The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-19
CRIME CONFESSED.
Solution Of The Mystery OF Horri.
bis h-u- Ior.
enr fSr :.ber Charges 4Encgter with
f:,c Dre H-c;G"- st Brook
vile. l.. decentralization CT
thr Matt TTii.i.

HUNTER L ONT. L. /. JGn iJ-lLGN6fC
Tappan, arrested Tor connection with the
Townsend outraaes. c,rfesse. that his
brother john and himself vera concerned in
the murder Of Mrs, Maybe and her daughter
at Brookviile. The following Is his con-
fession:
! know who took the lives Of LYDIA and
Annie haybee on the evening Of November
H. 1t vas John B. Tsppan, my brother He
was in tie barn when Mrs. Mavbae came in.
was not in the lara saw John go in the
barn; be went in the double doors; | was at
the front side Of my house, VIXEN he went il,
feeding the PIGS,
Vyheil J5tu Clicked the old lady to death I
was at the from; barn. saw hiIn; be chcked
her to death on the barn floor. He caught
her by the wrist with one hand and took her
by the throat with the other | saw him
do it. 1t was light enou - for me to see in
the stable She came IN for leaves. John
WIS standing III the stable where the leaves
were. 1t took from ten to fifteen minutes to
choke her to death After she was dead John
picked her up and laid her in the back stable
] saw him throw some leaves over her; ! was
standing on the barn floor very near the
opening in the door that goes dOwl ia the
stable. saw the whole thing myself.
After she was dead John said: y am GO
Ing to wait for Annie; am going TO choke
her, too; if ] choke her, too, no one will
know about it; then ! can go to the house
and get money"
Annie opened the barn door about two
feet wide, When she stepped in the door
John grabbed her by the right arm and
threw her down. l was on the floor about
three feet from where he grabbed her. He
threw her down on the floor held her
by the right wrist, put his knee upon her
left arm and with his right took her by the
throat She tried 70 get away from him.
When he grabbed Der by the arm she
grabbed at his face; she reached his face; !
saw her hand close over his nose and mouth !;
she said "let me go;' that is all she said.
Then he held her by the throat until she was
dead She died in about ten or fifteen
minutes He carried her in the stable near
her mother and covered her all up with
leaves, and said: "Now | am going to the
house
We both went and went in the kitchen
door Old Nj Maybe said, ''Who is thereP
John said, ITS ue," and then went up stairs
to Mrs. Maybee's room; then Mr.. Maybee
knocked on the floor | stood by the door
John came down stairs and went in front Of
Maybee very close to the hall, ran his hand
up and down Mr.. Maybees breast, and said
81 want that gold which you had two years
ago. Maybee said 81 amt got it." ~
know that, ;" said John. John then said, Il
must kill you then" Then he snatched
a cane out of Maybee's hand and
struck him with it twice on his
head. John went up stairs again and came
back. l said: Il have all | want" We
came out; be went to the cedars by the spring
and went home | suppose he gave me so
| in bills ! have it now, but not with me
will bring it to you. ] will bring it if / can.
| John showed me the pin and watch by the
| door outside ] could see them. "Igot them
upstairs he said. He did not tell me how
much money he got; did not tell me what be
was going to do with the watch and
| pin; | do not know what he did with
| them l have not seen my brother John
| since alone TO this day and this hour.
saw him standing by the wagon-house at
| the Maybse auction when / was going up the
| hill west Of my house after dinner, on my
way to work at Henry Rushmore'S. That is
| the only time | have seen him since the night
the Maybee murders. were committed After
John showed me the watch and pin went
| home by the old bridge. This was about q
| quarter to c. l-Euw is was not 8 o'clock
am sure of it. My wife asked me where
had been, and told her, down the road
| My wife does not know had hand in the
Maybee murder.
Tappan swears that the confession made
was unsolicited. He says: Believing it to
be my duty, make a complete confession in
regard to the part took in the Maybee muir
| dersn