The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1891-11-04

vas determined 10 institute al IN
-estigation.
~ INVESTIGATION MADE
The following day Ashbury Good
light. August and Henry Breen-
-eke visited the place, Noticing
fresh earth in the cellar they be,
gan 10 dig. Iu few minutes they
uuearthed the body OF old man
Moore, with the skull crushed. The
entire neighborhood was aroused
and further search began for the
younger Moore. 1t was found 100
yards from the house, buried Is
inches beneath the surface. The
skull was crushed.
An inquest WAS held on the re-
mains. In summer kitchen al
Joining the house was found a phi
low soaked with blood, showing
that::oid man Moore was lying in bed
when the murder was committed. In
the rear was an axe, freshly oiled,
but showing blood stains, evidently
the weapon used by the murderer.
A warrant was sworn out for vii
hanson arrest and he was taken in
custody at the Salvation Army bar
racks an hour later. where he was
found at the point of death from
dose of strichnine, taken with sui
cidal intent
WILLIAMs1S's : MOVEMENTS
Sunday Williamson had come to
town. Monday morning he went to
the house of Mrs. Mary Funk, Sis
ter of the elder Moore. and told her
her brother had gone to Calhoun.
From there he called at the house of
Mr.. ]. G. Sprague and left large
pocket book in the care of domestic.
Rebecca Arnold, with whom he kept
company. Williamson then pur-
chased 10 cents worth of strichnine
and, later, swallowed the drug. He
was discovered, i'll great agony, and
removed to the Salvation headquar-
ters, whence, when arrested, he was
taken to Jail. The poison was pump
ed out of him and when accused OF
the murders he at first denied all
knowledge, but later confessed, i'm.
plicating the wife of Jefferson Moore
from whom the latter was separated
a woman or questionable repute
known as Mrs Anna O'Banion. She
was Immediately arrested, but up
on her preliminary hearing wal
released. it being shown conclusively
that she had no part in the crime.
Williamson was then arraignsd
He waived a preliminary hearing
and the November term Of Crimina
court i'll 1890 the grand jury return
ed true bill against him for mu,
der in the first degree. He was trie
at the February term of court th
/ sent year. was found guilty an
, sentenced to be hanged. The cas-
was carried to the supreme cour1
: That body confirmed tho sentenc
and set the date of execution for Or
: tober 81.
While incarceratsd the poke,
book before mentioned was recover
ed from Williamson's sweetheart. ]
was found to contain papers belong
ing to the Moores, among them
document in Williamson's own hano
writing purporting to be a transfe
of ~ the effects of the Moores, IL
cluding the farm, worth $4,000, {
Williamson. His object in perp,
trating the horrible crime was, with
} out doubt, to gain possession of tn
. property.
i THE MURDERERs LIFE.
} Williamson was born in Tazewe
county, Illinois, in 1888. His fathe
was farmer. From boyhood To1
gave evidence of being a naturs
r tLief. He was a member of til
One Hundred and Eighth Illinoi
Volunteers during the civil wal
: serving for three years His onl
relative is brother. who resides i
! Kansas
Until year prior to his arrest 70
: the murder of the Moores. William
e. son lived with wife three nile
5 ives, of this city. One aav his wifi
l;s.D,a.ya1 Sb1,.I,- ,st.r,,-.r /,