Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-23
A MURDERER CONFESSES.
He Says He Shot ex-AayOr Bowman. of
East st. Louis, Last November.
A Railroad Vice-President of st. Louis
Hired Him to Commit the Crime.
END OF A MYSTERY.
A Man Confesses That He Killed Ex-Mayor

A Man COnfeSses That He Killed Ex-Mayor
Bowman.
COvINGToN, Tenn, Sept. IA man was
arrested at this place about two weeks
ago for an ofense of no great magnitude
and lodged in jail. Since his confine-
ment he has confessed, or at least claim
ed that he is the assassin of the late ex-
Mayor Bowman, of East st. Louis. He
| said he was employed to do so by the
| V1ce-pres1dent of railroad company in
East st. Louis. The sum to be paid was
to be $4,000, of which he received from
| the hands of the railroad official $1,000
before the deed was perpetrated. After
committing the deed, the prisoner re.
manned in East ST. Louis until after the
railroad strike, and there committed such
depredations against the railroads that
he had to leave East st. Louis. A Ten
nessee sheriff has been in correspondence
with the East st. Louis authorities upon
the subject.
The substance of
HIS CONFESSION
is as follows:
During the early part of November,
1885, was visiting East st. Louis, and
town about dusk, one evening, was APP
preached by a well dressed man of pleas
ing manners, who stopped and conversed
with me. After awhile he asked me if I
wanted to make some money. I told
him yes. I was pretty hard up, so
[ was ready to do most any
thing. He said there was a man
in East st. Louis who he wanted
ont of
was his man, and could make arrange
nents to kidnap the victim. He said he
did not want him kidnapped, but put out
of the way. I said I would murder the
man for $4,000. If [ was going to be
hanged at all I wanted to sell myself for
a decent amount. I didn't intend to
commit murder however, meant to kid
nap the man and keep him in an asylum.
By this means I could extort money from
my captive and my principal at the same
time. [ made an appointment to meet
the man again, and at this second
interview [ learned that my employer
was the vice president of the railroad
company and resident of st. Louis
Finally the arrangements were then made
and I then agreed to do the job for $500.
[ bought bulldog revolver, afive-shooter,
of AZ calibre, aud two long hunting knives.
[ didn't intend, [ wanted it understood, to
murder Mr.. Bowman, but only bought the
weapons to defend myself if he should re-
sist any
ATTEMPT TO KIDNAP HIM.
That evening I met the railroad vice
president by appointment, and while we
were talking together Bowman passed by.
There is the man. said my
out of the way. He gave me his photo
graph, so that could make no mistake.
On the next night my plans were com
plete, except that my accomplice had not
arrived. [ stationed a hack near Bow
mans house, in which it was my intention
to drive him to the asylum, where I had
made arrangements for his confinement.
[ then concealed myself behind a lumber
pile and waited. | soon per-
ceived a gentleman walking in my
direction and when he came opposite me
| sprang out in front of him and pre-
sented my pistol before his face and
commanded him to halt. He seized my
hand and told him let go that was not
going to kill him nor take his money. He
dropped my hand and I stepped away
foot or two and called "police," in Or
der to quiet him. raised my revolver and
fired.
HE FELL FACE DOWNWARDS
and it was at that moment / knew
that I hurt him more than l had intend
ed. I did not even then comprehend
that 1 had killed him. I only intended
to disable him, place him in a carriage
and take him to the asylum. I walked
up to his body and found that he was
dead. 1 then started to escape and had
gone but a short distance when I met my
employer. He 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 woman,
I took the first train for Springfield, ILL.,"
The confession then details his travels
through the south and his final
arrival at Covington, Tenn, and his sub
sequent arrest. He states that he makes
this confession voluntarily and simply
because of a guilty conscience. He
knows his employers name, his place of
business and could easily identify him if
he should see him again. He refuses to
declare the vice presidents name but
promises to do so when the proper time
shall arrive.
''0NE WANTSA CHANGE