The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-09-04
CONFESSION OF & CRIME.
Charles Drew Under Sentence of
Death COnfes-es the Murder OF
Raber at Reading. Pa, for His Life
Insurance Money.

Charles Drew Under Sentence of
Death Confes-es the Murder OF
Raber at Reading. Pa, for Ills Life
Insurance Money.
READING, Pa, Sept. Charles Drew,
under sentence of death as one Of the prin-
cipals in the Riber murder, has made a
confession. He Gays: Invent to Brandt
last summer. We sat on the porch and he
treated to beer and We both felt the effects.
He said We could make money and lie told
me how. said would consider it and f.
nslly asked him if he was alone. He re-
piled there were three others were with
him. He mentioned Hummell and Wise.
| said | did not know them. He then Of
iered to bring them up. | saw them and
only knew Wise. From boyhood up
knew him. then agreed and they insured
Raber | said il was hard thing to kill
Raber. He said they could make
money when they again met-there were
five interested. Hummell also spoke about
il. Wise came and asked wheihet | was
TO kill Raber; | told hun | wasn't certain.
He urged NE to go ahead, and they would
shoot me if didn't. | promised but never
intended to do it, as the insurance had all
been affected. Brandt aflerwsrd. said they
had all ready and if | hadn't killed him
they would me, and to save my life |
promised A week or 40 afterwards Wise
said | should not do it az far AZ he was
concerned, a. he said he didn't like
the lob. | think 1t was the same
day he said | had to kill
Raber; asked Siickier because couldn'i
do it. Stickler said he didn't care, he
could kill anyone, but bargained ! should
90 along, which promi- bat declared
would not touch Rtber. Then Raber came
to my house and We went off together with
StickIer ! was first, Rtber was in the
middle. with Si kler following | went
over the plank and Raber got on it, when
Stickler got R4ber by tine legs, threw him
in and jumped on top of him. Rsber fell
below tie plank. went back TO the fierce
Ii was first intended to drown R,ber
in the dam. Brandt had planned
that Kaber was 10 go fishing at
Kitzmilier's and then / WAS to drown
him. We went, and Peters and Brandt
were with us. When | saw the dam |
could not do it, and said | would return,
when R.ber replied YES, its too cold"
and how pitied him.
Drowning at the plank afterwards wss
the plan Of Brand's Brandt had promised
me three hundred dollars, and that the
others should get the same. Tie promised
Trickler nothing. | tried to coax EiIj an
TsiTkIer but he would not 90 with me.
ssid to Mark | would give him three hun
dred dollars after was paid.
Wnen il WAS done they tried to swlndle
me out of it all and kill me. This was
planned behind shed at Brandt's. They
told me in Jail. When they asked me to
go by way OF Rankstown | thought they
wanted to kill me then. Brandt always
urged me in Jail to keep quiet abou; the
matter, az they hoped TO get clear. ldidn't
see the conspirators very often about mat
tiers | engaged Frank Slickler to do the
Job after the Kitsmiller plan failed. |
didn't 20 in tine water after the drowning.
Siickler walked to my house and We went
to Brsndt's | did not see the old mans
struggles The plank was made wet by
the splash when Raber fell. Brandt had
l. ,ber insured IN another company to kill
him, but the company failed, and with 1t
the plan Brandt told me what 10 say be-
fore the corOners iIquest; II was part OF
the general plan. Brandt urged me while
in Jail not to confess. He called at nv cell
to-day for that purpose. | sm afraid OF
him, but not of the Others. Ii you hang
me you will hang an innocent man.