The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-25

WASHINGTON, Ind, Oct. Especial.
AT last the guilty murderers of the
Wrattan family are in the tolls of the
law.
Five of the suspects arrested and
taken to Jeffersonville two weeks ago
were rightly suspected. but it was not
through them that the heinous GRIM
inals were exposed.
Last Saturday the grand jury or
dered the arrest of James Stone. the
man who came to the Wrattan house
early Tuesday morning and first dis
covered the terrible tragedy.
His arrest was caused through his
own wife, who appeared before the
grand jury and testified that Stone
arose in the night and complained of
a violent toothache, and that he was
going to a dentist to have it extracted;
that he did not return until late hour,
and then being covered with blood he
asked for a change of clothes; that
Stone maintained that the blood on his
clothes was caused by the bleeding of
his tooth. On inquiry it was found that
no doctor or dentist had extracted a
tooth from Stone. This was deemed
strong evidence, especially when coming
from the mans wife.
AS soon as Stone was brought to town
the grand jury went to work to obtain
a confession from him. At first he stren-
ously denied everything, but being as
sured that clemency would be guaran-
teed to him If he made a confession, he
at midnight yielded to their overtures.
He told his story about as follows:
Knowing that Mrs. Wrattan kept a
great deal of money about the house
Grandiston Cosby, notorious character
in the county, planned a robbery. a
gang of seven persons that formed a
sort of society for robberies and general
hellishness, was notified of his plan.
Their names are Grandiston Cosby, Lon
Williams, Martin Yarber Of this city,
William Kays of Pike county, John w.
White, Gipp Clark and James Stone.
The plan was that Yarber and Clark
should get into the house and commit
the robbery while the others We're to
stand guard. At the time when the rob-
berry was to be committed Cosby and
Stone had not yet arrived. Cosby was
in the city Monday evening and was so
drunk that he got past going and did
not reach the house at ALL but Stone
arrived after the murders had been com
mitted and because he was late the other
conspirators wallowed him in the blood
of the victims and in that condition per-
mitted him to go home, and that was
the nail that fastened down the lid Of
their coffins.
They could not find a cent of the
money. AS Stone did not arrive until the
six murders were committed he does
not know why it was done.
All the criminals were arrested and
taken to Jeffersonville last night. Will
Jams and Kays are already in Jefferson
vile prison.
Brown, another suspect who was taken
to Jeffersonville, has no connection with
the tragedy, and he will be released
The excitement today is more intense
than ever. Woe to the murderers if a
Daviess county crowd can lay hands on
them.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S.-SpeciaI.-
Martin Yarbrough has in part confessed
to the Wrattan murders. He, in the
main, substantiates the story of James
Stone told yesterday. Excitement runs
higher than ever. The people of the
entire county have been in Washington.
1t is now believed that Stone has lied
about his having nothing to do with the
murder, as his trousers have been found
between the plastering and weather.
boarding of his house, and they were
splashed with blood. 1t was not daubed
on by others, as he tried to make believe
was the case in his confession published
in today's Sentinel