The morning times., 1897-03-01
CONFESSED To A MURDER
Charles Parker Says That He
Killed Shoemaker Hall.
POLICE DOUBT THE STORY
A Number of Discrepancies in 1t
Make Them Wonder If They Have
Really Caught the Murderer.
Parker Claims That Hall Struck
Him During Quarrel

Nearly a year ago John Hall, feeble old
colored hunchhack shoemaker, was muir
dered in his little shop, on, Ninth street
extended. The crime was shrouded in
mystery, and the police We're haffled in
their efforts to run down the mudeTer
Charles Parker, a eolored man, about
twenty-five years old, who is locked up
in the Ninth precinct station, confessed
office that he was the assassin. Certain
discrepancies, however, between the Ie III
facts and the statements made by Parker
cause the police to wonder If the long
wantedman has allybeen captured That
Parker has committed some crime which is
preying upon his mind was quite apparent
yesterday, and the belief is expressed
that this may cause the variance.
Parker was arrested last Friday by
Policeman Payne, Of the Ninth precinct,
and locked up as a suspicious character
The officer found the man lettering about
and as he was unable to give a satisfactory
account OF himself, he was sent to the
station.
On the following day Policeman Sam
Brown, who has been working upon the
case OF Grocer kessler, who was shot by
burglars a few nights since, had talk
with Parker with view of asCertaining g
| if he knew anything about that affair.
| The man appeared somewhat nervous, and
finally, as if by a slip of the tongue,
Tl1Gp nf N nj
| but would say little else regarding that
| murd er.
Yesterday morning Parker was brought
to police headquarters to be further
''sweated' before Inspector Hollinberger.
| There he refused to make any satisfactory
| statement before the inspector, but finally
| agreed to talk to Detective Lacy, if he
could be closeted with him alone. After
the other detectives retired Parker con-
fessed that he had murdered Hall.
According to his statement he went
| TO Halls shop at night to have his shoe
mended. When the job was done Hall
| charged him 10 cents. This, Parker
says, he refused to pay. saying he did
! not want to buy out the whole shop. A
quarrel ensued, during which Parker says
| Hall struck him with his cane, which sc
enraged him that he seized a stick OF
wood and struck the hunchback on the
head, and finally murdered him.
Then he says he fled up the street and
out TO the Zoo Park, and finally went
| to his mothers home in Virginia.
Thsfar the story was plain and straight
| forward, and it was not until Detective
Lacy took the prisoner to Halls house
which has since been transformed into {
cabinet shop, that his story became mixed
The place, he said, did not seem the same
| to him. and he seemed horror stricken al
coffin case In the yard.
He said as he remembered he had killed
| Hall Oh Saturday night. whereas the
| murder was committed on Monday night
Parker admitted having served terms il
| the warehouses; at P Philadelphia, Richmond
| and in this city. When again taken befor'
Inspector HOliinberger. after his confes
| sion, he became mixed as to dates, ant
crossed himself several times, but did no
deny his statement to Detective Lacy thai
| he had committed the crime.
Parker did not act strangely when talk
ing upon any other subjects other thar
the murder. 1t is believed that he ha!
committed some crime which is troublin.
him, and may have caused his mind t
wander upon the subject sHe will be helt
pending further investigation.