The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-10

pefadoes, Tom Bianck. Before he had I'M
ished the stenographer had taken down
4o.00o words. His explaua tson for making
. voluntary statement was that he had
been continually In fear Of arrest, and
that he wanted to be convicted Of the muir
der OF Joel w. Ashworth. at Denver, June
q. and hanged as quickly as possible. He
objected strennQusly in court when an at
torney was assigned to defend him. The
chief OF police claims that SO far a he
mas investigated Downen's story he has
found It to be correct.
Downen is Is years old and came from
good family. He Is the black sheep"
He was born near Denver. His mother Is
said 10 be living near Boxeman, Mont,
with one OF her sons. He has q brother
named David. who lives near Salt Lake
City.
The frst time Downen committed an of
Tense was In 1873. when he stole q mule
from County Commissioners Twombley at
Denver. He was placed under $500 bonds.
but skipped out to California. locating at
VisaEa, where he went 20 work In q saw
mill. One day he learned that the Wells
Fargo agent was going to send out $4,000
on the next stage. He planned a hold-up.
but the stage was driven over another
road than the one Downen had picked out.
subsequently he succeeded in robbing the
same stage OF sSS5. With this money he
visited San Francisco. ST. Louis and Dem
yer. He returned to Tulare county, Cal.
and went into the stage robb.ug business
again. In making his escape ne stole a
horse. When arrested he thought he was
wanted for the stage robbery, whereas he
was wanted for horse stealing. Following
the same plan as ne has in Denver. he
told all about the stage robbery, and con-
sequently was sent to San oHentsn for
twenty-five years. At the end OF seven
years he escaped. One day he begged
meal at William Browns house. near Pet
aluma. He says that Brown recognized
him while he was eating. and attempted
to hold him UP with rife.
.T refused to be stopped" says Downen
"and he shot me in the neck. / knocked
him down with heavy lamp. setting IRE
to the house and ran. Brown emptied his
revolver and rife AZ me. but ! escaped TO
the mountains" He then made his way
to Sacramento. being shot at In one small
town. according TO his story. by night
Waterman. When he reached Sacramento
the town waswrought up over the killing
OF Policeman Hunt. He claims to have
left the town soon as possible after
having secured a revolver. for fear OF be-
Ing arrested on suspicion OF being Hunts
murderer.
At Truckee according to HIS story. he
robbed two men. The amount secured is
not stated. Then he went to Coifax Cal
and tried to rob A Chinaman whom he
had reason to believe had s.. On on his per-
son. The Chinaman. according to Dow
men. ran over a cliff and was killed
Downen aid not get the money. He re-
turned 10 Truckee and was arrested on
suspicion Of being Policeman Hunts muir
derer. pownen says he was afraid OF be-
ing iynched. 50 confessed who he was and
went back 20 San Quentin After ten
years he was psrsioned hv Gov. Stonernan
father OF Ssattie's ex-city clerk.
pownen. with childifke simplicity. saws
that he Immediately went 10 Santa Clara
and applied himself with diligence TO the
hlghwsymsn business.
On the night Of February Il. 1855. a
young man named Dr~schmeyer ana two
Young women. Maggie ~ahil ana Momis
Canavan. left Santa Clara In a buggy for
San Jose. As they rearktd the Alameda
Downen jumped from c~fine q tree and
commanded them 10 hnst. preschneyer
whipped up the horses and Downen sreI
The bullet struck Miss Cahil in the right
shoulder. Her life WIS Gespasred OF BIZ.
she finally recovered. pewnen thought Re
had killed her. The identity Of the high
wayman was never disclosed until Dow
men made his Confession 90 Chief Russell
az Denver a fe~ days since.
pcwnen next went 70 San Jose. In order
20 make ssow Of earning living he ssa
some work fer a scotsman named Mergetf
but meanwhile he committed every small
robbery which was offered IL was at this
time tha. hts rr~f murder occurred. Tho
man he SHOT In 81. James park he had
never seen before. The oaiy reason he
killed him Vas because he seemed 10
have some money! as Downen now SAYS.
Dcwnen rex, robbed q Mexican woman.
For this he was arrested and tried ana
sentenced 10 q term Of seven yeays a, San
Quentin. Ia then Joined soraGDkher prts-
onerS in a plan 10 escape from the prison
from which he had been released short
tine previously. In escaping. however.