The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-05-03
THE IOWA TRAGEDY.


Jeiiersoo--He owns To Participation la
The Crime and Iinplicstes Two Brotliers-
In Law Named smith and wilson-A
Heartless Crime.
DIES MONIES, IA, April -.
Cicero Jefferson, one of the parties ar
rested for hanging Hiram Jefferson in
Audubon County, has made a 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 VIII
sons wife. The neighbors place no Gre
dence in this accusation, believing that
the old man was innocent and that the
murder was wholly unprovoked.
! The following is Cicero Jelerson's
confession, which was made under oath
in the courtroom in the presence of a
great crowd of people;
My name ia Cicero b. Jefferson: I
was twenty-five years old on the 18th day
of this month. l reside in Carroll Coun-
| W, lOWds ISSlucu III &AuOupOhs
am acquainted with Hiram Jellerson;
he was my father. The last time l saw
him was Friday night, the 25th; l 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
| Fri fnn
horse, and Wilson and | rode Wilson'S.
horses. We tied our horses to trees a
1 few rods from the house and stopped
there and laid plans how we should
proceed. Wilson took a 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 your" 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. l
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 So" 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 helped pull father up, Wilson
} taking hold and lifting the body until we
gotit clear from the ground. When we got.
him up we tied his hands behind him and
wound the rope around his body, but |
don't know Just 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 1t over
his head. The shirt was the only CLOTH
D ing he had on. We stood around a 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 handkerchefs
and cut holes in them for eyes, and wore
o 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 Saturday that we
used to hang father with. They had
been talking to me about hanging
Il father for week or ten days, but OBJ
iected and did not want to help do it.
S Smith came to Wilson's Friday morn
I ing and we agreed to 90 that night. They
I told me they would make away with me
n after they got back that night If | did not
v go along with them and help them. John
+ Smith said we had better 20 that night as
0 it was dark and the roads were good and
n 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 20 to
| fhat nal a
i would mistrustfus. l went against my
" Will, but told them l would go and they
u made arrangements where to meet and
l. about what time.
II Cicero's testimony comedies exactly
with that of Mrs. Jefferson at the inquest
IS relative to the scene on the night of the
T. murder. 1t is stated upon good authori-
II ty that j. j. Wilson bears u good name
h and character in Carroll County. II
[. seems his marriage with Lucy Jefferson
% wis brought about through the influence
.. of John Smith They were married Feb
- ruary IA, 1852. Cicero's statement is
that Immediately after the marriage VIII
son suspected that she had not al.
e. ways been virtuous, and he accused her
= when she frankly admitted that she had
g repeatedly been intimate with her father
Is through compulsion and that she had
l. once been in trouble by him. This EN-
r. ragged Wilson and he said he would either
}, leave her or kill the old man. She want
IS ed him to do neither. He consulted Smith
|. and the tragedy OF Friday night is the re-
s. suit of the consultation. Many believe
"a that Smith was the real party who go
- the girl, or girls, into trouble and caused
them TO charge it to the old man.
- The prisoners are in no danger from
d. citizens at present. A rumor that theil
80 friends from Carroll County would raise
es a mob and come down and liberate then
re caused ripple of excitement, but it Ea'
u only increased the vigilance. Sheriff