The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-23
Minnesota Convict Confesses to
Kansas Murder.
Killed Marshal Helms at Osa-
WatOmie In 1895.
TROUBLED CONSCIENCE
Says He Wants to Be Punished
For His Crimes.
New Story of a Kansas EnOch
Arden.

Stillmater, Mimi, Oct. 2S.-J. c. Nc
Bride, a convict at the prison, received
from Jackson county in December last
to serve three years and five months
for an assault, has made a remarkable
confession, showing him to be one of
the most highhanded murderers in the
country. His confession was made to
Warden Wolfer in q. letter written Oc-
tober 8, and in it he related the murder
of two officers, Joseph Grant and John
McNott, at Geneva, Ill, August %, 1886,
the murder of Julia Buckmire, at Ge-
neva; a postoffice robbery and the muir
der of the marshal of OsawatOmie,
Kan; the burglary of a hardware store,
and the shooting of a policeman at
Guide Rock, Neb., and many burglaries
and highway robberies. If the story is
true, he has been a veritabIe terror.
Speaking of the circumstances of the
murder of Grant and McNott at Ge-
neva, he says:
Il shot Joseph Grant and John Nc
Mott. Three of u.s. two pals and my
self, were in the act of committing
burglary at Geneva at about o'clock
in the morning, August 29, 1886. We
entered the house of an undertaken for
the purpose OF robbery My two pals
were arrested by these officers. walked
some distance away from the place Of
the robbery to the court house and Sc
efeLeQ IQySen Den1nQ a tree. w ne4 the
officers came along with my two pals
I shot them, killing Officer AIcNott in
stantly, wounding Officer Grant IA
tally"
Continuing, he says:
Il also murdered a woman by the
name of Julia Buckmire, in the out
skirts of Geneva, about two weeks be-
fore I murdered the officers. cut her
throat with a razor, because she recog-
niZed me while in the act of commit
ting a robbery. I carried the body to
a hen coop and set fire to the house.
The body was found in the hen coop
Mcbride says his right name is
George Bullock and that he was born of
respectable parents. who have resided
in Geneva since 1871. He has served
two prison terms in Illinois and one in
Nebraska
After receiving the letter and calling
Mcbride into his office for a more ex-
plicit story of his crimes, Warden
WOIfer communicated with the author
tiles at Geneva and elsewhere. He
learned that the crimes were commit
ted but has received no additional in
formation. Mcbride is now 33 years old
and says he has followed the life of a
rObber and murderer since he was Is
years old. While relating the stories
of his crimes he gave the details in a
matter of fact manner and evidently
felt relieved. He claims to have con-
fessed because his conscience bothered
him, and says he is anxious to be pun
ished for his many crimes. In the muir
der of the officers at Geneva, he says
he had two pals, one of them Harry
Ester, later arrested and sentenced to
Joliet penitentiary for fifteen years.
The confession covers four large man
uscript pages.
THE 0SAWATOAIIE CRIME.
OsaWatomie, Oct. 23.-On the morn
ing of January 20, 1895, Marshal James
Helms was shot and killed by unknown
parties who were attempting to rob the
postofhce at this place. Nothing has
ever been learned as to the identity
of the murderer or murderers until to-
night, when news of McBride's confess
sion came.