The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-30
A REPoRTER's RECoLLECTIoNs.
A Member Of the Journal staff Tells What He
Knows of the Crime.

A Member of the Journal STAT Tells What He
Knows of the Crime.
The announcement Of the death il the south
ern penitentiary, at Jacksonville, Of Aaron
Frazier. under life sentence for the murder of
John N. Walton. recalls one of the most brutal
crimes with which the criminal records Of In
diana have ever been blackeped. The circum-
stances of the murder are well remembered by
q member Of the Journal staff. VINO at the
time reported the killing and the subsequent IN
cidents FOR this paper.
John VI. Walton was q prosperous farmer OF
advanced age, whose farm was in the edge or
Decatur county, in the vicinity OF the village OF
ST. Omers. Walton's wife, Ellen, to whom he
had been many years married, ard who was the
mother Of several children, had excited
his suspicious concerning her wifely fdel-
ity by her frequent meetings with
Oscar Marion Garrett. a dissolute character
who lived on the adjoining farm, and who. like
Walton. had a wife and several children. The
relations between Garrett and Mrs. Walton had,
in fact, been SO shamelessly conducted that they
had become the talk OF the neiehborhood, and
frequent were the o~uarrels between the mem
bers of the respective households in conse-
quence Of the neighborhood gossip. On the
night of Monday, Jan. 9, 1882, Walton, having
completed his days work, was sitting before an
open fireplace in the main room OF his house.
reading a newspaper, when suddenly the muz-
zle of a gun was thrust against the window
pare, and q tremendous report was instantly
followed by Walton's pitching forward up-
on the floor, the whole back OF his
head having been blown of by
heavy discharge from q shotgun, fired within
fifteen feet of him. The footsteps OF a man IN
hasty retreat were alleged TO have been heard
by Mrs. Walton, but although she was present
in the room adjoining she professed to know
nothing as TO the affair save that she had heard
the shot. which was fred by hands unknown to
her. Among the first to appear upon the scene
OF the tragedy was Aaron Frazier. a negro bar
Der, whose home was in the neighboring village,
and who was foremost IN his efforts TO assist
the stricken family. One of the men who soon
arrived discovered on the floor q blackensd
wad OF paper. and picking it MP found it to have
been the wad with which the death-dealipg load
had beed secured. An examination showed
the fragment to have been torn
from q Sunday-school paper, and
about one-half of a picture OF the globe,
with the lines showing the parallels of latitude
and longitude traversing its surface. To the
discovery of this bit of circumstantial evidence
was largely due the apprehension and conviction
of the murderer. The extreme solicitude OF the
negro. Frazier. for tho welfare OF the family had
served to excite the suspicious OF the discoverer
Of the wad, and he made known to others
bis suspicious, and the fact of his discovering
the blassensd bit OF paper. Meantime, Frazier
had been dispatched TO the village for some
whisky, and 1t was determined to At least ques-
ton him closely. He was accordingly accused,
but stoutly protested ignorance of the crime. A
search Of his person, however. discovered, iE a
pocket or his coat, the balance or the paper
from which the wad had been torn, and o step
furthar anovvad that fha frapment- plac9d In no.
sition, exactly fitted into the rent torn IN the
sheet. This discovery completely Frustrated
Frasier, who Immediately confessed bis guilt
and in AFFECT terror begged for mercy. Ia his
confession he stated that for months Garrett
and Mrs. Walton had been endeavoring, by
offers OF money as well as by threats OF vio-
lence TO him in case OF his refusal, TO
induce him to take Walton's life. He
had for months refused, but on the Sunday pre-
ceding the murder he and Garrett met at a ga
loon and the negotiations were renewed. Garrett
Offering him 500 to commit the murder. He
also flied the negro up with bad whisky, and
made arrangements for him to get another pint
of the stuff on the afternoon following. The
programme was carried out as agreed upon. for
Frazier borrowed q gun of a farmer acauaint-
ance, telling him that he wanted to kill
started about his awful task. About dark
heavy storml came NJ, driving every one with
in doors. Garrett. in order to be the better
able TO clear his skirts OF completely in the
awful affair. had arranged for a dance at his
house on the evening chosen for the deed, and
the musicians and a few OF the moro venture
some guests met there according to arrange
ment, and danced away the hours, while
Frazier. out in the storm. crept
MP TO the window OF his neigh
boris house and fred the shot
which was destined to remove the obstacle to
CARROTS continued intimacy with old man Wal
tons wife.
Words can but inadequately picture the ter
ror and despair Of the wretch who had been
made the tool of those more guilty than himself
when tho t~ell-tals bits OF paper were placed be-
fore him. He was frightened almost into con.
vulsions by the fear Of mob violence,
and was only too willing to reveal
the whole truth. Subsequent events and
the result OF the ensuing trial conclusively
es,ablishsd the truth of his story. He was at
best q weak-minded character who was both
frightened and cajoled into the performance of
his part of the work by those who had the as
eassination OF Walton for their chief desire.
On the morning following the murder and
,Frazier's confession. Garrsts was placed
under arrest and taken to St
fssul'' few miles distant. He
all disturbed. but threw himself back upon the
clear alibi he was enabled to prove by his pur-
ipesely arranged party. He was finally told OF
Frazier's damning confession, and then he be.
gan TO weaken. lie grew faint, and asked to be
taken into the air. He was led into the yard in
the rear OF the house to which he had been
taken, aud no sooner had he crossed the thresh-
old than he drew a revolver from his pocket
and fired two bullets into his head. One of the
balls glanced of his skull, and the
: other. although it entered his head did not pro-
duce a mortal wound. At the time it was be-
heved. however, that the wound was fatal and
m ante-mortsm statement was taken, 10 which
he denied Fraziers story and endeavored to shift
oil responsibility for the deed TO Mrs. Walton's
shoulders. Mrs. Walton was in turn arrested
and she proved to be the possessor OF
more nerve thar either of her male accomplices,
simply entering a general denial without at
TEN pting particularly 20 duplicate anyone.
In course Of time Garrett recovered, and the
eases came to trial, the accused trio being
granted separate bearings. On a plea of guilty,
Frazier got off with q life sentence, and no more
grateful felon ever showered thanks upon a
court than he did upon Judge Bonner,
before whom his plea was en-
tered. Nrs. Walton came next in
order, aud Was also sentenced by a jury in the
same court to share the fate to which Frazier