAY OF HIS LUST!
The footstep of the sheriff behind showing
that he was on the alert, and the calm, sub
dued tone of the prisoner, as he replied to
our greeting. gave speedy reinsurance. If
even William McDole was the fiend who
sprang upon that defenceless woman and
those tender girls, msddened with passion
and liquor, and reveled like a Ayena in their
blood, change had come over him. There
stood there only a long, bony, well-knit
man, of q type common in Eastern and
Western Tennessee, and as self possessed as
if there were no avengers on his track, no
bloodhounds even then giving tongue
to the eoal-oil dip that fared weakly on
the top of the stove, to let us have look at
his head. No semi-idiot there, If we be
Judge. The long, attenuated jaws widen as
the forehead is reached, and there are strong
indications of an average brain, lost and
stupefied by vice, ignorance and disuse, it
may be, but still an average, or more than
an average brain. We do not startle the
man by overanxiety to make him talk, but
did the talking. and questioned him indi-
rectly and gradually, for he was reputed
wary aud taciturn, and had baffied every at
tempt so far. Convinced finally that
we came on unfriendly errand,
he spoke freely in answer to
every interrogation. He was Buck
eye-not Tennesseean. He did not know
town." be had been once in the Second
Reader, but he suffered badly, and the
other boys and girls would laugh, and so
the teacher would hurry past his turn.
Would he take drink from our flask? No,
thank you; well, little, then (taking a
very ordinary pull at the fine brandy prof
fered.) He was not hard drinker. Could
he stand great deal? No; very little got
the best of him. He didn't understand
much about courts. When he had held up
his hand and sworn that day
JEEY HAD cHoKED HIM OFF.
BE could tell the whole story-in his own
way. Would he do it for friend? Yes.
How then did he account for his where
abouts on Monday night and Tuesday? He
was at home at 10 o'clock Monday night.
Where on Tuesday? He was at home on
Tuesday. All day Tuesday, He was home
ON Tuesday Half the town could swear
that he often lay low whole day. why
should any one have seen him? Then that
mar. Truitt. who had sworn about
the turning-up of his pants; he had
said there were two turns, and there
never was but one (showiDg the one turn(
What would he do If a committee OF citizens
would wait on him? He'd tell them he was
clear of this thing. o. yes; but when tna'
would not satisfy, would he tell them Wnere
he was on Tuesday? He'd tell Them be was
clear of this thing. At this point the snerin
bade the prisoner enter his cell, NO. ., on
the right OF the low tier Of ceil-rOoms In tnt
iron bound corridor. AS he looked out tt
say good night, and having asked fora news.
paper to use as fan, received palm-leaI
we asked him If he appreciated tina
he was in a dangerous position! hs
replied, with the only show OF excitement
manifested since his arrest, Il know ina
there is God, and can pray" The Sner
iff, acting on this hint, said, "Biliy,.n yo'
want to talk to q minister, say So" In
prisoner replied, ST want to do what's rlgnt
but If I got preacher then they wculd So.
something was wrong, sure" he went Oh
to say that he had once joined churcn up U
Elizabethtown," but they hadn't treateo nin -
right and he had quit. As we withdrew q
exclaimed, with emotion, through the par