The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-08


into the gloomy portals. accompanied
by a gentleman who showed her much
Difference.
The lady was Mrs. Celia Stone, the
unfortunate wife OF the wratten muir
derer. and her escort was Deputy Pros
ecutor Hastings of Washington, Ind.
They had come to learn from James
Stone the truth in regard to his crime
if that devil can tell the truth, which
is doubtful Warden Patten was absent
and his duty of escorting the lady to
her husband devolved upon Deputy
Warden Howard Only one hour was
spent by her and her. escort. Hastings.
with the confined Stone.
Mrs Stone is a lady of more than av-
erage intelligence, she is good looking
and how she allied herself with such
beast is a miracle. Stone had not gone
to sleep and when he saw his wife nc
attempted TO look properly penitent. but
he succeeded but lily and undoubtedly he
Is as cold-blooded a hound as ever lived.
When asked by his wife to tell the truth
OF the awful murder for his own sake
and for the sake Of his family Stone
completely went back on his first and
third confessions. The last one as will
be remembered, was made before the Da-
viess county grand jury only couple Of
days ago in which he inculpated other
men. He reiterated his second confess
sion and insisted that he did the awful
deed by himself alone
His unfortunate wife again and again
asked him to tell the truth. but he stuck
10 his statement and his infamous lying
moved the deputy warden to remark that
he was undoubtedly the champion liar of
the world. He has taken back every
thing that he had stated at the last time
before the grand jury. His wife adj
mOnished him to tell the truth and he
said he was telling 1t. He showed con-
siderable cunning with all and il is now
thought that he will try to play the in
sanity racket, but it is not likely that
he will avail himself very much. About
o'clock his wife left him to catch the
train for Washington, bowed down with
grief and shame, she suffering much
more evidently than he, who ought TO
suffer most
There was not much said between
them, the time was brief and his wife
was too deeply moved to say much
more than insist that he tell a straight
tale. 1t Is now understood that the court
at Washington will arraign him before
IL closes on Saturday and that there Is
not any likelihood of lynching IL the law
attempt to get a continuance or change
OF venue. the people feeling perfectly
convinced that he will hang IL he gets
half a chance.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.-SpeciaI.-At
1;29 this morning Bud Stone, the muir
derer Of the Wrattens in Harrison town.
ship. this county, was secretly brought
TO this city from Jacksonville by the
county officials. Accompanying him
were Williams. Arber. White, Clark and
Cosby. who have been charged with
completely in the murder. Stone was
placed upon the stand and pleaded
guilty to the murder and at noon to-
day tie trial ended by the jury finding
him guilty Of murder in the first de-
gree.
large crowd has collected at the
court house, but everything is quiet
There was no trouble experienced in
getting a jury, and only fifteen minutes
was spent after retiring in agreeing
upon a verdict He was sentenced to
be hanged Feb. II, 1894.
The crime was a horrible one. Mon
day night, Sept. 49, 1893 billiard d.
Wratten, his wife, mother and three
children, living nine miles from Wash
lngton, were brutality murdered, their
bodies being nearly chopped to pieces.
Inc alarm was given Tuesday by this
man Stone, who was a near neighbor to
the Wrattens. At once farmers and
citizens began the search for the muir
derers and blOodhounds were put on the
trail, but with no avail. Two men were
arrested near Vincennes, but they were
released. The object of the murder was
to secure $500, which it was thought
was kept in the house, belonging to
Wratten's mother. Stone helped to pre-
pare the bodies for burial and he also
attended the funeral. All this time Of
ficers were busy on the case and as a
consequence several farmers who resid-
ed in that locality were arrested sus-
pected OF being implicated in the crime
and were taken to the Jacksonville
prison for safekeeping. The grand jury
examined number Of witnesses, among
them Mrs. James Stone and daughter
She told enough TO justify the arrest Of
stone. He was jailed and when once be-
hind the bars he broke down and made
a confession, but said that he belonged
to a gang and that they did the killing
as he arrived at the house too late
Stones conscience troubled him and
ne was brought back from the prison
south, where he had been taken for safe
keeping. and made another confession
stating that he alone committed the
murder. This last confession was hardly
believed and his wife was sent to Jeffer-
sonville the first of this week TO get him
to tell the exact truth. He said that
his last confession was true and that
he, single-handed. killed the family with
a corn-knife and ak, but he did not Sc
cure the money that ne was after.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.-Special-
Budd Stone and his supposed accom-
plices were brought to Washington last
night
An Indictment against Stone for the
murder Of the Wratten family was is
sued by the grand jury. Accordingly he
was arraigned before the court this
morning at O'Clock. jury was i'm
paneled.
The culprit was asked whether he was
guilty or not guilty, and he answered
Guilty"
The defense, which consisted OF Attor-
ney John Spencer. made a weak attempt
To prove the culprit's insanity. At IL
O'Clock the case was given TO the jury,
who found him guilty Of murder in the
first degree in twenty minutes and in
fiicted the death penalty.
Judge Defr0n Immediately sentenced
Stone and fixed the date Of his execution
Feb. II, 1894, at the prison south.
Stone was taken TO Jeffersonville at
noon.
HE CHANGED HIS MIND.