Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-04

fin. and Is in States Prison for Life
Twenty Four Hours After His Arrest
Facts in His History Explaining the
Brutal Atrocity-Au Innocent Purpose
That Developed Into Foul Murder.
CHARLOTTE. Mich, Feb. 4-Russell c.
Garfield the inhuman murderer Of little
Nellie Griffin. escaped the lynchers' rope
by pleading guilty yesterday and receiv-
ing the sentence of life impriso nment
About twenty four hours after he was
captured ne was in the state peniten
at Jackson Justice has been swift in his
case but in the opinion of the enraged
people here she has been far too merciful.
Horrlied and maddened by the fearful
crime of the monster, the people demand
Ell blood, and had Garfield been still in
Jail here last night would have been his
last. 1t was his fear of mob vengeance
that caused him to confess, and dread of
the viglantes' rope drove him to plead
guilty and seek safety behind the solid
walls OF the states prison.
Made a Fatal Admission.
During the twelve-mile ride Monday
night vain attempts were made to obtain
a confession from Garfield. He told
plain story, and was so frank thar it was
thought likely that he would be able to
prove his innocence. Sitting by fire in
the sheTitfs Office at Charlotte NJ Bates
made another effort to get some admis-
sion of guilt from Garfield, and was sur
prised so see some signs of his weakening.
Garfield said that he would like to see
Mr. Bates alone. The others left the room.
and Garfield said: I'm perfectly innocent
of this crime. Mr.. Bates, bat Pm afraid
they are going to hang me-"
THAT is what you deserve" said Mr..
Bates. what did you kill that little girl
for?"
Il don't know" said Garfield hurriedly.
Then seeing his fatal admission h sought
to recall it, but Mr.. Bates pressed his ad-
vantage, and in few minutes Garfield
broke down and offered to tell all about it.
Strange Confession.
According to Canfield's story, rs told
Mr.. Bates and signed by the prisoner, he
got the girl, as heretofore stated, from
the Coldwater school. He gave his name
to the superintendent as G. Hendershott,
and made arrangements to take Nellie
Griffin with him to his alleged home In
company with the girl he returned to
Jonesville and thence to Dinondale
After getting off the train at the latter
place Garfield, with his victim, took the
road leading to Mr.. Harrison's farm. Be
fore reaching it he struck off the travelled
highway going through several tract of
wood until he, with his charge. reached
the piece Of timber by the river where the
body was found.
Slight Reason for the Murder.
They talked for few moments and
Nellie manifested great distress of mind
and wept bitterly, begging Garfield to
take her back to the institution at Cold
water. Turning deaf ear to the girls
pleadings. Garfield struck her down and
checked her to death. He then denuded
her body of clothing and taking the
corpse in his arms threw it head ong into
the river The clothes he took to Harri-
sons farm and hid them under the floor
of the cow stable. Garfield maintained
stubbornly to the last that ne had not
abused MS victim.
Canfield's State ment Verified.
When Garfield had signed this confess
sion of his guilt he was at once locked up
and guard placed over him. Sheriff
Paddock, after taking precautions to
guard the Jail in case of an attack, started
for Mr. Harrison's farm, near Dimondale.
to search for the girls clothes. Under the
floor of the cow stable on Mr.. Earrison's
farm the clothes were found wra pped in a
bundle. Mr. Newkirk left for Coldwater
yesterday morning, taking the body with
him for burial in the state public school
cemetery. Previous to his departure Cor
oner Benedict convened the iury and q
verdict was found in accordance with the
facts admitted by Garfield in is confess
sion
4 Mild-Mannered NJ iscregpt
To the people who read Canfeld's con-
fession, his admissions CONCERNING the
crime seem incredible. Very nat urally
the reader would picture him to be a
bloodthirsty looking villain with brutality
stamped on every feature; but this is not
the case. He is n mild hammered, inof-
fensive looking man of slender build, and
rather below the average height The
Harrison family, for whom he drove a
milk wagon daily to lansing refused to
believe him guilty until his own confess
sion forced them to admit it. They state
that he was a quiet, unobtrusive man
who never had much to say nd did his
work we'll He is understood to be fairly
well fixed, and has an income from a
small farm that he rents, preferring to
drive milk wagon for Mr.. Harrison
rather than conduct his own farm and do
his own cooking and housework.
His Matrimonial Expert ences.
The Harrison family say that Canfield's
only weakness was fondness for the So
ciety of young girls. This characteristic
was the cause of good many jokes on
him. which he seemed to take goOd-na-
turedly He has been married twice His
first wife lived with him twenty
years, and then ran away with another
man, and said that she was sorry that she
hadn't done so twenty-seven years sooner.
Garfield secured divorce, and immedi-
ately afterward married an old maid in
Ienawee county, who left him soon after
This second failure in matrim onial ven
lures so chagrued Garfield that he closed
up his business matters in Lenawee ooun-
y . -, - no..