The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-25
SHEW'S CONFESSION
IS In EVIDENCE
HIS VERSION OF THE PEPPER
MURDER.
The Confession Made to Selden Num-
ger Admitted as Evidence in the
Trial Yesterday-The Case of the
Commonwealth Closed-A Defense
of Insanity.
Special to The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune.
Montrose. Nov, 24.--It was a poor
Thanksgiving day for Cornelius Wells
Shew. He had turkey to be sure tor
Sheriff Deuel. has a heart as large as
the proverbial OK, but there were oth-
er things which in their trend did
not mingle we'll with turkey, like cram
berry sauce for example, for Shews
written confession was, after strenu-
GUS objections on the part of his at
torneys, admitted in evidence.
Fitch l.. Leonard, deputy sheriff,
testified that he was present when
Shew made his statement to Selden
Munger, that it was transcribed by
Mr.. Munger and read to Shew, that
Shew signed 1t In his presence.
The testimony of Selden Munger
then followed and after a severe cross
examination the written confession OF
Shew was admitted as evidence and
read to the jury. 1t was as follows.
sHEW's WRITTEN CONFESSION.
Conelius Wells Shew is my name | was
born in Port JerNis, n. Y, and Will be u
years of age in June. Last october was
at Susuuehanna, stopping at Jim Smiths,
who married Miss Graham. daughter
of George Graham, who lives somewhere
near Rush. have never seen him though.
| had been working on the church, and
had some ten to fourteen dollars. MIS-.
Smith first spoke of going to Rush and
getting Sl5 900 from Jackson. That Is the
only name | Knew him by, until | saw an
account of the murder in the BinghamtDh
rapcr. We talked it over for two " ecNs-
Smith. his wife and myself We left
Susquehanna on Monday; there was
teachers institute at Montrose. BY We, l
mean Jim Smith and myself, came to
MoptrpGp CtuNe1 night n I'. lirlt
films place and started for Rush Tues-
day morning,
We-Smith and myself-arrivcd at the
Pepper place about the middle OF the
afternoon. We saw Jackson Pepper milk
ing back of the barn. We then hid in the
woods and waited until 1t got dark. After
dark we left and went up to the road;
we went up the road passing the house,
and saw him i'm the house. We then sat
down beside the road. He came out in
ten or fifteen minutes with lantern and
went to the barn. lie turned out one or
two horses. | think. into the lot adjOn-
ing the barn, and in about ten minutes
we went down to the barn. On arriving
at the barn, we stopped and argued as 10
who should go I'm and finally Jim Smith
went in. ] did not go in for three or four
minutes. | went in because Pepper was
too much for Jim. When | went in Pep
per and Jim were down on the floor scut-
fling; the lantern hung on the pitchfOrk
handle, which was stuck i'll the hay NOV.
His Pepper's) hat lay near corn husks
l Catched hold of Peppers hands and held
him. Jim tied his hands and feet and Put
a handkerchief in his mouth. | saw the
whfTletree. that's the same one (pOintluS
to whiflctree), for the first time after We
had tied Pepper Jim had previously hit
him with something, | didn't know what
until l saw the whiffletree; then l knew,
because it was all blood. We then went
out of the barn and had another Chewin'
match out in the road in front of the
barn. We had talked that there was to be
no blood shed coming over several times.
We then at that time argued about that
again. l said | was going to let the mat
ter drop just where it was and go home.
Jim went back in the barn and fetched n
lantern back with him and he set 1t right
inside the fence in front Of the house. He
said if | vert he should: chat he shouldll t
go to the house alone. We then went up
over the hill, walked to Skinners Eddy,
took a Lehigh Valley freight train to
Sayre, ard caught a ride to Susquehannl
on the Erie railroad.
When ! went into the barn ! noticed
Peppers head was badly bruised and all
blood. I asked Jim what he had done it
for and he said he couldn't help it,
had the whiffletree in my hand after he
was tied. I did not hit him. l did not
carry a knife. We got the rope from
John Lee in Susquehanna, it was the
rope used to tie Pepper
have made this statement OF my own
free will. and without promise of reward
or any promises of any nature WhatsO-
ever on this 22nd day of January, a. d.
1888. (Sgned) Cornelius w ShCw
In presence of r. i. Leonard and q. H.
Frazier.
The commonwealth then announced
their case closed.
AS in the trial Of Eagan (ths name
is Eagan and Eagen) the defense omit
ted opening their case and proceeded
to call the prisoner to the witness
stand. Shew went through his story
of the affair and any one who heard
him will not understand how insan.
ity can be his defense
Cleverly he told of inducements held
out by District Attorney Ainey. He
was not believed by the people gener'
ally. The statement he made to Mum
ger was given without promise of re-
ward and without threat or subsection
And yet he went upon the stand and
testified that Mr.. Ainey had Offered
inducements. but he did not say wha
the inducements We're
At five o'clock the defendants coun
sci asked the court to adjourn unit
tomorrow morning at Q o'clock and af
ter a consultation of the several at
tOrneys on both sides this was done.