The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-19
THE CONFESSION CoRRoBoRATED.
An Interview in Which He Again Admitted
His Guilt.

His Guilt.
When Melting was transferred from Fow-
Ter to the Jail at Lafayette Journal reporter
had an interview with the prisoner, in the
course of which he talked very freely. In
speaking of the murder, Melting said:
"While 1 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 l must kill
some one told me that it must be Ada"
And you felt that you could not control
that feeling?"
No"
what was Ada doing when you went to
the house to kill her?"
II don't remember distinctly, but believe
she was combing her hair"
What did you do to her irst?'
Il believe l cut her throat with my knife
first and I don't remember what l did do
after that"
Ibid you tear her Undertaking from
herr
II have no recollection of doing anything
of that kind. l don't think l did, because
if 1 had the clothes would have been found
in the room"
"How long were Won at the house when
you committed the murder?''
II don't think l was away from my work
longer than twenty or thirty minutes"
Did not you go to the house with the in
tention of outraging herr?
"No. Such thought never once entered
nv mind If | had wanted to have done
anything of that kind there would have been
no need of killing her. because was big and
strong enough to do anything with her that
might have wanted to. Such thought
never entered my mind. | always look ed on
Ada just as if she was my own child. /
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
II do not advocate it as a theory, but L
state it as a fact"
do you remember what you did to the
girl after cutting her throat?'
II do not. 1t all seems to me like dream.
know that went TO the house 10 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- | can't real
iZe it,"
Did you ever have a mania to murder
some one come over you before%'
Never. One time in Pennsylvania had
a spell something like il. l wandered away
from home, and came to myself in a stubble
field eight miles away. My sister, have
three sisters in Pennsylvania-got a letter
from my wife about this"
Since You murdered Ada how have you
felt?''
Il have not had a single nights rest [
can't sleep. Night before last monday
night while was living 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 [
are having a good time and then she walked
back across the cell and disappeared again
through the door"
Who is Emma?'
Emma was an older sister of Ada. She
died about six or seven years ago."
You are sure that it was Ada who ap-
peared to you in the cell?
"Yes."
t'How was she dressed?
dressed, but | know she looked deathly
Did she have blood-marks about her
throat as she appeared to your
No"
'DId the sight of her make you feel bad?"
mot just at that time. "
''In making your confession, had you
made up your mind that you would have to
die?
Eyes; I expect it; but want to die de-
Gently. l don't want to be killed by mob
I have committed murder, and l suppose
will have to die. l did it because mania
forced me to it. 1 might do it again and
don't want to kill anyone"
Have you any preferences in regard to
what you would like to have done with your
body after you are dead?
mo. l don't care what is done with me
after am dead"