Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-11
BiRCHALL PROTESTS INNOCENCE
Another "Faked" Confession Makes Its
Appearance to Increase the Mystery

Appearance to Increase the Mystery.
WOODSTOCK, ONT, Nov. ll.-Brchan con-
tinues to protest his innocence of the murder
of Benwell, and says that the mystery in which
the tragedy is enshrouded viii be cleared up
before long. He processes TO believe that
Benwells watch will vet be found. and he vol
unteers the information that the murdered
man was not killed where he was found.
THE LATEST FAKE CONFESSION.
The latest in the confessions concerning the
Benwell murder is published in the Buffalo
Eutning Nt,rs today. II purports to be from q
man in Buffalo, is dated here and postmarked
yesterday. The handwriting is pinched and
unlike that o. Iirchall. The letter in signed by
j. j. Litchield. who does not live there and
whose name does not appear in the city direct
ory. In effect the letter says: II have waited
TO give Dirchall his last chance 20 defend him
self from the death that now awaits him for
the crime of winch he is innocent I am
member OF the conspiracy who dealt with
monied Englishmen. who were brought out
here to be robbed of their wealth, and we also
bad an Office in Cornhill London, England
until the arrest of BirchaIL Previous 70 our
holding our Office there held it at Pentinville
HilI near IT. Pancras station. London, and our
first victim was Augustus Anderson. eldest son
Of c. A. Anderson, rector Of Holdenby. North
ampton. England and who is related 20 Lord
Salisbury. We took him TO have money with
L:m, and we watched him closely during his
stay in Canada until we found he had squan-
dered 1t all, and then he returned home.
EXoNERATING BIRCHALL
"At this time we were working the business
alone for years previous to Birchalrs coming
to this country. / acknowledge he is impli-
Gated in the robbery of Benwell and that he
was at Eastwood the day of the murder, and
| that all four of us were at the Bepheim swsmu
R.enwe hal % ali Eal.
/ ruary IL. We met them and tried to induce
Benwell TO swear to assist US in our business or
/ we would kill him. BcnweH would not listen
! or reason with us and We shot him and then
cut his name from his clothing. We then told
| Birchall to get out of the country and gave
him what articles we had taken from Benweil
We told Birchall we had chloroformed BenwelI
and he did not know he had been murdered"
THREATENING THE JUDGE AND JURY.
The writer says he has had hard work 70
keep one of the gang from confessing. The
letter then continues: "As sure as BirchaIl
dies not one board shall be left Of the build
| ings of the jurymen who sent him there. We
! have Judge Mcmahon spotted and should We
have TO wreck a train TO murder him we will,
and we hereby notify him OF the death await
ing him and the jurymen Also"
The letter concludes: IF were to give the
history of our past life il would fiji many pages
of the darkest crimes ever known or thourhtof
| in our present day. and should Birchall be
hung il will make two men executed for our
deeds besides one undergoing life imprison-
ment"
POSSIBLE AUTHOR OF THE COLONEL" LETTER
few nights ago a man saying he was Newell
p. Hyckthall, who at one time was thought to
be implicated IN the murder OF Benwell, ap-
piled for nights lodging in the lookup at
Sarnia He said he came from Michigan and
was on his way TO Woodstock. He left the next
10 hat
possibly Hyckthall may be the author Of the
'COlonel" letter from jackson. Mich.