The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-23
A MURDEROUS SOCIETY.
The Wratten Family Were Killed
by Organized Plunderers.
CONFESSION OF A ooNsPIRAToR.
It Was Brought About Through the Ad-
missions of His Own wife, Who APP
peared In His Interest Before the
Grand Jury.

II Was brought About Through the Ad-
missions of His Own wife. who APP
peared In His Interest Before the
Grand Jury.
WASHINGTON, Ind, Oct. 23.-At last the
guilty murderers of the Wrntten family
are in the tolls of the law. Five of the
suspects arrested and taken TO Jefferson
willie two weeks ago were rightly sus-
peoted, but It was not through them that
the heinous criminals were exposed.
Last Saturday the grand jury ordered
the arrest Of James Stone, the man WHO
came to the Wratten house early on Tues
day morning, and first discovered the ter
rible tragedy. His arrest was caused
through his own wife, who appeared in
his behalf before the grand jury and testi-
fed that stone arose in the night and COM
planned of violent toothache, and that he
was going to dentist to have it extracted;
that he did not return until late hour,
and then being covered with blood, he
asked for change of clothes; that Stone
maintained that the blood on his clothes
wa $ caused by tho bleeding of his tooth.
On inquiry 10 was found that no doctor
or dentist had extracted tooth from
Stone This was deemed as strong evil
dsnce, coming from the mans wife, As
soon as Stone was brought to town the
grand jury went to work to obtain q con-
fession from him. At first he strenuously
denied everything, but being assured that
ciemency would be guaranteed to him IL he
made a confession he yielded to their over
tures. He told his story about as follows:
Robbery Was the Motive.
Knowing that Mrs wratten kept great
deal of money about the house, Gradison
Cosby, notorious cbsracter in this
county, planned robbery. A gang of
seven persons that formed sort of society
for robberies and general plunder was
notified Of the plan. Their names are
Eradison Cosby, Lon Williams and Mar
tin Yarber, of this city; William Kays, OF
Pike county; John White, John Clark and
James Stone.
The plan was that Yarber and Clark
should get In the house and commit the
robbery, while the others were to stand
guard. At the time when the robbery
was to be committed Cosby and Stone
had not yet arrived. Cosby was In the
eity Monday evening, and was so drunk
that he got past reason and didn't reach
the house at all, but Stone arrived aftei
the murder had been committed, and be
oause ho was late the other conspirator,
NhllOWtu Nun III tilt DlODtl VI lnb NiClllHi
and in that condition permitted him to &c
home, aud that was the nail that fas
tened down the lid Of their collins.
They could not find cent of the money
MS Stone did not arrive until the six mur
ders we're committed. He does not know
why they killed the Wratten family.
All the criminals were arrested nnt
taken to Jacksonville. Williams ant
Ksys were already in Jeffersonville prison
Brown, another suspect, who was taken tt
Jacksonville, had no connection with tn,
tragedy, and he will be released. The ex
citement here today is more intense thai
sysr.
History Of the Crime.
The murder OF billiard benson Wratten
his wife, mother and three children occur
red on Sept Is last. The Wrattens resided
about nine miles from Washington, Ind.
and their bodies were found by neighbo
the following morning, and there wer
evidences Of a terrible struggle for life
Mr. Wrattens mother was 81 years old
Mr.. Wratten SO, his wife "a, the chile
Btolla 6, and a 3year-old baby, Ethel
aged Ii, was found with her skull crushed
in two places, but still alive. She diet
without regaining consciousness. Old Mrs
Wratten had for years been in receipt of
pension, and 10 was generally believed il
the neighborh,>od that she kept the none,
In the house, 1rs she had no expenses