Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-07-11

the clothing turned wrong side out and money,
k=ys, ihncushiop, kblfe, and other tr icles be-
iouf'uv to The deceased gooe. The murder &C
cur-d about three quarters OF a mile from the
station, 10 front of the gate ltadiox 10 tha firm
Of MIR. Shumatr. with whom the deco ssed
boarded. Mr. Holtzclaw Was left at the iauc.
too by Mr.. Weaver. bis assistant, abou: the
time the $40 Dorth bound train arrived there
90 the evening of the Glib of February, and it
is supposed that shortly after announcing the
passage Of that train to tue ofioe 10 Alexaodris
he started alone for bis lodgifgs at MIR Shu
mates, nnd was murdered while on tie way.
Upon examination the truck of the d, C .ased
was fluid to have been broken opeo 10 bis
room and suit Of oiothiog was missed there
from. Mr.. HoItzcaw not being 10 pi; C, the
next inoroipg, the family becoming uneasy, To-
sti uted search, which resulted 10 the discovery
OF bis lfeless body between the telegraph cfice
and Mrs. Shumate's house. 1t seems the as.
ssssin PR ;eded 10 bis work with 6endlsh
deliberatiou worthy the celebrated Probsr, hay'
log fist built bll0d 10 the pathway OF his vic
tim aud there awaited his approach. The ball
and slugs entered just above the oe Of HoI z
claws eyes. and must have produced iustsota
ue0us death.
Suspicion soon began to cast her argus eyes
6rJuud 10 search OF tho guilty ulsn, aud Was
DOT long 10 6ylsg upon Juhu Williams. He
had been employed at the juRcior; bad Dor
rowed a quo % tie evening # the 6 q OF Feb
ruary; had been seen armed GEAR the pac: Of
the murder. Following the tracks from the
biod behind which Hol:z,aw was ohot to Jake
Washiugtons. colJred, uear Malrose, the mus
kat which Williams had borrowed was loud.
The woman OF The house said WiIIism5 had
Abb ii No.
more, who were in pursuit CT Williams. started
made the ares; at the latter place. Bill Allan,
colored, took of his cvut there AID advised
Williams to resist arrest. The presentation Of
a pistol oau.ed Doth to surrender Williams
was lodged il Ill. Ga his person VAS tourd u
pearl handle knife, sc cents, end bottle Of
wbiskey. His shoes corresponded with the
tracks.
A. the ceroncr's Inquest held upon the body
of the deceased, furtf er eVid ,rce was adduced,
showing that tbs prIs ,ner WAS the man who
had committed the murder, aud verdict was
returned of death from a gun shot wound at
the hands Of John Williams.
After the ques, ard WhGn the tacls became
generally knuWD, To. feeling in WaIrenton be
came so intense against the prlsouer that fears
w:ro entertained thst be wcul5 be IyDchcd, but
the Hon. Jymss Keith, Judge ct the Circuit
Court With bis characteristic Determination
that law and justice should take lis regular
c urse, ordered the .prisoper to be sect
down on the Midland train and lodged 10 the
Alexandria j.il, for safe keeping, I'LL talr
trial could be given him. While 10 jail there
Williams was interviewed by reporter for the
Gszette, to whom he denied his guilt. H0
claimed not to have seen Hozc aw since
Christmas, and had been staying with Jake
Washington, the negro from whom be borrow
ed the quo, for sJme time. The gun Wss fire.
uaeutiy borrowed by him, Williams. bat bad
not, TO his Knowledge, been discharged for
mare ihau week, uur had it been loaded with
slugs. TIE kulfe fuuGd on bim, be said, Was
givcu to him by party from Wasbiugtoo.
NytTiths aDd1g this denial, which " ,lIIams
asserted most positively at the time, lorg be-
lore tho day Of trial csm3 Cd, what trom the
first appeared to be strong ev'd-tc: against
him, became stronger, and the chsin Of cir.
c1mstantiaI proof, supported by tie parO trs
timony Of Witnesses, became so pertec, c)u
elusive aud overwhelming that Williams de-.
teruincd to make clean breast IF iL by cob-
fesslon. He at one time preterd:d that there
were ooufederat.s associated with him 10 the
commission of the deed With which be was
charged, but his statements 10 this regard were
so Conflicting and contradictory that 20 one be-
lieved them, and he finally scknowled dyed that
be alone bad planned AID Executed the murder,
His coUfcss,ou. which is as follows, was first
made to the TAILOR Of Fauquier. but suoss
quently to any one who desr ID TO hear him re-
etc the details Of bis crime. He said
His home was at Jake WashiDgtoD's he
had been 10 the habit of huntiog with Jake 8
gun, and had shot IF the load that Jake
thought was 10 it about the middle OF January.
On the last day of that month be had reloaded
il with No. shot bought of MIR. Wetmore.
10 loading at that time, as Was bis custom, be
wet the shot to make them keep together. He
borrowed the quo OF Jake's wife about half
an hour to sun set 90 the OF February. The
load put in it by him 90 the last day Of Jauu-
ary WAS then 10 it. He carried the gun to the
nearest point 10 piece of piues noe far from
MIR. Martins house, and vent empty handed
up 10 bis quarters to see Bill Allan. He. Viii.
Ilams hau been broodirg over the thought OF
robolng Hoitzosw for several days, but before
that ,imo had DOT thong BIT Of sbootir him. He
had half pint of whskey 10 bis pocke' that
and The devil made him commit the crlue oil
murder.
He staIt,d from Allau's when he heard the
Warrenton engine whistle fer MeIrose Station,
and went by the pioes, for the gun. When at
Melrose he followed the railroad track to War
renton JUNCTION. He passed the Telegraph
Office at the Ju1ctoo 10 which there Was light,
but did not look 10, or see who was there. He
followed the track to the bridge, took up q
piauk from the bridge, carried it perhaps IS
yards and set it up beside the fence near the
stle stood behind that plank and waited the
approach Of Hozclaw He has no idea how
lor e be was there. The moon shone through
the clouds, aud be saw Holrzclaw coming.
When about ten or twelve PAGES of be aimed
at bis body and fred. HollzcIsW fell. He did
DOT want to kill him. Has been sorry for it
ever since. He sat down the quo, r6ed HoI'z
claws pockets, taking pocket book aod So 81
10 silver, watch aud chain, q penkuife and
pin cushion looking glass. Picked up the gun,
got back over the fence, went through Manns
woods, crossed the county road Leading to Ba-
ststle's, and went on till be reached a 6=ld with
underground in it. There he transferred bank
notes 10 pocket beck to bis oreeches pocket and
threw it sway From thence he went to Al
i l.