Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-10-23
Light and DARKNESS.
A Mystery Which Grows Deeper
as It's Secrets are I'm
folded,
~ Know Am Going TO Hell But
Propose 10 Make Il Damnably Hot
Tor other People"
collins Also Confcsses to the Horrible Nnir
-'----->f-'A,c Negro hoy, Prank
missioner In Rowland.
Commissioner In
y, 'nranee'Sttistics g.
History a.

ihs
When Ed Collins read In Yesterdays
GAzrrrr au account of lobe Turner's
confession OF the murder of the negro
BOY Frank Rowland he was very, very
angry. lie was also somewhat nervous.
Several degrees above his confederate In
mental callhcr he realized that both were
in very bad box, and finally, rendered
desperate by his betrayal, the young mur-
dercr
MADE 4 CGENN nRrAsr
Of the whole affair in a clear-cut, straight.
forward manner, and is fully
corronorated by other circum-
stances. II shows both prisoners to be
equally guilty of the assassination of the
unfortunate negro boy.
The programme of the authorities as
stated yesterday was to take the accused
men to the scene of the murder and see
what influence the surroundings would
have upon them. Turner was first driven
out to the Coppinger pasture yesterday
morning In charge of Sheriff Maddox, Mr..
Ross Bowlm and Officers Rowan Tucker
and Castleberry. On arriving at the Cop
pmGer farm Turner
POINTED our TINE PLACE
where the negro was killed and the
thicket to which his body was dragged.
The first was by the side of II large lake,
on the edge of the brush. In this lake,
Turner stated, the club which was used
to kill the negro had been thrown. A
! two hours search by the officers failed to
discover IL. Turner showed the trail
made by the body as Collins dragged II
| into the bushes, which was still plainly
marked, and bore occasional traces Of
blood. lie walked directly TO the
spot where the remains had been
Iconccaled, although he SAID he had not
been back there since the murder lie
also directed the officers to the place
WHERE TuE Doc WAS KILLED,
about 800 yards from the thickot where
the body of the negro was found The
remains of the dog, for which the officers
have hunted SO long IN vain, evidenced
the truthfuneSs of his story.
Turner repeated about the same ycr-
/ sion of the killing as given yesterday, OK
/ Cept chat il was more explicit and ro-
/ hereut, The nights sleep in Jail 500
/ bcred hin up, and although he
/ was not quite 50 mlkatiyc
/ there was a good deal more of meaning
/ in what he said. He attempted to hedge
on that part OF his story which implicated
| himself, and declared that lac was merely
/ AZ ACCIDENTAL SPECTATOR
OF the crime. He says that he was on his
l way to make cattle trade the morning
/ 1t occurred, when he caught up with Col
| Inns. They rode through The
pasture together. Presently they
previous iutimuton of his intentions Col
] 1f,,.5 hn Will, tln - f,Is IA
! knocking him off his pony, beat him Ia
death. Turner says that he merely sat
on his horse and said nothing. After he
saw the negro was dead he rode away.
/ Collins never vcntured any explanation
OF the deed, and he did not ask one, but
| he supposed IL was because the two did
not get along very well together.
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS.
This story, it will be observed, docs
not tally with Turner's previous state
ments. He has given, perhaps, half
dozen versions Of the affair to as many
different parties In one of these be at.
tempted to lmpIicate very prominent
gentleman who has been actively at work
| endcayormg TO track down the murdercrs
| Afterwards, when questioned in regard to
| this story, he denied it in toto and de-
clared that no one was presenta at the kill,
! Inc except himself and Collins.
COLLINS TAKEN TO THE SEEM.
The officers returned ut noon with
| Turner, and in the afternoon Mr.. Ross
l}owlin and Officers Tucker and Castle
| berry took Collins out To the scene of the
crime. He was reticent, but showed
great agitation, which increased as they
neared the thicket where the body of his
/ victim had been concealed After the
carriage had stopped Mr.. Bowlin called
him aside, and after few moments con-
yersatiou he offered to make
! FULL CONFESSION
4 If permitted TO turn states evidence
This Mr., Bowlin declined to let him do,
and would only promise that If his testi-
mopy became necessary in the case
! he might plead guilty under a promise
] that his neck should be saved.
Collins then made u full statement,
| which was very consistent and apparently
! truthful. lie said that Turner and him
| self had been stealing Copplnger,s cattle,
and that twice the negro drove the stolen
cattle back. Turner suggested that Cop
/ plnger would return from England IN a
few days and that they had better
MIL THE NEGRO.
! 10 this he agreed, and about O'Clock
on the morning of August 10, they rode
out in the field 10 wait for Frank. Both
] were armed with pistols and intended 10
! shoot him. As they saw him approach
| ing Turner remarked that il might arouse
some of the neighbors to shoot, and so
/ they decided
/ 10 ADOPT \ DIFFERENT METHOD.
| They rode up to the negro and told him
there were some stray cattle down by
| the lake. He rode OFF IN
that direction, and they followed. Turner
saw biz ash club ON the ground, dis
mounted and got II, and rode along With
1 II swinging from his side, They slowly
overlook the negro, who was paying no
attention 20 them, but looking out for the
cattle, and suddenly Turner struck hlm u
| blow on the back OF the neck that knocked
him off his pony Turner beat his head
TO a Jelly and remonnting threw his lasso
to Collins, who tied the negro's
feet with Il aud running the other end