The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-27
STONE WAS NOT ALONE
Officers Waiting for His Third
Confession for Evidence.
Many Things Point to Kays and Will
liams as Having Been AccOmplices
in the Wratten Murders.
Special to the Indianapolis JournaI

Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Ind, Oct. 26.-The report
has leaked out here this evening that Stone,
the self-confessed murderer will give the
authorities evidence that will establish be-
yond doubt the fact that he did not kill
the Wratten family single handed but really
had one or two confederates. He is such
a notorious liar that he cannot be believed
on all points even under such extraordi-
nary circumstances. That his third confess
sion is forthcoming is believed by many who
are on the inside. and when it comes 1t is
believed that he will reimplicate Bill Kays
and Lon Williams. There are good reasons
to expect this. In the first place, Stone was
unable to tell the whereabouts of the weap-
ons when arrested, and intimated to an
officer that if given the privilege of short
interview with Williams he would be able
to tell where they were concealed. He stole
a short talk with Williams unobserved by
the guards in prison, and in a few hours
afterwards made known to the officers that
the short-handled ak and corn knife would
be found in woods pasture, a half mile
from the Wratten home, alongside certain
log, and covered with oak leaves The tools
were found exactly in the place stated by
Stone, and are now In this city.
Another instance gave strength to the be-
lief that Stone had help. The bloodhounds
followed the trail to Stones house, passed
through the yard and down the road, cross
ing the river. and for some distance into
Daviess county Stone stated in his nrss
confession that 1t was the purpose of Will
Jams to take Kays to his home in Dubois
county, directly after the murder and that
the two men accompanied him as far as his
house. where the trie parted. The other two
proceeded on their way toward the river.
To substantiate this, Kays Is known to
have arrived at his home early in the morn
ing after the murder, jaded and footsore.
He said to two or three reliable parties that
he walked from Daviess county that MORN
ing, having been over there to get his church
letter, and was delayed in getting back
Williams, also, was seen near the ferry and
heard talking by the ferryman about or 4
o'clock in the morning. And Mrs. Stone
the wife of bud" Stone. says her husband
got UP several times in the early part of the
night and went outside the house, acting
strangely. She heard noise on the outside
like. footsteps the last time. and asked her
husband on his return what it was. He
said something was after the hogs He de-
clared that he must go get his tooth pulled; !;
that it was killing him. He then left the
house and did not return until about 4
o'clock. 1t Is considered very unreasona-
BILE that Stone would have armed himself
WIN DOtn weapons, ana USED nrSt one ana
then the other, as he claims in his second
confession. The mystery is not cleared up
ct.
To man of unquestioned veracity who
has just returned from Jeffersonville, and
who has known the murderer Stone all his
life, Stone said that he was crazy when he
made his first statement before the grand
jury, duplicating the men, kays, Clark
Yarbourgh. Cosby Williams and White, and
had been crazy ever since the murder until
yesterday Stone said he was so wrought
up over his hellsh crime that when he made
his first confession he was seized with a
desire to implicate any one who came to his
mind. He stated that he had been crazy all
along until yesterday. stones wife yester-
day received the following letter from him
Dear Cecilia, Sallie, Ezra and Harry-I
don't think will ever see your faces again.
Raise the children to fear God. / can tell
you that to-day 1 am happy in a Savior's s
love- / sought Christ yesterday evening and
all last night. 1 have found Him precious
to my soul, and am ready now TO die, and
I am a happy man. Please meet me in
heaven, all of you. Tell Cecilia to write to
me as soon as she gets this. She did just
right in telling the truth me to the grand
jury She saved her soul and mine, too.
Pray for me- Cecilia. Good bye
JAMES Z. STONE"