Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-23
BROWN SHOT CRULL.
ADMITTED HIS GUILT TO CHIEF
KING, OF sIsTERsyILLE.
SAID THEY HAD SERIOUS TROUBLE,
The Statement Of the Police Oaiser
Denied by the Prisoners Attorney,
Copfession-Mrs. CruIl Talks.

Erwin Brown, who left here over three
weeks ago in company with Emanuel
Crull. to drive to Sistersyiile, w. Va,
Is now a prisoner in the county jail at
Parkersburg, charged with the murder
of Crull whose body was found floating
in the Ohio river more than a week ago.
Brown was arrested under the assumed
name of Seth Hill, but there was little
doubt from the beginning OF his identity.
He was readily recognized upon his ar
rival at Sistersvilie yesterday by the son
of the murdered man. who had gone on
from here to look into the circumstances
under which his father came TO his hor-
rible death.
But even more interesting than the
identification of Brown Is the sworn
statement OF Chief Police King that
the prisoner confessed to him that he shot
and killed his travelling companion. The
details of this important statement, which
Browns attorney denies, are given in
the following special received last night
from Sistersvile:
There was an immense crowd of curl
Gus people at the Ohio river railroad sta
tion TO meet Erwin Brown, the alleged
murderer of Emanuel Crul, OF
Richmond. when the officers ar
rived with him from Mounds
Vile this morning. and Brown, who had
heard intimations that there might be an
effort to lynch him. was extremely ner-
vous. The police had taken extraordi-
nary precautions, however, and although
the crowd was il-natured and impatient,
there was no effort to do violence.
ADMITTED THE KILLING.
On the way to this city on the Ohio
river train, Brown not only con-
fessed his identity to Sheriff Pyle and
Marshal King, but admitted that he had
killed Crull. For an hour after leaving
Moundsville he refused TO talk at all.
remaining silent and paying no attention
to questions put to him. Finally. after
Chief King had asked him not fewer than
twenty times the same question. did you
kill this man Crull?" never varying the
words or infection, Brown blurted out.
II did," looking the officer defiantly in the
eyes like n wild animal at bay
How did you come to murder him?"
was the next question. Brown refused
to answer.
Did you have trouble with him, or
was il for what he had?' the officer asked
next
Yes" we had trouble" Brown replied
did you shoot himX
II did. ="
How long did you haul the corpse
around over the country?'
"Only one day"
what did you do with the horses?'
= i.
one away
WOULD NOT GO INTO DETAILS.
Brown was then questioned more
closely regarding the nature of the
trouble that led up to the killing. but he
refused TO make any definite statement.
| He intimated in "A vague way that the
| trouble had been OF serious and per-
| sonal character. and that there was ex-
| treme provocaton for the murder but
| refused 10 60 into details or give a de-
| finite statement His statement that he
| killed Crull the day before reaching Sis
! tersville IS not believed. The condition
| of the body when found, proves that
| the deed was done several days earlier.
| Brown was taken before Justice Nissan
| Immediately TO answer the charge OF
murder. n. ]. Crull and II. w Harris,
| of Richmond, who came here yesterday,
~,
| and related the leaving of Richmond by
| Brown and Emanuel Crull together The
| Coroner was examined and brief evil
| dence of the finding of the body, wagon,
etc. was taken. after which Brown was
held TO court without bail and was re-
moved without incident to the Wood
county jail at Parkersburg. Brown told
the officers before they started for Park
ersburg that his vest had gotten
bloody in the ARRAY with Crull, and he
had taken the dead mans vest He said
this accounted for his having Crull's
watch and letters. The vest worn by
Brown was identified by CrulFs son as
belonging to his father.
Denied by His Attorney.
Late last night the Dispatch received
from it's correspondent at Wheeling, the
following special:
"B. +. Meighen, attorney for Brown.
tonight said any statement that Brown
had made q confession was false. and
that Brown was innocent and would be
cleared. Chief-of-Police King, of Sisters
vile. sticks TO his declaration that Brown
confessed to him, and swore 10 1t at the
hearing at that place to-day
Talk With the Dead Mans Wife.
Mrs. Crull has heard nothing from
II.
sent her on Monday announcing that he
had identified the remains Of his father
and she was disinclined TO believe that
Brown could be responsible for her hus-
bands murder until she was informed
that he had been identified by her son
and had confessed to the killing. Then
her feelings got the better Of her, and
after weeping for awhile. she dried her
tears and expressed herself in vehement
manner concerning her cousin. She
referred to the statement In yesterdays
Dispatch to the effect that there was
talk in Sistersvile Of lynching the mur-
derer. and expressed herself as being
heartily in sympathy with that senti-
ment.
II hope they'll burn him alive" she
said: changing Is too good for him. The
idea OF his killing my poor husband after
he had been so kind to him. and to think
that he could have taken an axe and
chopped him up in that brutal fashion.
GAVE HIM A HOME HERE.
Here the sorrowing widows emotions
got the better OF her and she wept
.copiously When she had sufficiently
calmed herself to talk, the reporter
asked her something concerning Brown,
and she told the following story: HE
Is my second cousin. and has "A father
"a ,oothar living I'm Aurora n. Y