The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-04-15
HE HAS CONFESSED.
Smith, the Tallmadge Assassin
Acknowledges His Guilt.
cleveland Detectives Succeed In Fastening
the Awful Crime on Stones Hired
Man After n Cross-Examina-
tlon of Six Hours.

dered ten days ago at Tallmadge' was l
arrested last night and brought 10 Vnis S
citv. charged with the murder. he
was discharged by Alvin Stone TWO
weeks before the crime for paying TOO !
much attention to the youngest oaugn- I
ter Flora.
The name of Smith is an assumed
one by his own statement, MS reai
name being Romulus CoteL. lie Is a
Slav.
Two Cleveland detectives, Doran
and DeCelle, have been working On
the theory of Smith being the real
murderer for several days IL mas
been uphill work, because TIE ue-
tectives who first took hold Oh Uhe
case. as well as the coroner, had prac-
tically acquitted him. Doran ard De-
Celle. however, became convinced IN
their own minds that Smith was tne
real murderer, and paid Visit 10 lall-
madge. They took Smith to the otohe
residence, and for six long hours tney
kent the man in the ''sweat box, ply
ing him with questions. He doGgeoly
insisted that he never commltteo inc
murders, but about o'clock proke
down and said: If l murdered them |
l did not know it"
He admitted being in love with Flora
Stone, but would not give any motlVe
for the awful deed.
The Stone house is two-story 1rame
building with wing and L attached.
"A stranger in the house would DC
easily confused, as it is peculiarly ar
ranged, and the murderers famllar-
itv with the house has been the only
good clew the officers had to work on.
In the front part of the house upstairs
there are three rooms Emma stone
occupied one on the east side, Ira +.
Stillson occupied the next room on the
east. and Flora and Hattie the room
on the west, the one in which the muir
derer was supposed to have entered
with the aid of ladder. Down STAIRS
in the wing, back of a little porch
Mr.. and Mrs. Stones bedroom was
Situated, and the kitchen is in
the l.. Smiths story of the way
the crime was committed shows that
the murderer went into the shed in the
rear of the house, secured ladder and
placed it against the upstairs window
of The room occupied by Hattie and
Flora Stone. He climbed the ladder
and peered into the window, but the
NIGHT was dark, the moon being partial
lvhidden by the clouds. He went down
the ladder again and pried open th'
front door and then began the bloody
work. He first went to the room
MIR. and Mrs. Stone, armed with bas'
ball bat. What transpired in tina
room was testified by the ghastly seem
that was presented to the sight
those first on the ground when tn
alarm was given. The murderer ev
IDENTIFY struck Mr.. Stone first, KILN
him instantly. Mrs. Stone was tn
next victim, and the position in whlc
she was found, with her arm unde
her head, shows that she probabl
never knew what had happened. In
murderer then went upstairs to tnis
his bloody work.
Being we'll acquainted with the fan
ily, he knew that the next person to
nut out of the way would be the hire
man. Accordingly he entered the roo
=
of Ira +. Stillson, whom he found to
an easy victim.
Next in line came the Oldest daug
ter, Emma Stone. The latter was pa
tally aroused by the entrance OF Il
assassin and struggle followed, whi
accounts for the fact that the murd'
er's deadly work ended here.
He struck the girl with baseb'
bat but not in a vital spot, as he HI
done the others, and she screamt
awakening Flora and Hattie. The Ii
ter rushed to her sisters assistant
but was met at the door by tho tie
and struck down. She tried to I
npain, and was again struck down.
this time the mans attention W
drawn 10 Emma temporarily, and II
tie managed 10 escape. She rush
back to her own room and told
Younger sister Flora that some {
was numbering Emma, to lock
door and under no circumstan
let him into the room. Bolt
and barring the door, Flora remaii
in the room, while Hattie, wrapped
some bedclothes, ran to the wind
and slid down the ladder. Meanwl
the murderer had been pounding
locked door. After gaining adr
tance he rushed on Flora with
lifted arm and with shining OBJ.
in his hands. Something stayed
hand, however, as he did not strike
girl. Where is the other, grip"
hoarsely demanded. She's gone
help" replied Flora.
He turned Immediately and rus
down stairs. Out the front dool
ran across the garden, in the same
rection which she had taken.
Smith was the first man suspecte
the crime. The next likely persoI
whom suspicion could be fastened
Anson b. Strong. Strong, it
claimed, had threatened Mr.. S
some time ago for the latter's par
helping to send him to the penitent
for thieving, and many circumsta
seemed to indicate that he was
murderer. Strong is still in jail
Killed While Returning from His Wed
ELIZABETH, n j., April CD
McGinlay, mate on the Singer NJ
featuring Co.'S steamer Edward {
was killed by train on the Pen
vania railroad yesterday morning
crossing the track to the station
his bride. They were coming trol
Patricl's church, where the nul