Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-01-02
RICHARDS, THE WIT. PLEAS
ANT CRIMINAL,
He COnfesses 10 Six Murd ers, and
IL Accused OfNinS..

He ConEesses 10 Six Murd land
IL Accused OfNiRss.
As many persons in the region north
of US have some knowledge of the
young man Richards, formerly ol
Mt. Pleasant, who, according TO his
own statements, is guilty of a number
of most strocious crimes, everything
concerning him is eagerly sought after
On Thursday of last week, the Nebras
ka officers who came to Steubenville,
had reached Chicago on their return
with their prisoner. A Cincin nati Ca
zette reporter sought out the party and
10 that paper of Friday the following
report of the interview appeared:
A man whose crimes dwarf those OF
the desperate Rand to very small pro
portions by comparison, is in this city
to-day. He is 5. ID. Richards, and this
is his second visit TO Chicago. He ar
rived this morning from near Steuben
Vile, Ohio, and will leave this evening
for Kearney, Buffalo county, Neb.,
where, on his arrival, unless he he hiss
much better luck than now seems
probable, he will be very promptly
llynched.
Our reporter called on him to-day,a
the Harrison Street Police Station,
where he is temporarily confined.
! Crouched down near The bars OF one OF
the cells the man was found. He was
crowded as closely as possible to the
light, that be might the better see to
write in a small note book. On being
spoken to, he arose sud stood erect, q
well formed, not uuprepOssessing look
ling young man, six feet two inches
high, we'll built, and tOlerably well
dressed. He wore no beard except the
stubble of weeks growth. On being
questioned, he showed decided dis.
inclination to talk. He finally soften
ed enough, however, 10 anewer ques-
tions.
i On being asked relative to his ad-
ventures in Nebraska, be said he had
made a statement, and the papers had
taken such liberties with it that he
was not disposed to say anything more
until the statement he was engaged on
when interrupted, was printed in
Steubenville paper. He finally made
statement, OF which the following il
tbe substance:
81 will be twenty-three years old
next March. My mother is dead, and
my father, who was until recently 8
farmer, and other relatives, live in JEFF
ferson county, Ohio. l went West
about two years ago, and have spent
most of the time since then in Nebras-
ka, although | have been further
West. Soon after arriving in Nehras-
ka | fell in with another man, and we
travelled together under assumed
names We did not do much of any
thing. l did very little work in Ne.
braska. l had some money when
went West, and got more. [ did moi
work for it, but got it in different
ways. After travelling with my part
ner for a while, we had difficulty land
he disappeared near Sand Hill. The
circumstance that led TO his disappear
ance was cartridge from revolver
carried. shot the man. l did not
bury him. There was no serious trou
BILE betX cen us. / then rOamed about
across Mrs. Mary l.. Harrelson, neal
|, Kearney, Illinois. Buffalo county,
whose husband had broken Jail ano
ran away the last of October or first o.
November. gave out that she had
lgone to meet her husband, and hao
sold me all her property. Her dead
body and the bodies of her three chill
Idren were found under haystack.
put them there after ! killed them
and being afraid suspicion would resi-
. on me after they were found, 1 raI
away and went to Kearney county,
where cot work on farm belonging
to Peter Anderson, who was quite vel
off. He and had fight, and he gOt
killed, between my fists and ham,
J mer. 1t was only about little trouble
that arose between US. 1t was moi
about money. i did not get any money
from any OF the people l killed. The
pretended confessions which say / die
are false. The Anderson affair occurred
in the early part of this month, and
left soon after. | started from Kear
lney county two weeks ago Monday
and stopped from Tuesday until Fri
day, in Hastings, Neb.; then came
here on the Chicago, Burlington
Quincy Railroad, arriving at O'CLOCK
Saturday evening, add got shaved a
the Clifton House. I had side whis
kers when / got here, and had then
cut off, and left the same evening iol
Wheeling, w. Va where / staid ove
: ISunday, and then went up to Mt
Pleasant, where was arrested by two
citizens who knew me. / hsd expect
ed lynchiDg when get back to Kear'
ney bat the officers say will L get a fail
. trial. However il is immaterial to mt
how the matter ends. I have com
mitted the crimes, and will take ms
punishment ike man, let it come il
whatever way it may"
Being questioned further, he refused
to tell under what fictitious names ht
had trav, led, and was very positive
that the six cases he had enumerated
Z were all of the murders ne has com
!, United.
Sheriff David Anderson, of Buffalo
county. and Sheriff T. l.. Martin, o.
: Kearney county, say Richards was one
OF the leaders OF gang OF desperadoe:
who have been mnrdering and rob-
, bing on very large scale for two
years. They say there are at least nine
murders that can be traced to Rich.
ards, and perhaps more; and it is al
:. jleged that he has virtually confessed
l..