The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-09-06

was tNiuiI oth'' ~ NV ~ DIUOu O
the dead man while On the floor under the
body and extending behind the feet TO the
front window aud back TO the rear wall was
blood that had not yet had time TO co npesI.
On top OF the show case on the counter Inn.
mcdiatelv above the body lay several boxes OF
shirts and some trO users spread out lusl n.
the murdered man had land them for The In
speciion OF the bastard who struck him
down.
The news OF the tragedy spread rapidly for
Parker WAS u popular man and n rapid and sys.
iematic investigation was begun for clews.
The fact that the body was still warm pointed
to IA period about an hour or two pre- vious M
the time OF the murder or about or inst nre-
ceding daylight.
Inquiry was then made for any strangers
who might have been seen In the streets OF
led to valuable developments. Alex DYER. a
colored man who lived back Of Parker's store,
stated tina. as he went 10 his back do0r, which
opened in the alley, about 100 yards from the
rear OF i'arker's store, he SAW "A negro dart
across The alley back OF the store and run in a
northwesterly direction 10 the road leading 10
Lexington.
This evidence was speedily supplemented
by that of VIM. Dyer, II brother. who had lett
the house some few minutes before his broth
err went to the back door. viii was going TO
a job of work some distance away and his
road led him directly by the front of Parker's
store. As be passed he noticed II was open
and that IA lighted lamp stood on the counter.
BY its light he saw Mr.. Parker back Of the
counter reaching up 10 Il shelf for something
while in front OF the counter stood u young
cOl0red man he recognized as VIII W aters.
He thought at the time IL was strange for
but made no inquiry.
This much was learned by 0 o'clock, and q
party OF men. mounted and on foot, at once
started for Shier's farm. They reached there
In about half an hour, but neither Shier nor
the negro hand was there. Mrs. Shier stated
that they had gone to Lexington for corn and
the party started In that direction. Alter
travelling about two miles they met Shier and
the negro returning, each driving a wagon
load of corn.
Waters was told that he was wanted for the
murder OF Parker, but he stOutly protested
his Innocence.
whats that blood OF your hat and on
your shirt" and one OF his accuseis pointed
to several bright red splashes on the front OF
his straw hat and in the bosom OF his shirt
Just about the edge OF his trousers
THAT'S where ! had the nose bleed" said
the negro and he still manifested Ignorance
OF the crime.
Shier was called on next aud he told that
Waters had not been in the house all night.
tie had come home early that morning on one
OF his horses anu when he scOlded him for II
Waters said that he had been oyer to May
view to get some clothes lie had bought the
night before.
The clothes were found In the barn at
Shler's farm by the party when they reached
there and were part of the same lot that lay
scattered about on top of the counter Ia the
murdered mans store aud like them were
also splashed with blood.
Still Waters protested his innocence, but
everything pointed so strongly 10 his guilt
that q halter WAS thrown over his head and
he was swung up to the limb of u tree In the
iDt tiE uIOhC WIEN us luIl
weight came upon II and the negro tell a limp
mass upon the ground. The driving lines
were next detached from the harness OF the
team Waters had been driving and quickly
fashioned into Il moose and 1t WAS thrown oyer
his head and the crowd were about TO swing
him up again.
Then Waters fell upon his knees and began
la ~ ltnU far annr.t- al I.l.H 49,. A M. a
him." he yelled, ''but please don [ hang me
misters. didn't mean TO do II, but | wanted
to Get-"a aud the wretch lay grovellng IN
the dirt Of the BARNARD.
There WAS IA strong disposition on the part
Of The crowd to hang him then and there. but
cool counsel prevailed.
"What did you XIII Mr.. Parker with ~ was
asked.
"A corn knife" was the answer. and be led
his captqrs to II clnmp Of weeds about a quar-.
ter of Il mile away and got the instrument Of
butchery.
The crowd started toward May view with It
and their prisoner, but half way there they
heard that officers from Lexington were
waiting for them to take the prisoner.
""o I'ithiJ ithCuti huu tue
party divided, one-half going back to May
view. taking the corn knife, and the other
nall with the prisoner cut across the fields IN
to a dense patch Of wood a mile west OF town
and there lay until dark.
The party that went inlO town e, ported to
the authorities that Waters had escaped them
and had probably gone to Lexington, where
his parents lived, and the officers went to
Lexington.
Out In the patch Of woods just off the
chicago and Alton track and IN plain sight OF
the village, the captOrs and their prisoner
spent the remainder OF the day. The latter
WAS bound hand and foot.
Long before nlghtfall u confession had been
extracted from The wretch who fully realized
The fearful fate that WAS impending for him.
The confession, as IL was afterward related
oy several Oh the captOrs, was as follows:
Yesterday. Thursday, I was ut the Higgins
Vile lair. met Mr.. Parker. He had u big
roll OF money and | felt like taking IL AWAY
from him., but would he caught. thought
! could do IL better by waiting until morning
when ! could catch him in his store alone and
Knock MN down. So ] went home and sIept
In the hay NOW In the barn. | guess IL WAS
ABOUT q O'Clock when | woke up for the moon
was shining bright. | went down to the
S'aoie ana brldled one OF Shier's horses and
started for MAYHEM. IN passing the corn
held near the house ! got OH and went to a
shock OF corn where | had left my corn knife,
then l rode on to MayvieW. hitched INV
morse 10 q tree just outside near The depot and
"eht 10 farkers store. l knocked but nobody
and walked around to the buck
and knocked on the window. Mr.. pnrler
SAID who's there and said. Bill Wsters.'
What DO you want. Will.' said he and ! says,
Want TO get some shirts. Mr.. Parker, AN
rlght' lust walk around to the front and IN
get up and let you ill., So | walks around and
pretty soon he opened the door ana saw,
Amt you II little bit early, WHIP, savs
Yes, sir, | am, but | wanted some shirts 40
that could go 10 the fair What are you
doing with that corn knife = SAYS he. poini,,g
to the knife. 'u.' says !, i've got a little lob
OF cutting TO 10 before ! 20 to the farm Then
l asks him for some cigars, and he went
to the case TO get them and 1 folIowed
him close, trying to get u chance to hit him
but his face WAS toward me all the time. Maxi
he went around the buck end Of the store and
the cOuRter on the other side wbere
the shirts and things were. He asked m,
what kind ! wanted and ! pointed 10 some
ones and he turned around TO reach
Then ! struck him with the com knife
across the top Of the head. | was
higher than him aud reached over 50 nv
knife went clear across The top OF his head.
ruuuI.u.I Il. Lii. L.. L. .. -