The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-02-20
He KILLED HIS PAL
MORTIMER TRUESDELL COMES
SES TO A MURDER.
rs VERY WE'LL KNOWN HERE.
He Experiences Religion and Tells His
Awful Crime-W willing to go to
Colorado and Stand Trial
His Grim Tale.

OUT dU CeudF dis, IOWA, MOHudy
night. During the last of a series of
revival meetings a sensation was ere
ated when he stepped upon the plat
form and said: q have been trying
to lead christian life for several years,
but have been conscious all the time
that was great sinner. | am guilty
of murder and am ready to surrender
myself to the officers. want to serve
the Lord. and cannot do it without
getting rid Of this awful burden"
Truesdell was greatly affected, and
the excitement caused by his statement
amounted to almost panic, and sew
eral in the audience tainted and had to
be removed. Truesdell said after
wards that the murdered mans name
was William Shelton or Sheldon, he
could not tell which.
Truesdell was not placed under ar
rest. The insanity theory is advanced
by some of his friends, who refuse to
accept the story. His story in brief is
as follows: L first met the man /
murdered in Springfield. ILL.,, July 8,
1890 He and I travelled together to
Colorado, stopping en- route at Atchi-
son, Kan, and other points. He was a
gambler, sneak thief and all-rOund
crook. He told me of lots of dirty
work he had done, but we did nothing
of the sort while on the trip. ! had
been a private detective in Wisconsin
and was still detective, but without
authority outside of that state. The
fellows name was William Shelton or
Sheldon.
At Tennessee Pass, Col, [ was
taken sick with mountain fever. Dur
ing the night he rifed my pockets.
taking among other things letters
showing that | was detective. The
next day we started to Leadville.
Within a mile Of the city [ gave out
There was a rig coming down the road
and I said | would ask for a ride.
Sheldon drew knife and insisted that
[ should walk with him. He then. said
he knew I was detective, and would
give him the worst of it. He seemed
greatly enraged.
!" AS he came in front of me with the
knife I drew revolver and shot him
twice in the head. The first struck
him in the temple; the other bullet
took effect in the back of the head.
The body lay in Il narrow opening in
the brush between the road and a
creek.
After the shooting | laid the revol-
yer by Sheldon's side and took his
knife. / also took from his pocket u
watch of mine he had been carrying. |
then left, walked short distance up
the road and changed my shoes, leav-
ing off pair of boots. | stepped out
into the road and met the rig we had
seen. / asked for ride to town, and
got into the wagon. The driver asked
no questions. guess he did not hear
the shots fired. The gun used was a
22-caliber. had pair of A calibers,
but did not have time to reach for
either of them. They we're strapped
around my waist:
When arrived in Leadville | met
a party who had seen Sheldon and ne
on the road from Tennessee Pass. He
asked for my partner. | told him | had
left him down the road. then went to
saloon and changed my clothes.
From Leadville / went to Pueblo, from
there to La Junta, and from there to
Kansas City From Kansas City
went to other points, and finally to my
home at Kenosha, Wis. arriving there
about two weeks after the murder.
" / have never heard of the trouble
since. | don't know whether the body
was ever found or not. | have been at
Kenosha most of the time since. |
have been in Cedar Falls two months.
/ have never told this to any one be-
fore, except to Mr.. Mcintosh. [ told
him the truth of the matter after the
confession at the meeting last night.
am perfectly willing to go forward and
stand trial.
g The murder occurred the day be-
fore Labor day, 1890 | don't remem-
Der the date now, but remember be-
ing in Pueblo the following day and
that the Labor day celebration was go
ing on. I will be "a years old the 9th
day of this month. My father lives at
Kenosha. My mother died three years
ago. The knife | took from Sheldon
was taken from me by the marshal at
the first or second station north OF
Springfield, Ill.,
Mortimer Truesdell has long been
we'll known here. He is a son of A. B.
Truesdell, the constable, and a brother
Of Henry Truesdell, who until recently
was the deputy game warden for this
county. Mortimer was given much to