Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-11-30
THE STORY OF CRIME.
Confession of Little Bill Kinney, the
Murderer.
BRUTAL MANNER OF DoYLE's MURDER
He Shows That His Uncle, Big Bill, is One
Of the Most Hardened Wretches
Liyiug-"lf You Tell of This
Will Kill You"
Special 10 the Re1iSLer,

| gsrty was put on the stand this morning
and cross-examined. He brought Little
Bill out here last spring, and Little Bill
showed him the place where the pants
were that are mentioned in his confession.
Hsggarty testified to confession that Lit
tie Bill had made to him. The defense at
tempted to show that this confession, to-
gether with the other confessions and
statements made in writing were super
induced by promises Of reward, or by
threats, and for that reason inadmisslble.
The court, however, allowed them all to
go to the jury.
Most of the witnesses identified the box
in which the money was kept, and the axe
and poker with which the murder was
committed. In Little Bills confession to
Hsggarty he said Big Bill took the money
and gave him the watch, which he says he
threw in the creek as he passed over the
bridge. Little Bill has made number OF
confessions which conflict in minor details,
but be does not admit in any of them that
he took any active part in the murder, but
that he only stood guard.
Confession OF Little Bill.
The paper from which the appended was
copied is the original confession, the words
taken down and written by Major Moore,
Prosecuting Attorney of Harrison county,
and is signed by Kinney.
Confession OF VIM. Kinney, made at the
Jail Of Harrison county, West Virginia on
the 18th usy OF April, 1873, before VIM. Il.
Alexander, NJ. w. Ball and A. e. Moore:
My name is William Kinney; am now
II years Of age; my home was with my
father, George W. Kinney, and l resided
about four miles from West Union, Dod-
bridge county, West Virginia; on the
evening Doyle and daughter were killed |
was at my aunt's, B-tty Weekley's, near
West ULion; went there about dusk that
evening; about ten minutes before o'clock
| was stlrding at my Aunt Betty's gate
and Big Bill Kinney came along from the
direction of West Union and spoke 70 me
and said
He Had Been Over in Town
to see the doctor, and then asked me il
Bsrney Doyle kept any whisky. l told him
| did not know for certain, but thought he
did. He says, Come, and letsg go up andget
some and ! remarked l did not care to 80.
He says, Come on and l started out
ahead Of him on the sidewalk and went up
there TO Barney Doyle's, ana Bill knocked
at he door and Barney let us in. We went
through the hall and into the middle room,
and I sat down on chair. Doyle then
started towards the grocery door, and went
into the grocery, Doyle first aud Kinney
after him, and were in there little bit;
and Barney was coming out OF the store
into the room where / was, and big Bill
Kinney, who was behind him, struck him
hn0Ehtu fith Gown" Acrei-he Iei! SAID,
My God, don't and
Kinney Struck Him Again
when he was on the floor and Big BIZ then
said: III you tell, will kill you. | then
started towards the hall Goor and | had
on pair of blue pants, aid he put blood
on my pants as | started out OF the room.
He got the blood from the axe and put 1t
on my pants; | went on out and went on
down TO my cunts, Betty Weekley, leav'
ing Big Bill in the house; | went in aunt
Be;ty'S end sat down on d chair little bll;
aunt Betty Weekley, her daughter Hat
tie and her baby were there;
sat but little while and
then got up and went out on the sidewalk;
did not see big Bill Kinney come out;
stayed there good little bit; then went
back in Aunt Betty's house again and
called for nv fine shirt that she had done
up for me that day; sat down on chair
little bit, and put the shirt on; got up
and said guess ] would 60 to my grand
mas; | went out the door and went to my
g1sndma's Nancy Wrights); pulled oil
MY blue pants and
Put Them I'm Mud Hole
to keep them from iiEdipg blood on me
Biz B;ll Kinney put it on me with the axe;
| left the pants In the mud hole oeiJT
Granney's, a little piece in the middle OF
the road; knocked at the door; Granney
was in bed and said, Who's there; | an-
,ver.d Wiley Kinney, and she said, Ell
lep, get up and open the door, and she
got up and opened the door for me; went
IN snd sat down on a chair and pulled OIL
nv boots, and took of my clothes and
vent to bed, thought by leaving my
aunt's and going to my gaundmas Big Bill
would not find me and get chance TO hush
me; | went to sleep and Bart McMillen,
Buo Bee, Ben Foley and Dick Knight came
there about - O'Clock and knocked a. the
door. The first knew / was awakened and
they were holding a light over me; Burt
McMillen told me TO
Get Up and Put on NV Clothes.
| got up ard they took me to Jail. The
children were in the bed, two in the room
sat down in. do not know whether
they were asleep or not When we got
there Bill knocked and Doyle asked who
was there, Bill answered, Big Bill Kin
nty.' Barney opened the door, Bill went
in before and followed and passed them
at the door leading into the room. | went
in ard sat down in the room in which the
children were and Bill and Doyle were
taking, was a5o.t ten feet from them
Ii was about twenty minutes past nine,
que ssed at the time. They went through
10 The store and | sat still. Did not see
any hstCtet He struck Barney when he,
Barney wss in the grocery door, Bill III
side.
Saw Him Bill STRIKE the BLOW
and knocked him in the room where was.
and Bill hoped across him and | Jumped
up snd started toward the hall door, and
said, My God don't, and he said L! you
tell this, | will kill you and he then hur'
ried and struck Doyle again; struck him
near the temple with the pole OF the axe;
R,ll then started towards me; did not
hear the children say anything; Bll care
up 10 NE and wiped the blood oil himself
and said, repeating it three times: 1T you
tell ON me, will kill you:' ran ont OF
the front door, leaving him there and as
left him left him-he turned; was in the
room near the hall door; aud the last saw
of him he was hurrying back towards The
Lodv "WILLrAN KINNEY"