Brookings County sentinel. (Brookings, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1890, 1889-06-21
WOODRUFF CONFESSES.
The Chicago Horse Thief Tells
What He Knows or the Gro.
min nEurder.
According to His Story Alexander
Sullivan Was the Head Conspira-
tor in the Matter.
Detective Coughlln, 0'Sullivan, the Ice
Man, MeDougal and Others
Implicated.

CHICAGO, June 17.-Woodruff, the
horse thief who is implicated in the Gro
min murder, has made full confession
of his connection with the assassination.
In substance it is as follows:
He arrived in Chicago on March 20
last, and soon after made the acqbaint-
ance of p. O'Sullivan, the ice man. He
met Detective Cougalin, whom he had
known by reputation As "fence," a
few days later. The man Melville, who
is supposed to be Maroney, arrived in
Chicago about this time, and Woodruff
saw him drinking with CouShlin in q
saloon. On the following day Wood
ruff met Mike McDougall in company
with Coughlin. As Woodruff approached
he overheard Coughlin say: Good; he
is Just the man want to see.' Turning
to McDougall, he said: Are you ac-
quaintedT replied, Il guess l ought to
know Mac McDougall turned TO me and
said: 'Thatll do; my name is Williams"
Coughlin and McDougall had quite a
talk while l waited. After talk,
which did not hear, Coughlin left, say
ing he had some business. As soon as
Coughlin was out Of sight Williams said
to me: Come on We went over
on the West side and staid for an hour
two drinking beer, Williams paying for it.
He asked me: 'How are you fixed? l
said: Il am nearly busted He said:
You are damn fool replied that it
was a mighty hard time to make dol
lar unless you took desperate chances,
and was not quite prepared to do that.
He said: why don't you go down ana
see Alexander Sullivan" | said / was
not prepared to be sent to Europe. Will
Jams turned to me and looking me
squarely in the face said it would not be
necessary for me to be sent out Of town
in this case. l asked: What, is there
anything on now? He laughed and said
we seemed to be living pretty well.
went with him to his room at III
night. When left he said:
Go and See Alexander sullivan
Il went to Deans barn and thought the
matter over and then returned and ap-
piled at Alexander Suilivans, giving as
an excuse to Dean that l was going down
to the postoffice. Alexander Sullivan
was not in, but going out / met him in
the hall before | reached the elevator.
said: Mr.. Sullivan, McDougall sent
me over to see you Mr.. Sullivan said
'McDougall-Oh, you mean Williams
don't you? | said: Yes. l guess so;
slept with him last night. He wanted
me to go over and have talk with you.
Mr. Sullivan said he had not nothing
for me, he had never met me before. He
said. however, if he had anything or
heard Of anything he would let Williams
know, and walked away. | met Will
liams an hour afterward going out OF
his room ON Clark street. We took a
grip Car and went over on the North
Side. | told him | had seen Sullivan
and what he said. We got off just be,
fore we got to Division street. We met
Alexander Sullivan as we were coming
out Of saloon. He took Williams tc
one side and took out roll Of bills. TAX.
ing several from the pile, he handed
them to Williams, saying:
Now Pay That Rent
They moved a little further away and
talked for quite a while. When Sulli-
van had gone said to Williams: What
did he say? Anything about me me-:
Williams answered: No, not much: he
doesn't have much to say, anyway
asked, is he your banker? He answered,
Hes a good enough banker for u.s.
then left Williams and went back 10
Deans stable
The facts Of his getting the horse and
wagon out the night Of the murder are
recited substantially as heretofore pub
lished. In this confession he says p.
O'Sullivan, Melville and Williams
brought the trunk out of the Carlson
cottage.
route taken in disposlng of the boy,
substantially as has been before told, up
to the time of his trying to trade the
horse and his arrest. He says this is a
clean breast of the whole affair as far as
he knows anything about it.