The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-18
THE CHAMPION LIAR.
This Does Not Refer to Any Local
MunchaUSen.
WOODRUFFS TRUE CONFESSION.
He Makes New One-The Others We're Bogus
1t is Full of Discrepancies
That's Nothing.


ing. In an entirely new story from him,
published in an extra edition of the Times,
he contradicts and discredits every other
statement heretofore attributed to him,
and now appears in the role OF an eX-
member of the Canadian militia, claiming
that he was trusted with the alleged muir
der because he furnished the Fenians with
valuable information during one of their
military raids into Canada.
Woodruff says he arrived in Chicago on
March 6, and says he obtained work from
Gardner, on SouthwOrth avenue. After
three or four days work for Gardner,
Woodruff was taken sick. His narrative
says: After going 10 the county hospital
drifted into P 0. Sullivau's place. Imade
uD my mind that he was Il Fenlan and re
minded him Of certain raids during the
Fenian riot in Canada | went during that
raid as a volunteer in the Twenty-fOurth
Kent battalion whose headquarters were
at Chatham. We went as far rs Niagara.
At that time ] was assigned to the ad-
iutant's department, and gave some t'e-
mans points as / learned them while in
that place. That was my first connection
with the Clan-na- Gael. 2. o. Sullivan told
me that he would get me work if
possible. From there l came down
and went to work at Dinan's
Woodruff tells how he met Detective
Coughlin soon after and had drink with
him He conveyed the impression that
the detective knew him to be thief and
that he believed the detective to be on the
fence. While walking together they met =.
OSullivan and the latter mentioned Wood
rufus request for employment. COughlin
uuizZed Woodruff and wondered that a man
in his line should want work. Woodruff then
told of meeting early in April with one
Melville, whom he had known in CalifOr-
MIA. He said he was great friend !Of
Desmond and Sand Lot Kearney during
the labor troubles there. Melville and
Detective Coughlan were drinking together
in a side saloon when Woodruff joined them.
COughlin soon left, and the other two made
the rounds of disreputable houses for
awhile, after which Melville took his leave,
saving he was going TO McCOy's hotel, as
he was staying there. Melville gave
Woodruff a small sum of money, saying he
wanted to see him again. A few days
afterward Woodruff met McDOugall on the
south side McDougall told him his name
was now Williams. Woodruff had known
McDougall or Williams as an old worker
for the Clan-na-Gael. After private talk
between CoughIin and Williams, the latter
took Williams to the west side and talked
with him. When Woodruff told Williams
he was busted, the latter said why
Sullivan - Woodruff replied that he was
not ready to go to Europe. The pair then
proceeded to III Clark street. This is the
place where, as has been so frequently
published, the furniture in the Carlson
cottage was first stored.
Williams would not tell Woodruff what
he wanted him to do, but urged him a few
days later to go over and see Alexander
Sullivan. He finally did so and told him
that McDougall had sent him over. p. o.
Sullivan said to McDougall: sob, you
mean Williams, don't youP' Woodruff re
piled yes, and Sullivan said he had nothing
to say and that he had never met Woodruff
before Woodruff told him he was looking
for a job, and on Sullivan's asking him
what kind of work he would like, he re-
piled, Anything in Gods world, if there
IS any money in it." Sullivan looked at
him sharply and replied: ''If hear of any
thing for you, I'll let Williams know of it"
Next day when in company with Williams
xhey met Sullivan. He took Williams aside
and handed him some money, saying, "Now
pay that rent" Then seeing Woodruff,
Sullivan told him he must not take offense
at his manner of the previous day, as he
was very busy and had great many appi
cations for jobs.
The Wednesday before the murder, Wood
ruff met Coughlin, who asked him to take
a note over to Sullivan'S. This note was in
cipher, the same as had been used by the
Fenians when Woodruff was at Niagara.
He looked at it and says he read it ''going
I'd to p. o. Sullivan's."
The remainder of the confession deals
with the night of the murder. Coughlin,
so,Woodruff alleges, paid him S25, to drive
to Lincoln avenue from Dinan's livery
stable and get a conveyance in which a
trunk could be carried. Near Ashland and
Lincoln avenues, Melville and a man
O'Shea, alias Mike McDougall, joined
Woodruff The latter says this man was
machinist or blacksmith from Philadel-
Dhia, but that he had known him in Wi
chita. Kansas Melville he said, he had
also met before in Peoria, in con-
nection with Irish affairs. They drove out
to the Carlson cottage, reaching there about
am. The two men went in and soon
after p. o. Sullivan, Melville and Williams
came out, carrying trunk, which they
placed in the wagon. Here follows new
version about the trunk and the disposal of
the body in the sewer.
Woodruff says now that the intention
was to have the trunk sunk in Lake Michi
gan, off Lincoln park, but thinking they
were pursued, this plan was abandoned.
Woodruff claims that CrOnin's instrument
case was probably buried or thrown in the
lake by Melville and Williams when they
left the wagon. He does not know what
disposition was made of the clothing
Woodruff concludes with the assertion that
he has recently been approached by law
yer who offered to take his case gratuit-
Ously, and this lawyer had said to keep
strict silence, as Alexander Sullivan's at
torney and he would work in unison, and
that one of Sullivan'S bondsmen had
agreed to pay for Woodruff's defense.
The climax of the whole confession is an
assertion by Woodruff that all his previous
alleged confessions are bogus, and that this
is his first and only statement he has mado
since the arrest, the intimation being that
the other confessions were given circula-
ton by interested persons to create the i'm
preston that he, Woodruff, was a liar.
Woodruff gave his age when arrested as
twenty six years. The last Fenian inva-
sion occurred about 1856, so this would
make him about three years old when, ac-
cording to his own story, he was a member
of the Canadian militia and first became in
innate with the Fenians.
Woodruff was visited in jail this after
noon and found deeply engrossed in the
preparation of another confession, which, |
ne saws, is to be much more sensational
than any of the invincibles. He reiterated
his confession, published this morning, |
hut on a close examination altered it in |
many important articles. He said he was
only twenty-nine years old, but insisted |
that he took an active part in the Fenian |
rebellion, which, he says, occurred In 1873 |
His date does not agree with history.
He said he visited the flats at III Clark |
street, when the fact is that the fiat was
vacated by the mysterious stranger March !
9. Woodruff's statement that he met |
Melville April and that the latter was
stopping at McCoy's hotel, is met by the |