The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-27

Wilcox Says He Can Prove
Where He Was Labor Day.
CLAIMS ne WON THE MONEY.
Dyosght to This City for . Hearing He
TsIks Eusrdediy Go R~pertsrs-
Ills Past Record

Fe.ting and by implication with the kill
ing of James ktng. arrived in this city
yesterday afternoon az sssy o'clock 80
charge Of Detectives cadihse and Smith
AZ the train they were met by ths patrol
wagon, in charge Of Jgiler Sosle sud De-
tective ph!sbrsek. There wss also small
eroxd Of Information seeksrs, drawn 20
the syo. By the patrol wagon.
Wilcox waikes cut 81 The car without
assistance. having been spared the dis
grace 81 handouts and shaekles, stepped
into the wagon and was driven rapidly 10
police headquarters Clerk Flernming
brought cut the register and took an Off
clal description o. the prisoner. II reads
as follows:
aEIsiiam A. Wilcox. charged With rnur-
der = years old, 5 fees 10 inches tail.
weighs les pounds. has blue eyes and 5rown
hair. basket or poxmsker by trade, prop
srty ST.
When IL came 10 taking his height he
ives asked TO stand erect with his head
close 10 the wire screen Of the desk. ~
first he thought i: queer operation and
ssked Cart. fiozle what vas mssnt Ga
being informed be readily compiled, re-
marking sbat ne should ike TO know what
his real measurement was. For about ten
minutes he wAs seated in the captains
Office awaising decision IS 20
whether he would be taken 10 the
county tan or left in the city PRISON.
ARRANGEMENTS had not been made With
Sheriff WooIery. so the latter piace vas
chosen temporarily. TODAY the transfer
will probably be made. While Wilcox
was In the Office be vas asked q fsw ques-
items, those IN fact that were pronounced
BY the PosT.ISrEILIoESeEE correspondent
in Tacoma the night of the arrest. The
answers were given readily. bns had little
bearing upon the vital points in the case.
The .nteryies. was conducted in the
presence Of the chief. the two detectives
sad Capt. Willard. Wilcox vas slightly
nervous before the close Of the talk. but
in appearance, actions and looks there
was nothing that would give anyone
grounds for in.eFrine that he was guilty.
lie said he realized that he was at liberty
to refuse TO answer questions. and would
use his own discretion in the matter.
~ am perfectly innocent Of connection
with either the murder OF Mrs. Charlotte
Festing or James King" he said. "and
future Developments will prove what I
say. have not had a fair show from the
Tacoma newspapers for In instances what
] said and what was printed differed ma
ferially. One would think, TO read
some of the accounts, that | am
q coId-blooded wretch OF low char
acter. That does me wrong. for
i was never arrested before in my life aud
can refer TO any of the places | have
worked in years past for recommendations
rs To nay reputation. II IL true / have
gambled. have won large sums of money
and lost similar amounts. yet until the
present case nothing was ever said about
II. / am not professional gambler, but
iaborer who has always earned his living
by hard work. II | had not weakness for
play, then ! would never have been in
this trouble. 1t is a lesson to me,
and / don't enjoy having the
public know that l gambled. yet
things have gone so far now that il cannot
be helped. / have no fear Of being able to
prove myself innocent of the charges,
against me. but do worry about the shock
my mother will suffer at the knowledge of
my arrest. She is an old lady, not strong,
and the disgrace will go hard with her.
heard today that the news had reached my
home and a message had been sent 10 Ia
coma for confirmation.
sUn September 4, the day Mrs. FEET
ting was murdered. | was In Tacoma. The
exact location do not care to state. Ny
ahbi is rs strong rs any one could produce.
| Was not in Seattle in September nntil
about the 18th, when / passed through.
sopping one night at the Southern
holei. corner OF Yesler avenue and
Commercial street. II you examine
the register you will find my
name written with that of Frank Startling.
A week later retained TO Tacoma. stop
ping in Seattle only long enough TO pass
from one boat 60 another | did no. know
Mrs. Fetting aud never saw her in my
hf- 20 my knowledge. / was friendly
With James King and knew that he was In
destitute circumstances ali summer. be-
furs his death knew of his
being compelled TO 30 10 the reser-
walton To get food for his
family. They we're nearly starving, aud
seine days King went without food to eat
] never had any trouble with King. and in
fact just before the box factory shut down
work in August | took work away from
Chicago 10 give "a King. knowing how
he was situated. At the time Of the Fes-
;iug murder I did not think King had
anything to do with IT, and when he asked
RE. one day. il suspected him of being
no. walk the street with him. The story
that had = sum Of money. say $500.
short time after the Fcfsing murder il
false. did not have anywhere near that
suu. and viii only tell what aid have ON
tie stand.
The night King was killed | was With
him i'm the Hunters saloon. but my stories
about going out have always been given
falsely. and ! won'. say anything about
that NOW"
Before finishing Wilcox said he did not
own a revolver. bat that about November
II he borrowed one TO take fishing. and
has not returned IL lie believes that
Louis Bohn had nothing TO do with the
two murders. bat when asked as so his
opinion OF the cause OF the last murder
Nenturcd no opinion.
Among those 20 whom Wilcox refers for
information as TO his character are George
bowling. banker. Of Montague, Mich !:
Robert Conley. druggist, Armoardale.
Kan Il. l.. Cline. superintendent OF the
basket factory At Spring Lake. Mich. and
she superintendent OF the basket factory
at Sonthhavea. Mich.
Wileox's statement that he was in Seat
tie about September IL is verified BY the
register at the Southern hotel. where un-
der date Of September IL appears tAe
names 81 wv. A. Wilcox aud Frank Star.
ling" William kook. the. hotel runner,
remembers bringing them Ia the hotel
from tire Portland train. They left early
the next morning.
Detective smith returned 81 Tacoma las,