Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-11-14
coNFEssEs THE CRIME.
Jim Williams, One of the Oliphant
Suspects, Makes a Confession.

| SPNSeS5 uAdh6S OOQI6SSlOQ.
The only new development in the
train robbery matter yesterday was
the partial confession of Jim Williams
who was arrested by Sheriff Owens,
at Mountain View, Stone county, on
Saturday and subsequently removed
to the State penitentiary at Little
Rock for safe keeping. The confession
made by Williams, which is only his
story, after all, was given in effect as
follows:
Williams said that he came from
Tennessee four years ago, but refused
to tell his whereabouts since that time.
He met the party in Hutton's Valley,
Howell county, Mo-, where the party
was organized. 1t then consisted of
eight men. Jack Williams, of Howell
county, Mo, was the leader, and the
remainder of the party, except Wack-
erly, were from the Indian territory.
Jack Williams, the prisoner, jim Will
liams, Bill Lemons, Mack Arnett John
Patterson, BIZ Wilson, Glenn Wacker-
ly, and two others whose names Will
liams did not reveal, composed the
party, Wackerlv joining them at
jamestown.
The party proceeded from Missouri
to Bentonville, thence to Fayetteville,
through North Arkansas, to the route
laid down in Arnett's map, to the
scene of the robbery. Williams only
remembered Mountain View as one Of
the towns they passed through. The
bandits spent seven or eight days with
the Wackerleys, leaving for Oliphant
Thursday morning before the rob-
berry, camping about three miles from
the town. Williams, the prisoner,
drove the wagon containing three
Winchesters, another one of the gang
riding with HIM, while the remainder
of the party rode in advance on horse
back. They stopped at Sulphur Rock
to buy provisions, inquiring at store
kept by Sheriff Owens brother for
meat, falling however, as Williams
says, to get any in the town. While
en-route though Sulphur Rock Sun
day Sheriff Owens brother identified
Williams as the man who asked Tor
the meat.
Williams, however, says he re-
mained with the horses while the rob-
berry was being committed, aud does
not know who shot McNally. When
the rest of the party returned from
the scene they simply told him that
they made good haul and killed a
man. The prisoner there left the
party aud had not seen them since.
Sheriff Owens says he was on the trail
of Jim Williams and John Patterson
two days, catching Williams Thurs
day night at II O'Clock, Patterson es-
Gaping,
He thinks the remainder of the
gang will be caught at their old
haunts.
Ten sheriffs with posses were in
pursuit of the bandits, and the coun-
try was secured by at least 800 men.
The sherifs who engaged in the pur-
suit were T. j. Owens, Of Independ-
ence; Tom w. Story, of Stone; Tom
L. Harder, of White; j. B. Wilson, of
Faulkner; B. G. White, of Conway;
Samuel Livingston, Of Baxter; j. r.
Patterson, of Cleburne; M. II. Patter-
son, of Woodruff; A. G. Broadaway,of
Craighead; and James M. Hobgood, of
Jackson.
Sheriff Owens thinks a mistake was
made in taxing the prisoners from
Batesvile Jail, as jailer G.. B. johnson
conld have gotten more out Of them,
and did do so more than anyone else.
Arnett confessed to Johnson, and his
story is corroboraied by that Of Will
liams in most particulars.