The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1897-12-10


his part In "a bloody crime. The
confession was made TO DIR. Benja-
min j.. Bruner, the prison physici-
an, and Capts. Light and Golden,
OF the night guards In the prison.
The coniessor was Samuel Crabtree
twenty one years old, sent last APP
ril from Louisa, Lawrence county,
for three years Tor ouse-bFeaking,
this being his second offense aud
second term. Crabtree has been in
the hospital. Being taken back to
his cell, he said to the guards
can keep 1t no longer; It's my
mind and not my sickness that Is
bOthering me-" Capt. Golden, to
whom no WAS talking, told him
that II he really had something he
wanted to tell he would give him
TIE opportunity. lie, Cept. Light
and DIR. Bruner had him taken TO a
secluded part Of the dollhouse and
there told him to proceed with his
story. 1t was evident from the
start he was a onscience-stricken
wretch, determined 10 tell it all,
and that his story is n trueone. He
in substance said:
"Three years ago last spring Tony
Rice and William Short, my cous-
ins, were killed on the big trestle
two miles below Louisa, near the
Big Sandy. Dollie Frazier, my sis
ter, Dave Wellman and Dave Dean
had been TO a party with them.
They were arrested and tried, but
were acquitted for lack ofevidence.
was not arrested or suspected
because ] had not been to the par
| ~. | had been fishing that night
and met my lister, Dollie Frazier,
Dave Dean, Dave WellmaD, and
my two cousins on the road from
the party. About half a mile from
where the killing took place my
sister left US and went into the
house. /, Dollie Frazier, Dean,
.Wellman, Tony Rice and VIII
Short went on down the track.
We all had whiskey and fooled
around on the trestle TIL we were
tolerably drunk.
"a fight started over something
Rice said about Dollle. We were
all against Rice and Short, anyhow,
and, while j don't say the murder
was premeditated, we kinder
thought something was going to
happen. Wellman had a knife,
Dean Ratchet, Dollle Frazier a club
and ! a razor, Rice and Short were
not armed. When the fight was
over they were both dead. Shorts
head was cut OH and hung only by
the skin Of the neck. We carried
him below and bid him up among
the tlmbers OF the trestlo. The
other man We left on the trestle
Dean got some blood on his shirl
and he tied II around rock and
threw 1t In the river.
"Itwas just after the others wer,
tried and acquitted that was sent
down here the first time. l wen;
back and got worse all the time.
felt so mean over my sins that
didn't care what | did. and dranl
and robbed, aud would have killed
had II been necessary. My father
who was a good man, lost his mine
over the disgrace | became to him
He was convicted OF insanity anC
ordered sent to the asylum. ii,
started to the asylum on the sam,
train l came TO the penitetiary. Be
{ fore we reached Lexington he asked
to go in the closet. In there he tor,
of sharp bar Of iron, jObbed il
Into his throat and bled TO death II
a few minutes.
ellis suicide was the first thin,
TO awake me to the awfulness o
my career. | came on here anS
have known no peace since. NJ,
I father as he looked when dying
4 the razor-hacked faces Of my cous
ins have been In my cell many |
night. Something inside me tn
last few days has made Il impossl
:. BILE for me TO keep still any longer
: | want to tell tho Warden all abou
II In the morning. l have no me
0 tive In telling the story except t
: got ltotf my mind. know l ough
j to DO hanged and / believe / woul
: feel better II knew l was going I
: be. l suppose | am the only on
OF them that could be punishe
u now, but | was the gulltiost OF ther
all anyhow"
Q Crabtree told his story over wit
. a convincing manner OF cand0r an
l. truth. Another prisoner from III
N Same county who know nothing 4,
Crablroo's confession, WAS found
' his coll by tho C0urlsr-joufnal CO.
respondent tonight AVID was asko
nhout tho old killing. He confirm
p Cd Crahtroo's story BY rccallln
H. some Of the names, the samo inc
4 donla and tho same story Of u