The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-31
IRVING LArIuEg.s CRIME.
How the Fugitive convict Murdere
His Parents and Was Convicted.

How the Fugitive Convict Murdered
His Parents and Was Convicted.
A. d. Haight. n son of George w.
Haight, the gatekeeper of the Jackson.
Mich, penitentiary. who Was killed by X.
Irving Latimer. the murderer at
the time OF the latter's escape
few days ago, - resident OF
this city and has received telegram from
bis family announcing his fathers tragic
death. He is familiar with the circum-
stances of the crime tor which Latimer
was sentenced to life imprisonment, and
tells the story of it as follows:
knew Latimer well, having gone to school
with him. He was q goody goody boy and my
mother used 10 tell me i should be more like
him. Ar the time OF the murder of his mother,
in January, 1859, he was running the principal
drug store in Jackson and was teacher In .
sunday school He was . nice looking young
fellow OF about n, dressed well. had new SUIT OF
Clothes very frequently and was great society
man. But he drank on the sly, and. though he
was outwardiy good church MEMBER he was
leading double life and his extravsgsnes had
nearly ruined his business. He was great
fayorite aud lots Of hearts were broken in Jack
son when he was arrested.
He took the 3 O'Clock train to Detroit one
afternoon, went to hotel and went TO his room
early to 60 to bed. leaving word to b called at
Q certain time. Then he sneaked out the back
way and took the night train back to Jackson,
which 10 only Is miles away. He took the 8 q m.
train to Detroit again, expecting to get to bed
before morning, Dat thetrain was delayed aud he
did not get into Detroit until 3 O'clock Mean
while he had been called at the hotel. and "a be
did not appear or answer the call the door was
broken opep and il was found that he had not
been to bed.
The same morning his mother was found dead
itk, fhRoah hull in h,r
body. She had been shot once ~ she LAY In bed.
Then che had jumped Out aud clinchsd with
the murderer, VINO fred two more shots ~ they
strugg ed about the room. Blood was found
spiashed ali over the floor aud walls: proving
that there had been . struggle, though she oooy
Was found in bed.
The news was telegraphed to Latimer ~
D-.roit anu ne started back to jackson. Evil
oence Quickiy accumulated against him. Frat
was the fact that he had not been to bed at the
motel at Detroit; then the conductor recognized
him rs man who had travelled from Detroit TO
Jackson aud back on the previous night A
barrier by whom he had been shaved alter his
return TO Detroit noticed blood on his cuffs, and
when he went again to Jackson after receiving
notice Of the murder, he had no cuffs. 1t was
also found where he had bought a revolver the
day before the crime was committee The
Collar door of his mothers house had been
broken open, seemingly by burglars, but when
IL was closely examined, 1t was found
to have been burst opeu from the inside instead
OF the outside. Latimer had entered the house
to commit the murder with pass key and had
broken open the cellar door afterwards to avert
sus picion. His motive was to secure the $4,000
insurance on his mothers life and thus stave OF
ruin.
The murder of his mother led to investigation
OF the death Of his father, who had died sud
denly about year before, while sitting in his
chair, after supper. 1t was proved that Lati-
mer gave him glass of cider and that he died
a few minutes later. He was evidently poi.
soned. Latimer was sentenced to life lmprison-
meut. because there il no death penalty In
Michigan.
My father has served a. gstekeeper in the pom
itentiary under every Democratic administration
aud has held Office this time tor three years.
His place was In the guard room, which Lac .
double gate opening into the cell blocks
and another out to the street, so that
nobody can 20 in or out without pass
ing through it All the keys and arms
arc kept there. Gill, the night keeper. must
have gwen him the prussic acid in his supp.r.
which they would probably eat together. Then
he must have let LatImer out OF his cell, taken
the keys d the guard room and let him out OF the
building, supplying him with rife from the
armory in the guard-room. know exactly how
IL must have happened, for ! used TO take my
fathers supper to him at night and know the
building. This 10 not tine first time Latimer has
attempted to escape. About Q year ago guam
tity OF dynamite was discovered in the outside
wall under the window OF his cell.