The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-05
TIE DOOMED MAN TALKS
sPTLLER D0EsS,rMAKEx Full COY
rEssIOx BUT PROMISES TO no so.
Tells Of Another Crime Of which He wac
Convicicd-SpeaissK Kindly Of the Mill
tary-v,ii Tell the Truth.


Through the courtesy OF Sheriff Watts
and by kindness OF Mr. Beck, VINO shows
great interest in Spiller. the convicted
murderer Of Lot,ie Rowe, your CORES
pendent was permitted 10 see and con-
verse with Sp!iler this morning.
After passing solid iron doors and steel
gratings, Spiders steel cage was found
on the upper floor OF the jail. The con-
vic,ed man was lying on his couch ana
had on a pair Of glasses. Mr.. Beck hall
ed him cheerfully. saying, Hello. Spiiler'
how are you? What ere you DOING with
glasses orr
spilIcr said his eyes hurt him and that
he had worn them for years. TO pro-
tect his eyes from the heat OF his forge
MIR. Beck's kind words and manner
moved the man greatly, and az your
CORRESPONDENT sat beside him on his coucn.
his emotion Was so great that IL shook
the iron framework. Tears trickled down
the prisoners checks
sPILLXR's HISTORY.
In reply 10 a request OF Mr.. Beck. Spill
Ter gave an account OF his life up TO
Saturday night OF last week.
lie was a slave once prisoner is about
forty~eight years old. and lived with
Charley Cunningham. near Petersburg
Grant county. w. Va. A man named Ed.
Taylor lived there also. and was In love
with girl that he liked. Heard he was
at my sisters house with the girl, and ]
went there 10 see him. He was up stairs
with the girl.
had in my pocket a forty eight-calibre
eight chamber Colt revolver. army pis-
tot. 1 asked where the girl was. lie said
upstairs. / said. thought you told me you
wasn't going 10 marry her? lie was
leaning forward with his elbows on his
knees and he had a gun" thirty-eight
calibre | said. Look out you are Il
dead man." l threw my gun" down on
him as he jumped up. fired. and hit him
on the right side. the ball passed around
his body. He shot at me. but did not
hurt me. i caught his head under my
arm and placed my pistol against his
body, bus II failed twice TO fire. ] then
beat him over the head with It until my
pistol broke. lie then went across the
street
/ was told that II I would 20 away
would not be troubled. Nobody liked
Taylor, but / wouldn't leave: went home
three-quarters of a mile from town.
Taylor recovered. / was sent to the
penitentiary at Moundsville W. Va, and
served FIVE years and two months. The
rest Of the time was taken off for good
conduct l never had any trouble while
at MoundSville all treated me well /
WAS reported three or four times for
laughing. / went from Moundsville TO
work at the Bodley Wagon Works. and
have been there ever since.
HIS LAST cpIMx.
What about now, Spil,er?
INAll
been appointed TO tell me that. too. When
urged TO tell. he said he had promised to
tell that man land do not want to go
back on my word now. 1t is no time for
me to be lying now
A confession will be made, but not now
Mr.. Beck's kind words brought copious
tears from the doomed man.
At the request OF your correspondent
he took off his shirt and exhibited his
wonderful muscular development There
can hardly be anything like It unless it
is Jim Corbett
Spiller said: II am getting thin now,
] have n heavy load on me. / am not
scared. but / am sorry. / know / shall
hang. but / want to say to them young
soldiers that l hope God will bless them:
they did n heap for me. am in the hands
of the law. and don't want TO be taken
from the law. When I talk, thank God,
j am going to tell the truth. i was fool
ish drunk. but will tell all.
"LIoUoE DID IT ALL"
The prisoner repeatedly said: Liquor
did II ALL liquor did 1t all" He insists he
went to Painters house last Saturday
night. went I'm, and went to sleep and
came away at o'clock and went down
TO the bridge. and then home, where he
was arrested The prisoner said he was
never at John Rowe's house before Sat
urday night. and had never been in Joe
Rowes house.
He said 1.-THE night before the execu-
ton i want a minister who can stay with
me all night. IL I can't see the way, |
want II pointed out" He wanted first 10
see a colored man from Harrisonburg
and added: after l am dead | want my
body taken to my house and laid out so
ahat my child can see ii, and that my
child can be raised different from me and |
not be hung"
The convicted man has not lost his !
nerve. but he showed great feeling. and
seemed to be deeply repentant. The pris-
oner feelingly thanked Judge Chalkley |
and Sheriff Watts for all they had done
in bringing the troops here.
When left in his cell the doomed man,
all alone. could be heard praying ear
nestly.
1t is believed that confession has been |
made. but the counsel for the convicted |
man decline TO say anything about 1t. or |
talk for publication.