St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-30
A HORRIBLE DEED.
Confession of Young Jefferson
Who Helped the Murder
of His Old Father.
Details of the Horrible Crime as
Related by the Half-Witted
Parricide.
The Murder Designed by Son-in Law Who
Accused the Old Man of a Foul
Wrong.

AUDUBON, Iowa, April startling de-
velopments are made in the Jefferson muir
der case. Sheriff Herbert brought Joel VIII
son, John Smythe and Cicero Jefferson be-
fore Justice Rogers. Cicero Jefferson waived
examination and said that he desired to make
voluntary statement under oath. He was
sworn and freely testified in the presence of
large audience:
my name is Cicero B. Jefferson, and am
twenty-five years old the 18th day of this
month. reside in Carroll county, Iowa, but
formerly resided in Audubon county. Am
acquainted with Hiram Jefferson, my father.
The last time l saw him was Friday night, the
25th, and saw him uuder the circumstances
of the murder J. j. Wilson and John A.
Smythe were the leading ones who committed
the murder. Wilson, Smythe and myself
are the ones who did it.
We left the residence of J. J. Wilson, in
Carroll county, about o'clock on Friday
evening. Smythe rode his own herse, and
Wilson and l rode Wilson'S horses. We
tied our horses to trees a few rods northeast
Of the house. We stopped there and laid
our plans how we should proceed. Wilson
took the rope which he had brought, and
Smythe and Wilson burst the door open. We
all went inside, and then went to the bed
and pulled father out. Father said: "Cicero,
is that you!" Nobody answered. Mother
said: ''No; is that John Smyther' We
brought him to the front room and choked
and smothcred him, and one of them took
the rope out of my hands and put it on faith
er's neck. Father begged of us not to hurt
him. They had the rope on him and started
out doors with MIN, and went dragging him
along by the neck. had hold Of the end
of the rope, and Smythe aud Wilson were be-
hind. As we were dragging him along, pa
said: ''Don't, John; don't hurt me So"
Wilson stopped and frightened the rope, and
John and pulled him along.
When we got to tree Smythe threw one
end of the rope over limb and helped pull
father up, Wilson taking hold and lifting the
body till we got it clear from the ground.
When we got him up we tied his hands be
hind him and wound the rope around his
body, but [ don't know how l think he was
about dead then as he only kicked once or
twice after we got him up. Wilson tore
fathers shirt open and tied it over his head.
The shirt was the only clothing ne had on.
! We stood around few minutes and Smythe
and Wilson put ON their overcoats and we
undid our horses and mounted them and
rode off.
We arrived Mt Wilson'S ten minutes past
four on Saturday morning. 1t was quite
| daylight. We murdered father about mid
night. We took handkerchiefs and cut holes
| in them for eyes and nose and wore them
over our faces for masks. 1 threw mine into
the stove and burned it after L got home.
Wilson bought the rope at Coon Rapids
week ago last Saturday that we used to hang
father with.
They had been talking to me about hang
ing father for almost week or ten days, bu
1 objected, and did not want to help do it
Smythe came to Wilson'S Friday morning
and we agreed TO go that night They told
me they would make away with me after they
got back that night if 1 would not go along
with them and help them. John SmythC
said we had better go that night, as it was
|
back before morning. | told them we would
get into trouble and get arrested, but they
said we could 90 and get back before day
light, and go to work in the morning a
usual, and no one would mistrust us. l wen
against my will, but told them 1 would go
and they made the arrangements where tC
meet, and about what time.
I;orI+ nj ,rrI,o
we passed, and John said he and his wife
and hired hand went to bed early, and aftel
the others were asleep he got up and left.
None of us had any arms that 1 know of
They told me not to tell anything, but deny
everything. Wilson was the author of the
whole business He said he was the mar
that was doing it.'
Cicero's testimony comedies exactly witt
that of Mrs. jefferson at the inquest, relative
to the scene the night of the murder. It il
stated upon good authority that j. J. Wilson
| bears good name and character in Carol
county. it seems his marriage with Lucy
Jefferson was brought about through the in
fluence of John B. Smythe. They were mar
| ried February IA, 1882. Cicero's statement
is, that Immediately after their mar
| rage Wilson suspected that she
had not always been yirtuous, and so he ac
cused her, when she frankly admitted thai
she had repeatedly had sexual intercourse
with her father through compulson, and thai
she had once been in trouble by him. This
enraged Wilson, and he said he would either
leave her or kill the old man. She wanted
him to do neither.
He consulted John Smyth, and the tragedy
of Friday night was the result of the consul
tation Many believe that Smyth was the
real party who got the girl or girls in trouble
and caused them to charge it to the old
man.
The prisoners are in no danger from the citi
zens at present. A rumor to-day that theil
friends in Carol county would raise moi
and come down and liberate them, caused
ripple of excitement, but it has only increas
ed the the vigilance. Sheriff Herbert has thu
prisoners behind three iron doors, and The
people will stand by him and assist him il
the discharge of his duties. He will keel