Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-11-29
STRANGE CONFESSION.
A REMARKABLE STATEMENT OF
DR.. JAMES LANSING.
Terrible Revelation of Criminal
DepraVity-TruthS Stranger Than
fictiOn-Thts il an Age OF Crimi.
nal Non>trO<itics- Holmes and
Durrant Have Able Companions
shin.
Toledo (Ohio) Daily News.

l, James Lansing, SCI tnlS GOWN Il
my true and last confession. VIII,
do | wish to coniess-confess to til,
terrible crimes which are laid at IN,
door? / know not, only it seems L
he human quality when the game i
up and the struggle ended, to reliev,
to gain compassion, for more Otter
horror and and detestation are
awakened. and they who would so tt
the gallows or the prison with Il fonC
hope in the breast OF pity, that the
initiating circumstances may bt
cleared up and innocence established
are led away with detestation. | dc
not ask pity, compassion, nor expect
pardon or reprieve The trial has
been fair, the Judge impartial, and
the strenuous efforts made by the
prosecution for my conviction, met
by the best legal talents money could
obtain 1t was inevitable, and black
as | know my heart to be, l shrank
from myself when the prosecutor pic
tured my true character.
1t is the worse for me, that started
differently and with good talents
wasted my opportunity and instead Of
reaching forward to manly honesty,
swiftly ran the way of dishonor and
ruin.
| am glad my mother is dead. Her
heart would break when she heard the
story OF my career, and its final con-
summation. If she exists in another
life, she may with an angels charity
find some atOning grace. l am only
thirty-seven years old, and it is al
most finished. My mother by great
effort sent her orphan son to school
and then as it was my choice, TO a
medical college, | graduated with fair
honors, and got about the practice OF
my profession with the firm resolve
and high ambition to win its rewards.
began practice in booming town
in the Northwest, and it soon became
all could ask for. The standing OF
the profession gave me entrance to
the best society and soon seized my
advantage and won the affections OF
the iairest daughter of the town.
There was little romance or love on
my side, but on hers there were
were enough for both. She was as
dutiful as fair, and as for beauty of the
true American type, she might have
sat as a model, or won favor at the
great fair among the assembled beau
ties Of the world. 1t touched my pride
that a woman should be to me so de-
voted.
After year or two, wearied OF
practice, and looking about l found
that an assistant was wanted in ar
asylum for the insane near by, and on
applying was gratitied by being &C
cepted. There | removed with my
wife and found it exceedingly to my
taste to have no family cares, and just
the routine OF daily examining the in
mates who required attention. Yet
do | believe that this idle life, giving
me time and opportunity, was the
Cause leading TO my crimes.
l met many people, formed theil
acquaintance, and new social life
opened before me. Among these wa.
the clerk of the asylum, Joe Armitagt
and his wife. He was really the
business manager of the institution, a.
it was all left with him. l found hin
an excellent fellow, quick and intelli
gent, with a towering ambition to ge
ahead by all honest means. He came
two years before from the East will
his newly welded wife, and engaged
in teaching and other business, which
brought him good deal OF contac
with the people, and he became 81
popular that he was elected to u sea
in the Legislature. Had he lived, th'
Senate, the Governorship, or an,
office he might have aspired to woul,
have been his for the asking. He ha,
a pleasant address and a magnetism
which at once drew the people to him
His wife WAS petit beauty, attractiv
by her soft and gentle ways, and ap
peared very fond of her husband, VIII
spoiled her by humoring her ever,
whim.
1t does woman good TO cross he
now and then, but to anticipate he
every wish, soon makes her vain an
selfish. There comes time whe
her wishes cannot te gratified, an
then the trouble begins. So in thi
case Armitage had invested largely fo
his limited means in real estate, eS
pecting boom. The boom lingere
in coming and he had to calculat
closely to gold his claims. Under tn
plea that if anything should happe
to him, Mrs. Armitage had induce
her husband to take heavy life il
surance in her favor, and he ha
that to keep up with his other bul