Huntsville gazette., 1884-05-03

Confession of the Son of the Murdered Man
Jellerson-He Owns to Participation In
the Crime and duplicates Two Brothers
in-Law Named Smith and Wiison-A
HeartIess Crime.
DEs MONIES, Ia, April %
Cicero Jefferson, one of the parties ar
rested for hanging Hiram Jefferson in
Audubon County, has made confession,
duplicating himself, Smith and Wilson
in the hanging. The two latter are sons
in-law of the murdered man. Young
Jefferson says that Wilson was the leader
in the movement. The motive for the
crime was that some time since the muir
dered man had been accused of incest
with one of his daughters, who is Will
sons wife. The neighbors place no Gre
dence in this accusation, believing that
the old man was innocent and that the
murder was wholly unproyoked.
The following is Cicero Jellerson's
confession, which was made under oath
in the courtroom in the presence OF
great crowd of people:
My name is Cicero b. Jefferson:
was twenty five years old on the 18th day
of this month. l reside in Carroll Coun-
ty, Iowa: formerly resided in Audubon.
am acquainted with Hiram Jefferson;
he was my father The last time | saw
him was Friday night, the 25th; | saw
him under circumstances of murder
J. J. Wilson and John A. Smith were the
leading ones who committed the deed.
Wilson, Smith and myself are the ones
who did it. We left the residence OF
Wilson in Carroll County at eight o'clock
Friday evening. Smith rode his own
horse, and Wilson and | rode Wilson'S
horses. We tied our horses TO trees
few rods from the house and stopped
there and laid plans how we should
proceed. Wilson took u rope which
he had brought and Smith and
Wilson burst the door open. We all
went inside; then went to the bed and
pulled father out. Father said: "Cicero,
is that you?" nobody answered. Mother
said 'No, that is John Smith" We
brought him to the front room and
choked and smothered him, and one took
the rope out of my hands and put it on
fathers neck. Father begged of US not
to hurt him. He had the rope on him
and we started out doors with him and
went dragging him along by the neck. [
had hold Of the end Of the rope and Smith
and Wilson were behind AS we were
dragging him along pa said, "Don't,
John, don't hurt me 500 Wilson stop
ped and frightened the rope and John and
/ pulled him along. When we got to
the tree Smith threw the end of the rope
over and l helped pull father up, Wilson
taking hold and lifting the body until we
got it clear from the ground. W hem we got
him up we tied his hands behind him and
wound the rope around his body, but |
don't know Just how. | 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 cloth
ing he had on We stood around few
minutes and Smith and Wilson put on
their overcoats and we united our horses
and mounted them and rode off.
We arrived at Wilson's ten minutes
past four, Saturday morning. 1t was
quite daylight. We murdered father
about midnight. We took handkerchiefs
and cut holes in them for eyes, and wore
them over our faces for masks. threw
mine into the stove and burned it after |
got home Wilson bought the rope at
Coon Rapids week ago $ S~urday that we
used to hang father with They had
been talking to me about hanging
father for week or ten days, but | OBJ
iected and did not want to help do it.
Smith came to Wilson's Friday morn
ing and we agreed to 90 that night. They
told me they would make away with me
after they got back that night If | did not
90 along with them and help them. john
Smith said we had better 20 that night as
it was dark and the roads were good and
we could get back before morning.
told them we would get into trouble and
get arrested, but they said we could go
and get back before daylight and go to
work in the morning as usual and no one
would mistrustsus. | went against my
will, but told them | would go and they
made arrangements where to meet and
about what time.
Ccero's testimony comedies exactly
with that of Mrs. Jefferson at the inquest
relative to the scene on the night OF the
murder 1t is stated upon good authori-
ty that J. j. Wilson bears good name
and character in Carroll County. 1t
seems his marriage with Lucy Jefferson
was brought about through the influence
of John Smith They were married Feb
ruary IA, 1882. Cicero's statement is
that Immediately after the marriage Will
SOu SuSDtCbCO Iudb chO nav NV e~A
ways been virtuous, and he accused her,
when she frankly admitted that she had
repeatedly been intimate with her father
through compulsion and that she had
once been in trouble by him. This en-
ragged Wilson and he said he would either
leave her or kill the old man. She want
ed him to do neither. He consulted Smith
and the tragedy of Friday night is the re-
suit of the consultation. Many believe
that Smith was the real party who got
the girl, or girls, into trouble and caused
them to charge it to the old man.
The prisoners are in no danger from
citizens at present. A rumor that their
friends from Carroll County would raise
mob and come down and liberate them
caused ripple of excitement, but it las
only increased the vigilance. Shf III
Herbert has the prisoners behind three
iron doors, and the people will stand by
him and assist him in the discharge OF
his duties. He will keep the jail strongly
guarded.
Extensive Fire at Glens Falls.
GLENs FALLS, N. ", April 20.
fire broke ont this morning and il