The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-09
CONFESSED TO MURDER
TENT OF G. l.. DRAPER'S STATEMENT
TO THE REV. A. B. MOREY.
How Charles L.. Hastings Was Killed
I'm the Law Office of Judge kir-
by nt Jacksonville. Ill.


nounced last night the mystery which has
surrounded the murder of Charles l.. Hast
ings. the attorney who was found dead in
his Office on the night of March 81, has
been cleared up by "A confession which was
made by c. l.. Draper. who Is under ar
rest suspected of having committed the
crime. The confession was made to the
Rev ~ b. Morey of the State-street Pres
byterian Church, and is as follows
MY Dear Sir-As my pastor and spir-
itual adviser L desire to make to you, and
through you to the coroner of Morgan coun-
ty, full. true and perfect statement OF
the facts and circumstances that led TO the
death of Charles l.. Hastings on the even
ing of March 81 last.
'In the fall of 1878 / entered the service
of Judge e. r. Kirby as clerk in his alb
stract Office in the city of Jacksonville. ILL.,,
and continued i'm his service until the last
the Office / became familiar with the bust
ness of the office and the methods of con-
Quoting the same.
the Office of Judge Kirby between and 3
O'Clock. When entered the office there was
no one there. had with me at the time an
ting into the Office | knew the combination
of the vault and went and opened it and
took a book therefrom and placed it OH the
desk next 10 the vault. / had barely opened
the book when / heard noise at the
front door. When / heard footsteps on the
stairs L extinguished the light of the Ian
tern with view of leaving the room lead
ing to the closet when Hastings opened the
door that led from the hall to the abstract
office. had not been able TO reach the
door of my intended exit.
..At this time it was very dark in the
room and no object could be seen. AS soon
as he entered the office he struck a match.
and the light from it enabled him to see
me for a moment. He called me by name
and rushed upon me and seized me. had
on my overcoat at the time when he seized
n \ N
down. with him upon me. While | was in
this position took the knife (which is
gan TO use IL as best | could TO free N.Y.
self from him. The struggle was altogether
in the dark and could not tell where or
how the knife took effect.
ITO the best of my knowledge the strug-
gle lasted for fifteen or twenty minutes
After the struggle l replaced the book in
the vault. locked 1t. and left the room by
the front door with my overcoat still on.
After reaching the street L Immediately
started east 10 my own office and entered
fred Morrison came to the door and said
that he had seen blood on my face and
wanted to know If he could do anything
for i not able to recall my
exact answer. / remained in my Office for
some time-how long | cannot state--while
there 1 discovered some blood on my over
coat.
when / left the Office / started for my
home across the street. and went down the
alley by Widmayer's shopto Morgan street.
ana from tnefe went west 10 CnurCn street,
thence south to College avenue to what is
now known Strawn lot, in the south
west corner of Church and College ave-
nues. 1t was very dark and | stumbled into
what seemed to be a hole. and on leaving
threw into said hole the lantern / had used
that evening. Unless it has been removed
IL will be found there now. From there
went over College avenue to kosciusko
street, and thence TO my home.
II entered the house by the front door
Qeaving my overShoeS outSide) and then
took off my overcoat and placed IL on a
chair in the dining room. | then went up
stairs and found my wife and daughter in
| so as not to disturb either of them. i re-
moved all my clothing and put on night
| shirt and went To bed on a lounge where
| usually sleep I'm the same room with my
| wife.
Il arose about $50 in the morning and
on lreJn c nd te,
| discovering In the morning that the cloth
ing had worn the night before had blood
| overcoat, down stairs TO the furnace room
| and put them in the furnace where they
were destroyed. / afterwards discovered
| blood stains on my pants, coat, and hat
tried to wash these stains out and in do
| ing so the water went through to the un-
| derclothing had on when | was arrested.
| THE keys / had to Judge Kirby's office
| can be found i'm the furnace room al my
house on the wall next to the cold air duct
| In the northwest corner of the furnace
| room. Any statements made by me at the
| coroners inquest or elsewhere are untrue
| so far as they conflict with this statement
| had no right TO be in Judge Kirbys office
/ at the time and l do not seek to justify
| IL In the slightest. and but for my knowl.
| edge of this wrongfully entering of his
/ office without leave L would have told the
| whole truth at once. / am. my dear sir
| sincerely yours.
| CHARLES L. DRAPER"
| Drapers statement practically corrobo
rates the testimony already taken. as alse
| the theory advocated by those best ac
| quainted with the situation. Draper ex
presses regret at the awful calamity thaf
1 has been brought upon himself and famiI,
| and trusts that public sentiment will no
| be too strong against him. The coroner:
4 jury rendered verdict in accordance Will
| the confession and recommended tha
| Draper be held without bail To await actor
OF the grand jury, which convenes in May