The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-18


gazing after the rapidly disappearing train,
with open-mouthed astonishment. The
man who had leaped from the covered We
hicle and run across the platform was Jacob
/ Nelling the murderer of Ada Atkinson.
The two men who were hurrying along with
him were Sheriff Scanlon and ex-Sheritf
Harmon. Before the train had got out
of sight of Fowler the prisoner was taken
into the baggage car, where he could be bet
ter protected and kept from view.
The sheriff had become alarmed at the
threats to blow up the Jail with dynamite
and had decided to take his prisoner to
Lafayette for safe keeping. No one but the
Jail officers had been informed of the inten
tion to remove him. Just as the train had
appeared in sight in approaching the town
Nelling had been placed IN the buggy, and
the horses were driven in a gallop to the
depot by an indirect route, where Messrs.
Scanlon and Harmon were waiting to hurry
him across the platform and on the train.
He was kept closely concealed in the baggage
car, and passed through Templeton, the sta
the murder was committed, without
anyone at the place learning that he
was on the train. Melting showed that he
appreciated to the fullest the danger into
which he was likely to fall, but the iron mask
| of impeturbability which envelopes his
character seemed invulnerable to q weaken
| ing fear
Cephas Atkinson, the father of the mur-
dered girl boarded the train at Templeton,
but not until within a few miles of Lafayette
did ne learn that Melting was on the train.
When told, Mr. Atkinson exclaimed: "If I
had only known it an hour in advance, 1
could have had hundred men al the depot,
who would never have permitted him to get
out OF the county,"
A TALK WITH THE PRISONER.
The Journal representative sat beside Nell
ing during the ride from Fowler down to
Lafay cite.
'There is little danger now of a mob, re-
marked the reporter, after the train had got
well past Templeton and out of sight of
Oxford.
Yes, I believe there is only on more stop
ping-place" remarked the prisoner.
A conversation was opened up with Nell
ing relating to the particulars of his crime,
and he became more communicative than at
any time since his arrest. He answered all
interrogatories freely, and during the ride of
twenty miles from Templeton to Lafayette
he talked almost necessarily, showing no
disposition in his answers to the questions
which were put to him to conceal anything.
melting" the Journal representative
asked what was the cause of your murder
ing Ada Atkinson?
II can't tell any more than this" renlied
Melting. while l was working in the field
a kind of mania came over me, which said
that must kill some person, and the same
feeling which seemed to tell me that must
kill some one told me that it must be Ada"
And you felt that you could not control
that feeling?"
mo"
what was Ada doing when you went to
the house to kill her?'
II don't remember distinctly, but I be-
lieve she was combng her hair"
"What did you do to her frst?'
81 believe 1 cut her throat with my knife
first and don't remember what l did do
after that"
Ibid you tear her upderclothing from
her?'
81 have no recollection of doing anything
of that kind. l don't think did, because if
1 had the clothes would have been found in
the room.'
"How long were you at the house when
you committed the murder?'
II don't think was away from my work
longer than twenty or thirty minutes"
did not you go to the house with the in
tenton of outraging her?'
mo. Such a thought never once entered my
mind. If l had wanted to have done any
thing of that kind there would have been no
need of killing her. because l was big and
strong enough to do anything with her that
l might have wanted to. Such thought
never entered my mind. l always looked on
Ada just if she was my own child. I
killed her just because mania to do it came
over me-"
do you believe Melting, that this theory
of a mania completely takes away ones
senses?' was asked.
81 do not advocate it as theory, but 1
state it as a fact"
do you remember what YOU did to the
girl after cutting her throat?'
81 do not 1t all seems to me like dream.
l know that went to the house to kill her,
and that cut her throat, but l have no dis
tinct recollection of what else happened.
It's just like dream to me. l can't real
ize it,"
did you ever have mania to murder
some one come over you before"'
Never One time in Pennsylvania I had
a spell something like it. l wandered away
from home, and came to myself in stubble-
field, eight miles away My sister-I have
three sisters in Pennsylvania-got letter
from my wife about this"
DEED THAT BANIsHED SLEEP.
"Since you murdered Ada, how have you
felt?'
81 have not had a single nights rest. I
can't Sleep Night before last (Mondaynight)
while was lying in my cell, Ada walked in,
and her face was deathly pale. AS she came
| in at my cell door, she said: Jake, you need
not worry about me; Emma and l are hav-
ing good time and then she walked back
across the CELL and disappeared again through
the door"
"W no is EmmaY'
| EnIna was an oluer SISTER OF Ada. She
died about six or seven years ago"
You are sure that it was Ada who APP
peared to you in your cell?'
YES"
"Eow was she dressed?'
81 have no remem brance of how she was
dressed, but 1 know she looked deathy
pale"
did she have bIood-marks about her
throat as she appeared to your"
mo"
did the sight of her make you feel bad?'
"Not justat that time"
'Neling, what preparations are you max
ing for your trial?' asked the Journal repre-