The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-10

AKRON, Ohio. April s.-Romulus CO.
tell, alias John Smith, Is In jail here,
charged With the murder of the Stone
family at Tallmadge. coteil recently
was discharged from the employ Of AL
vim stone because of his distasteful at
tentlons to Mr.. Stones daughter, Flora,
It will be remembered that while Stone
and his wife were killed. Ira shIlson,
the hired man so badly injured that he
died, and Emma and Hattie Stone both
attacked, no effort was made to harm
Flora, and on the morning after the
murder, she said the voice Of the muir
derer sounded like Johns"
on the night following the murder
Smith was subpoenaed to appear before
the coroner. Upon Investigations he de-
MED all knowledge Of the crime. The
two Cleveland detectives yesterday be-
came convinced he wac the real murder
or and paid visit to Tallmadge. They
took Smith to the Stone residence and
for six hours kept him in the sweat
box" plying him with questions. The
man doggedly insisted that he never
committed the murder, but at O'clock
yesterday evening broke down and salo:
''If murdered them do not know IL
This served as a starting point ano
from this the officers wormed partial
confession from him. He admitted the
killing was done with q base ball bat,
and that he placed the ladder TO the
window to look in. He gained an en-.
trance into the house by prying open
the lower door. When asked why he
did II. he said that he did not know
but admitted that he was In love with
Flora Stone. His story OF the manner
IN which he had made his way from
room to room IN the house agrees with
the details already published. He would
not give an indication OF the motive
for the crime. but there Is one conclus-
ion that 1t was done for the purpose
OF assauIting Flora Stone.
His home Is in Turpin, N. Z. He says
he Is only seventeen years OF age, but
is evidently about three or four years
older. When he had concluded MS
statement, the detectives placed him
under arrest He made no protest When
told that he was in custody ana did not
appear to be much excited.
The arrest was made while Coteii was
on the way from TalmRdBe 70 MI Pot.
tersffarm, where he was employed ana
he was brought to- this city at o'clock
this morning. He was placed In jail, ana
the charge Of murdefing Alvin Stone,
his wife and Ira Stlllson, and murder
ously asSaulting Emma ana Hattie
Stone, was lodged against him.
To-day officers secured a detaheu con.
fession from Cotell, but only a part OF
It has been made public. Smith says
the devil told him to commit the crime
and how to do It. He had a grpdge
against the murdered man because he
had not paid him 81 still due for his
work on the farm. Smith gained en-
trance to the house at the back door
and having killed the old people he kill
ed StlllSen, the hired man. and attacked
Emma Stone, and thought he had kill
ed her When he was locked out Of the
room in which Hattie and Flora Stone
had slept he secured knife from Still
sons pocket aud going down stairs
slashed the farmer and wBe 70 make
sure they were dead. The mask and
base bali bat the murderer hnd, have
been secured from the woodshed a PoI-
ter's farm, where Smith was employed.
It was largely through working up his
religious fervor that the confession was
secured.
Anson Strong, the first man arrested
will doubtless be released to-day,
The funeral OF Ira Stillson was held
at Kent yesterday afternoon. and the
remains were inferred In Standing Rock
cemetery. StillSon wss the third victim
OF the TallmAdge tragedy, Mr.. and
Mrs. Stone having been killed outright.
A morbid crowd has besieged the jail
all day where the murderer ts confined.
The feeling against Smith at rallmadge
is high and trouble from that source Is
/ feared.