The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-29
THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL SATURDAY, JANUARY
c. L. DRAPER CONVICTED
AND GIVEN A LIFE SENTENCE FOR
NUMBERING G. l.. HASTINGS.
Review of a Sensational Tragedy at
Jacksonville, HI.-172 stab Wounds
ON the Victims Corpse.

JACKSONVILLE, ILL.,, Jan. 2S.--The jury
in the case of Charles L. Draper, on trial
for the murder of Charles l.. Hastings,
brought in a verdict to-day finding him
guilty. He was given a life sentence.
Charles l.. Hastings was murdered by
Charles i. Draper on the night of March 81,
1897. When the body of Hastings was found
examination disclosed 172 cuts. The man
had been literally hacked to pieces. The
arm that Piled the knife must have kept at
its wild work until all but physically
hausted. The principal wounds were To-
Gated as foows Left arm, g. left forearm,
5; left hand, long cut back; left hand,
stabs, left hand front, index and middle
finger incsed, also second wound on index
right forearm, long incision, oblique cut
along toward elbow starting at wrist; left
side body and near to back bone, rs cuts or
stabs: right side, cuts or stabs; right side
of neck, 6; puncture into plural cavity, 81
(anterior aspect or front side of lungs; left
thigh. stab. The body was not mutilated
after death. Evidently every blow that was
struck fell in the struggle which took place
when the two men were fighting.
Hastings and Draper were both employed
in the abstract office of Judge Kirby, at
Jacksonville, until few months before the
murder Draper lost his position and soon
after started in the abstract business for
himself. 1t was supposed that he had, at
different times, stolen records from Judge
Kirby's office, and a watch was set to catch
him. On the night of March 81 Draper was
caught by Hastings in the act of stealing
some OF the abstract records, and the two
men fought with knives. The latter, as
stated, was killed The crime created a
great sensation, and when Draper was ar
rested few people believed him guilty De-
dectives. however, worked up such a strong
cnaln or clrcumStantfal evidence against
him that he is alleged to have made con-
fesslon to Rev. A. B. Morey, of the State
street Presbyterian Church. The confess
sion repudiated after it had been
| printed, but many people believe it was
| genuine 1t follows:
My Dear Sir-As my pastor and spiritual
adviser, | desire to make to you and
| through you to the coroner of Morgan coun-
y, 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 1873 | entered the service
of Judge E. P. Kirby as clerk in his abstract
| office in the city of Jacksonville ILL.,. and
continued in his service until the last of
January, 1896. BY my long service in the
office | became familiar with the business
or the Office and the methods of conducting
| the same.
| ION the evening of March 81 entered the
office OF Judge Kirby between and 8
o'clock When / entered the office there WAS
no one there. j had with me at the time an
unlighted lantern which | lighted after get
ting into the office. | knew the combination
| OF the vault and went and opened it and
desk next to the vault. / had barely opened
| the book Y hen heard noise at the front
/ extinguished the light of the lantern with
| a view of leaving the room leading 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 ana no object could be seen. AS soon
| as ne entered the office he struck a match,
and the light from 1t 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
hold of me. In the struggle | was thrown
| down, with him upon me- While / was in
this position took the knife (Which is now
| IN possession of the coroner) and began to
use 1t as best | could to free myself 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 | replaced the book in the
vault, locked it, and left the room by the
| front door with my overcoat still on After
| reaching the street | Immediately started
| east to my own office and entered the same
| and WHILE washing my face Alfred 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 me. I am not able
| now 10 recall my exact answer. / remained
in my office for some time-how long / can
| not statewide there L discovered some
| blood on my overcoat.
| When | left the office ] started for my
| home across the street, and went down the
| alley by Widmayer's shop to Morgan street.
| and from there went west to Church street
| thence south to College avenue to what is
| now known as the Strawn lot, in the south
| west corner of Church and College avenues
It was very e. dark IAN and stumbled into what
| into said hole the lantern / had used that
| evening. Unless it has been removed it will
| be found there now From there / went
over College avenue to Kosciusko street
| and thence to my home.
| Il entered the house by the front door
| ueaying my OVerShOeS OutSide) and then
| took off my overcoat and placed it on
| chair in the dining room / then went up
stairs and found my wife and daughter in
| bed and asleep l avoided making a noise
| so as not to disturb either of them. l re-
| moved all my clothing and put on night
| shirt and went to bed on a lounge where /
usually sleep in the same room with my
! wife.
Il arose about $50 in the morning and
| put on fresh clothing, including shirts,
| drawers, socks, vest and handkerchief. Aft
| er discovering in the morning that the
| blood on them, | took them, together with
| the overcoat down stairs to the furnace
room and put them in the furnace where
| they were destroyed. / afterwards discov-
| cred blood stains on my pants, coat and
| hat | tried to wash these stains out and
| in doing so the water went through to the
underclothing l had on when | was
| rested.
THE keys 1 had to Judge Kirby's office
| can be found in the furnace room at 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 Kirby's office
at the time and l do not seek to Justify
| it in the slightest, and but for my knowl-
| edge of this wrongfuly entering of his
office without leave | would have told the
whole truth at once. / am, my dear sir,
sincerely yours.
CHARLES l.. DRAPER
When the case came up for trial the con-
| fession story was denied and Diapers at
torneys put forth the plea of insanity. Yes
terday the ease was given to the jury and
a verdict of guilty was returned and Draper
was Immediately sentenced to imprison-
fl,n. e.