The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-28
HOTEL GUEST A MURDERER.
He Is Accused of killing His Mother
Brother and Sister.

st. Louis, Jan. N.-Arthur s. Palmer of
Mamaronlek, N. Y, was arrested by Capt.
O'Malloy and Detective Cooking Of the st.
Louis force at the Planters hotel this af-
ternoon. Palmer is a handsome, well dress
ed man about 45 years of age and has been
at the hotel for week registered as Paul
Jones.
The arrest was made on a long distance
telephone message from Sheriff Johnson
of Westchester county. New York, who
said that Palmer murdered his mother,
brother and sister, nine days ago, and fed
to parts unknown. The sheriff telephoned
that Palmer had been traced to ST. Louis.
and could probably be found at one OF the
hotels. During his stay at the hotel, Palm
er kept closely to his room. When on the
ground floor he would find a secluded cor
ner In the library away from the crowd,
At 2:30 o'clock this afternoon, Police
Capt. O Malley and Detective Cooking To-
Gated Palmer at the Planters.
George Cunningham pointed him out sit
ting in the corner of the library. When
told that he was a prisoner, Palmer col
lapsed ana had to be helped to the patrol
wagon. He was In such apparent helpless
ness that the officers did not press him
with questions.
On arriving at the four courts. Palmer
was carried to the sick ward of the prison
and DR.. Lippe, of the city dispensary,
summoned. The physician found the pris-
oner suffering from ague and general le-
bility. 1t was s p m, before Palmer was
sufficiently revived to be questioned. He
was taken into the office of Chief of De-
tective Desmonds. Under steady fire
of questions Palmer at first made a weak
show Of indignation at his arrest. He de-
MED that his name was Palmer and claim
ed to be a land speculator from Denver,
Col. His mental distress and physical
weakness was not long proof against the
questions and by degrees he broke down.
At o'clock he admitted that his name
was Arthur Palmer. and that he had as
sumed the name of Paul Jones for busi-
ness reasons. He declared that he had left
home on Sunday the day preceding the
triple murder. Without baggage he walk
ed to Larchmont two miles from his
home, where he boarded the last car OF an
express train as it left the station for the
west. This western trip, he said, had
been i'm his mind for a month, and when
he left home, all his people were well. His
mission In the west was TO seek a location
for a dairy. BY $50 o'clock ne had adj
mitted every collateral fact necessary for
| conviction upon circumstantial evidence
of the triple murder, but stoutly denies all
| knowledge of the crimes. His constantly
repeated remark Is: wait till l get back
to New York. Then you'll know every
! thing
Palmer's conflicting admissions and de-
malls; his sunken features, restless eyes
| and hesitatng vacant manner of speech
| plainly indicate an unbalanced mind
! The first knowledge of Palmer's presence
here was received in New York early this
morning, when letter arrived there from
him bearing st. Louis postmark. The
long distance telephone, as stated before
was used to cal. up the st. Louis police
and within two hours after receiving the
assignment Detective Cooking had Palmer
behind the bars in the four courts. A
full confession from the prisoner is ex-
pected.