The San Francisco call., 1897-04-03
SAYS He
KILLED
PRESTON
Butler at Last Tells a
Little of His
Crimes.
DECLARES IT WAS SELF.
DEFENSE.
Claims He Fears a Forgery
Charge More Than That
of Murder.
THE TALE TOLD BY DEPUTY
SHERIFFS.
M de Apprehensive Over His Coming
Departure, Butler Attempted
Suicide
THE TALE TOLD BY DEPUTY
SHERIFFS.
M de Apr extensive Over His Coming
Departure, Butler Attempted
Suicide

'tI killed Arthur Preston, but / did it in
se1f-defense,' is the startling confession
that Murderer Butler made to Deputy
Sheriff in the County Jail on Thursday
night.
1t was the first time he had admitted
that he was in any way concerned in the
killing of the unfortunate men whose
deaths are laid at his door, and the con-
fession was all the more startling because
it came unsolicited from the lips that
have, ever since the iron clutches of the
law fell on Butler on the Swanhilda,
maintained their owners innocence.
Butler has told many tales to explain
the deaths of those who went out into the
Blue Hills in his company and were seen
no more until their decomposed bodies
were found in shallow pits, where they
were delving for gold when the murder.
er's bullets found their viials.
Sometimes he said that there were three
or four in the party and that others MUIR
dered the unfortunates while he was Out
prospe citing, and that for fear of his life
he was compelled to keep silent and fee
when the search for the victims was be-
gun. At other times he has denied that
he knew OF the death of the men, and
often declared that they were alive and
ne could prove it.
steady hand and cruel eye directed the
fatal bullets that ended their lives.
His story regarding Arthur Preston
has been, since he heard of the finding of
the young mans body and up to the
Thursday nights confession, that his COM
panions murdered Preston and that they
had hidden his dead body. He had taken
a portion of Preston's effects because at
the time he thought Preston had left the
party and gone off by himself.
Now that the day of his departure has
arrived he has weakened, and admits one
killing.
The guards who have been with him in
the lonely watches of the night have
noticed that he seemed anxious to tell
something but seemingly feared to do so.
Often he has started to discuss the deaths
of Weller and Preston, but has broken off
without giving the Information that eager
ears were waiting for.
On the night mentioned, while he sat
on the edge OF his bed gazing into va
cancy, the strain seemed TO become too
great, and when the subject of his de-
parture to-day was mentioned he plurted
out the words, II killed Arthur Preston"
The deputies sat silent, for their expe-
rlence with criminals has been that wnen
once the ice Is broken the whole story,
whether true or false, will be told if the
criminal is allowed 10 go on without in
terruption.
'but | had to do it to save myself. l ad-
vertised for a mate with mining expert
ence, and Preston answered 1t. He
claimed to have done some work in the
mining business, and did not ask him
many questions
1--WE went into the Blue Hills and pros
pected for while in locality 1 thought
ought to produce something, and then
moved TO another place.
Here we had no better success, and
Preston began to grow impatient. / had
found by this time that he knew nothing
whatever about prospecting, and when he
proposed TO move further north refused,
because / knew that there was no gold in
that rection. Then he became angry
and said he would leave me and go on
his own hook.
~ was perfectly satisfied, for he was no
use 10 me, but l was angry, too, at the
way ne talked and told him that he had
deceived me about his qualifications as
miner.
1--WE parted that night to search in diff.
ferent directions for gold, and were to
camp together at night for the last time.
When we came together again at dusk he
was ugly and wanted to know why l had
brought him TO a place where there was
no gold: i told him to go back if he did
not like it and he grew. furious.
''One word led TO another. and then he
reached for his gun. Ny rifle was stand
ing close at hand and l grabbed it and
: fired hastily at him.
THE bullet struck hi N in the nose and
went through his head and he fell dead.
Il was very much frightened at the re-
suit of the quarrel, for though knew that
l was justified had no witnesses to prove
my innocence of murder. l concluded
that the best thing to do was to hide the
body and leave the country, which l did,
digging hole the next morning and plac-
cling II in the position that it was found
As God 1s my witness 1 fired in self de-
tense, and would not have done so had ne
not tried to draw his gun on me.
'.As 10 Weller, l do not know just how