The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-24
Many Persons i'm Daviess County Think
He Himself Is the Real Butcher
of the Wratten Family.
HIS STORY NOT CONSISTENT
Blood Stains that Could Only Have
Been Caused by Spurts.
Browns Trial for killing Wesner Draw.
ing to ClOse-Smallpox Cases that
Are a Source of Danger.
pecial to the Indianapolis journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Ind, oct 2.-The Wrat-
ten murder expose has set the people OF
Washington wild with excitement. Farmers
and business men in this locality are so agi-
tated that they cannot attend to their duties
but crowd the street and discuss the horrors
of the terrible crime. Martin Yarbrough,
whom Stone implicated in his confession,
has corroborated Stone in several import
ant details touching the first story Of the
gang. but he insists that he was not pres
ent on the night OF the murder Stone tells
a thrilling story Of his experience after the
murder had been committed His guilty
conscience was a constant accuser There
was not a walking moment that he could
not see the bloody forms of the murdered
family. Sleep was often denied him and he
would get up in the night and go out and
spend hours in the cornfield near the wrat-
ten house. An impulse. which was irresis-
tible, drew him day after day to the scene
of the murder. Persons who visited the
scene of the tragedy remarked that Stone
was nearly always about the house. He
says that he was several times sorely
tempted to tell the gruesome story to the
officers who were interrogating him. The
weight of the awful crime was such a
menace to his mind that he could do moth
ing but study the fearful details OF the six
fold assassination. The cries of the MUIR
dered persons rang in his ears from morn
ing until night and, in the silent watches
OF the night, blood stained shadows OF his
victims passed before his affrighted vision
in sanguinary procession. He was under
the spell OF 1.-The curse in a dead mans
eye" 1t was relief to his brain when
he had told the terrible tale.
1t was the general belief here to-day,
from the circumstances attending the case,
that the greater part OF Stones story is
made out of whole cloth, but there is no
questioning the fact that Stone himself
played a very important part in the awful
butchery His confession duplicating the
other six persons is so unreasonable that it
would not be believed, even were there no
other circumstances to dispute it. There is
a well-founded belief that each of the men
whom Stone charged as having a connec-
ton with the bloody affair had, a previ-
Gus occasion, planned to robzold Mrs. Wrat-
ten and divide the spoils. They purposed to
wait until she could secure some more
money, which 1t was supposed she had out
and would soon receive, but it is believed
that two or three Of the gang, Of which
Stone unquestionably member, grew
tired of waiting and proceeded to do the
dirty work themselves, were caught ana
incited to commit the terrible crime charged
to them.
TWO PROBABLY BLAMELESS.
So far as Clark and White are concerneS,
it is understood they can give a very e=Sss-
factory account OF themselves on the nighs
of the tragedy, and had no hand In th7
boody work. The others may be able to
set themselves right, but the prevailing
opinion is that at least one. and perhaps
others, assisted in the slaughter. There are
various other reasons for doubling the
greater part of Stones story. He is a no.
torius liar, and has become so used 10 the
art of perverting the truth that he seldom
knew when he was stating facts. His claim
that he arrived at the scene of the killing
too late to take a hand in the fun" he
termed it, is doubted. The conversation he
puts in Lon williams's mouth is not cal
culated to lead those who knew OF Will
liams's disposition to believe. Lon is one Of
the most gifted of men in exercising good
Judgment He would not have talked as
Stone says he did had he taken hand in
the butchery, nor could he have sat down
i'm the very shadow Of the house, as Stone
says, and related the details of the crime.
as the confessor alleges. He is too smooth
customer for that, and it altogether too
unlikely that he would have made the sug-
gestion: 'Well, Bud, as you got there too
late for the fun, you must come down here
in the morning and find the people and give
the alarm"
Then. again, Stones story about having
been smeared with the blood Of the VIC
tins is not only unlikely. but barefaced
falsehood The blood on his pants is in
spots. and clearly indicates that il had
spurted on them and was not rubbed In
them, as he claims. 1t few from the vic
tins as he dealt them, or watched others
deal them, the rnurderous blows. 1t could
not have got there in any other way. When
Bud Stone made his confession he no doubt
did so In order to pave way for himself
and secure leniency. He probably was in
fiuenced by the outcome of the confession
OF John Lynch at the unearthing OF the
murder of Samuel Bunch, Of Salt Petre
Cave, Orange county, some Twelve years
ago. Lynch implicated the four Archers.
and escaped with a two-year sentence In
the peritentiary. Three Of the Archers
were hanged by mob. and the fourth
tried. convicted and executed by the law.
Stone concocted his story in such a way as
to eliminate himself from any intention to
commit murder. and is trying to make
people believe that robbery alone was the
motive that led him 10 conspire with the
others, Notwithstanding he also says they
were armed with corn knives. scythe
blade and a short-hand.ed ak. People here
say 1t will be difficult for the courts TO see
why such weapons were taken to the scene
Of the crime IL only robbery was contem-
plated and, again. it will be difficult to
understand why six or seven men. armed
as Stone claims, were compelled TO murder
an old woman sick man, his defenseless
wife and innocent children when robbery
was the object, and they could so easily
have carried out that part of the pro-
gramme.
DRAWING TO A CLOSE.