Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-05-05

William Walker, charged with being
implicated with Robt. Walker, brother
and Jay and Robert Hicks in the mur-
der Of Robert Meyers, of Meade county,
who for some time has been confined In
the county Jail at this place, made :
voluntary confession Of the whole affair
TO Sheriff Willard on the 9th day Of
March, since which time, and up to the
time Of the recent escape Of the Hicks
brothers from the Sturgis Jail, the said
confession was withheld from the public
for presumably plausible reasons. The
CHRONICLE has been in possession OF this
important matter Of news for more than
a month prior to the date of the first
newspaper, but being under promise TO
hold it until notified of the advent Of
the time when it might be advisable 10
publish it, we could not, without q
breach Of faith, give it to the public.
The result was, a failure on the part OF
the party on the other end Of the line,
and as q natural consequences we rs
left. and our up gulch contemporaries :
were given the first chance at it. That's
all--and isn't it enough.
The confession is too volummous for
publication in its entirety, and we APP
pend only that portion which more
directly refers to the killing, the details
Of which are of the most horrible and
revolving character, and are substanti-
ally as follows:
"Jay aud Robert Hicks planned the
robbery Of Meyers last December, and
impaired their plan TO William Walker,
| urging him from time to time to Join
them in the scheme to rob (but did not
at any time speak Of killing Meyers.
After persistent urging on the part Of
the Hicks brothers, Walker consented
to join them in the scheme, and on the
nigh. of the l4th of December they went
to Meyers cabin and found him feeding
stock in his corral. Jay said, Hello old
man, have you any fire in the house ?
The old man said he had not. Jay told
him they were cold, and asked the old
man what chance there would be to get
some supper. The old man went into
the cabin, bnilt fire and cooked supper
for them. After they had eaten their
supper, Jay got up from the table and
went across the room near the door
where he sat down and commenced
smoking cigarette. The old man then
sat down to his supper, and after eating
commenced clearing AVA the dishes,
when Jay pulled the gun and cooking it
pointed it at tho old man, who changed
his position as if trying to get out of the
range Of the gun. when Jay fired, and
the old man fell upon the floor, the jar
putting out the lamp. Walker then
jumped up and ran toward the door,
saying, My God Jay, what did you do
that for? Jay SAID, Didn't you see the
old son of a - siding off to get some
thing to hit me with? Walker said he
did not think SO, and that he did not
believe the old man heard what lay
said. Walker then started for the door,
and in passing Jay in the dark was shot
hy him, being mistaken BY Jay for the
old man. The wound was not serious,
| and Walker passed out Of the door, jay
and his brother following. They re-
mained outside but few minutes. and
then re-entered the house and lighted
the lamp. The old man was lying upon
the floor but not fatally wounded by the
shot. Jay again drew his gun upon him
and demanded him money. saying that
if he did not produce it, he would "put
! out his light" The old man declared he
had no money on the premises aside from
the S35 which Robert Hicks had Just
taken from him. Jay told him he was
not going to fool with him much longer,
and that if he did not at once tell him
where his money was he would kill him.
During all this time Walker was plead
ing with Jay not TO shoot any more, bnt
he did not heed him, and upon the old
mans further asserting that he had no
more money any where upon the prem.
ises, Jay deliberately shot him through
the head, killing him instantly. The
house was then set on fire and the party
departed for their homes, the last act in
the tragic drama having been performed,
completing the record Of one Of the
most, if not the most revolving. cruel
and unprovoked murders that has ever
occurred in the history of the state.