Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-17
CONFESSING A MURDER.
A CRIMINAL WHO sWEARS HE WAS
HIRED BY A RAILROAD OFFICIAL
TO KILL A MAN.

HIRED BY A RAILROAD OFFICIAL
TO KILL A MAN.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. Sept. 14.-Arthur
Arthbuthnst, alias A. l.. Pitman,
alias Charles Walker, alias Parsons,
recently arrested at Covlngton,
Tennessee, has confessed to the
sheriff of that county of having
murdered the late Mayor Bowman,
of East st. Louis, on the Goth day
Of last November. The sheriff has
sent the confession to the East st.
Louis authorities, and it is in sub
stance as follows:
During the early part of NOvem.
Der, 1880, | was visiting in East st.
Louis. and while walking in the
outskirts of the town about dusk
one evening was approached by a
well-dressed man of pleasant man.
ners, who stopped and cOnversed
with me. After q while he asked
me if wanted TO make some money.
! told him yes, | was pretty hard
up, so | was ready to do anything.
lie said there was a man in East
st. Louis who he wanted to put out
of the way. told him | was his
man, and | could make arrange
mcnts to kidnap his victim. lie
SAID he didn't want him kidnapped,
but put out of the way. | said |
would murder the man for $4,000.
If | was going to be hanged at all,
| wanted to sell myself for decent
amount. | didn't intend to commit
murder, however. | meant to kid.
nap the man and keep him in an
asylum. BY this means | could ex-
tort money from my captive and
my principal at the same time. /
made an appointment to meet him
again, and at the second interview
learned that my employer was a
vice president of a railroad COM
pany and resident of st. Louis
The final arrangements we're then
made, and | then agreed to do the
job for $1,000. | started immedi-
ately for New York, and while there
made arrangements with "Dandy
Jim and "Striped Charley Blake
to assist me. On the 18th of No.
vember | went back to East st.
Louis and completed the details of
my scheme. | bought a bulldog
revolver, fve-shooter, of A cali.
Der, and two long hunting.knives.
didn't intend, | want it under
stood, to murder Mr.. Bowman, but
only bought the weapons to defend
myself if he should resist my at
tempt to kidnap him. That even.
ing | met the railroad vice presi.
dent by appointment, and while we
were talking together, Mr.. Bowman
passed by. There is the man."
said my companion, "that I want
you to put out of the way" lie gave
me his photograph, so that | could
make no mistake. On the next
night my plans we're complete, ex-
cept that my accomplice had not
arrived. | stationed a hack near
Mr.. Bowman's house, IN which it
was my intention to drive him to
an asylum where | had made ar
engagements for his confinement. |
then concealed myself near lum-
Der pile in front Of Mr.. Bowman's
house and waited. soon perceiv.
cd the gentleman walking in my
direction, and when he came OPP
posite me, sprang out in front of
him and presented my pistol before
his face and commanded him to halt.
lie seized my hand, and ] told him
to let 20, that | was not going to
kill him, nor take his money. He
dropped my band and jumped a foot
or two and called "POlice.D In or
der to quiet him, raised my revoly-
er and fired. lie fell face down.
wards, and then krew that | had
hurt him worse than | had intend.
ed to. | did not then, even COM
prehend that had killed him. |
only intended to disable him, place
him in the carriage and take him to
the asylum. | walked up to his
body and found that he was dead.
| then started to escape, and lhad
gone but a short distance, when |
met my employer. lie then paid
me my money, and we went to his
house in st. Louis and spent the
remainder of the night. Early in
the morning, disguised as a woman,
took the first train for Springfield,
Ill., The confession then details
travels through the South, and his
final arrival at Covington, Tenn,
and his subsequent arrest. He
states that he makes his confession
voluntarily, simply because Of a
guilty conscience. He knows his
employers name, his place of res
idence, and could easily identity
him if he ever saw him again. He
refuses to declare the vice presidents
name, but promises to do so when
the proper time shall arrive.