The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1886-07-07
MURDERER's MIsslvE.
n JeabO Writes an Interesting
Letter TO His Son in California.
,.,xithstanding he Must Swing he
r.;I, Maintains that he is Innocent.

|bg John I. Leaoo asKeo cohs'aPie
r,Ilaway to request a Democrat re
,rter to call on him, as he had &.
omethlng he wished to say to the
Iubrc. The reporter visited the
a and found Leabo in good spirits,
md after a hearty hand-shake gave
lengthy statement, the substance
which will be published soon.
&c also gave the reporter letter to
rs little boy IN California, as fol .
Ows:
ii CLINTON, July Ist, 1886.
tM, DEAR LITTLE JOHNNY Boy:
These two books | present to you
As a present and token of my love
tor you. Will you accept them as
lae same, and may they ever be fresh
,n your memory, and when you are
booking at these books think of one
Sbo so carefully arranged them for
YOU. The picture book Is for you to
look at and amuse yourself while in
your youthful days, but the one with
he president S marriage in is tor you
% keep to remember that our Presi-
dent was the first man that was ever
married in the White House. He
Twas married on the second day of
]une, 1855, and about the first OF
IApril of the same year your Grandpa
ELeabo took you to California to live
with your Aunt Belle Price. and on
hume 1Ist, 1886, the supreme court
,fkrmed the decision of the lower
court at Butler, Bates county, Mo.
where | was charged with murder
ling my wife, your mother, which is
<holly false and put up job on me.
She committed suicide by taking a
h dose of laudanum and then lump
Ing into well and drowning.
You was Just one year old two
n days before your mothers death.
You was horn the 18TH dav of De-
nmber, 1853, and the day after your
mothers death l was arrested, charg-
ed with murder in the first degree
and was convicted. Then l took
The case to the supreme court at JEFF
ierson City; there the case was ar
a gued and sent back to Butler tor a
n View hearing. The case was tried
again in June, 1854, which resulted
ina hung lury. Then the case was
ried again in November, the Jury
rendered verdict of guilty OF mur.
der in the first degree. Then l took
the case to the supreme court the
second time, which was affirmed.
IN lohnnie, my darling boy, belevt
meas | will give you true and cor
rect statement of the death of you
mother. She was deranged at times
Ind when so she often tried to xii
serself. Her own mother acknowl-
edged on the witness stand that sh,
was Just in time to keep her from
drowning herself in her own we'll a
Butler before we were married, ant
was just in time to save her from
hanging herself about two weeks be
tore she drowned herself in the we'll
icould tell you a great deal more II
'egard to this sad affair, but l thinl
mat have told you enough to con
vince you that | am wrongtully &C
sused. But come what may, m
oarllng boy, shall meet 1t like
man. They can take my life, bu
mey cannot take my soul. l hav
no tear of being punished IN the mex
world to come, for what is charge
'galnst me here.
III And now | will say to YOU, m
oarling, if we never meet each othe
asain in this unfriendly world, be
good boy and always tell the truth
'ao promise ne that you will neve
urnk, swear or use tobacco, an
N 0od will ever bless you. l will no.
v~v good bye, my darling little DO,
.ndremembar that l love you.
From your papa,
JOHN I. LEAEo.