The true northerner., 1881-01-28
Confession of Fred. Olds.

Readers OF The Northerner will remember
seeing IN this journal few weeks since tel
sgram from Topeka, Kansas TO the New York
World, to the effect that Fred. Olds, who, in the
summer OF 1874, plead guilty to the murder OF
one ID. w. Ferris, At Topeka, in the spring OF
that year, had made confession, charging his
father with the preparation OF the crime. Both
were arrested at the ii pe. The father commit
ted suicide in California some months since
Young Olds is respectfully connected here by
his mothers family, and many probabilities
support the truth OF his statement, which is as
follows:
LANsING, Kansas, Nov. 2S, 1880.
l, Fred Olds, havs made up my mind to make
a full confession far as l can IN regard to the
murder Of D. w. Ferris, who was supposed to
have been murdered in his store at Topeka in
the year 1874, and the third month OF the same
year. don't remember the day OF the month
for sure, but think II was the 9th or 7tb. On
the day OF the murder, which was the 9th or 7th
day OF March, 1874, we had very severe hail
storm, and the day was very dsagreeab!e one
and bad day Tor express business, which my
father was then engaged in. About ten o'clock
in the morning OF the day on which this CRIME
was committed, l met my father on the coyner
OF Seventh street and Kansas avenue. ] noticed
that he had been drinking, bat that was nothing
new, as he Lad been in the habit OF getting
drunk most every day. AS I approached he
motioned me 10 come 10 him then be asked me
il my gun was at home and il It was loaded. /
told him that my gun was at home, and loaded,
but that It had no cap on-that / never left a
cap on il while il was loaded and in the house
He said that was all right, but he wanted me 10
go home and get my gun and put cap on It
and take II over TO the store--meaning Ferris
store-and leave it there and then come back
and find him, for lie would have some work for
nee to do. Knowing that il refused TO obey
him there would lie trouble, / went home 10 do
as he told me. Mother was sick and in bed.
got the gun and was looking for the caps, for
they had got misplaced. asked mother where
they were, but sue did net know. / found them
soon after and put one on and took the gun
over TO the store. When got there / found a
man in the store with Ferris, but this mac left
soon sitter | came IL. don't know this man
name, but lie was witness at the trial left
the store soon after he did, 7 left the gun al
the end OF the counter which bad flour on it,
When | left the store Ferris was writing il
was between IL and II O'Clock when l left the
store and. went up town to look for father and
see what it was he wanted me 10 do but
couldn't find him. HE horse was hitched on
the avenue, between Sixth aud Seventh streets.
/ went and played game OF billiards, and when
went back the horse wae gone. About three
o'clock IN the afternoon saw my father com
lug up the avenue IN bis wagon. went and
got III with him and asked him what he wanted
me to do. He said be Lad just done that job
but he had another job for NE, and good one.
He raid he had just met Ferns and that Ferris
was going off on trip and wanted me to run
the store till he came back. l asked father why
he was going away and bow long he was to be
gone. Father said he was going off TO get mar
RED, AID did not know how loug he would be
gone. Father then gave me twenty five dollars
in money and tue key to th store, and told mC
tha; could go aud play billiards the rest Of the
/
/ wanted to, int that l must De ready to oper
the store N the morning and attend to the bus.
ness. That evening went on regular spree
didn't go homo 10 supper and didn't 30 home
/ that night, bGt stayed all night with some frIent
IN store up town. They we're also at the trid
aud swore that / was with them that evening
/ and stayed with them all night. In the morn
! ;V,v 4 md .gop "a
went and opened the store and run it all day.
About ha!t-past seven IN the evening fathe
came into the store-there was no one the.t
then but me. After We had talked awhile fathe
said Fred, have got to bitch up old Charlie,
! (Charley was the name or our horse) after
him. He then got up aud went TO looking owe
some bills when the police officers came in an,
arrested us !; said they wanted 10 make search
I One OF the neighbors had ms.yusted that some
thing was wrong, 20 he went up town in searcl
OF man who was a great friend OF Ferris, I
ask him il be knew anything abou. Ferris gon
away. This man said he didn't know anythn
about 1t, but he knew that Ferris would not g
away without letting him know OF il; so the
got the officers 10 make the search.
Some of the officers who went down celia
came up IN little while and said they ha
found the leg Of man. Then they tied fathe
and me with rope add took us TO jail. On th
road to the jail father told me to keep still an
say nothing. AS soon as we reached the ia
we were searched and locked up. Father wa
put on one side Of the jail and me on the otht
80 we could not speak with each other. Th'
night was convinced that my father, while III
der the influence OF driuk had killed Ferris
When was brought up TO be examined by th
the coroner I convicted myself by shielding N
father.
In week or so after the arrest father 81
out on bail. As the trial wasn't 10 come o
until July, had to wait FIVE months in JAIL
During that time l frequently received vsi
from my father, mother and friends. On OF
these visits father told me that there was bs
in the jaer's Office, on top OF a cupboard, tn
contained his boots and that he Wanted me 4