Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-08-17
LOVE CAUSES A CRIME.
Charles Fcrren Confesses Murder
and Robbery to Get Money with
Which to lie Married.

Sunday afternoon in this city, and has
confessed to the killing of Messenger
Charles Lane and the robbery of the
way safe of the Adams Express COM
pany on the Pennsylvania east-bound
Itrain which arrived in this city at mid
| night Friday. One thousand dollars
| of the money which he had stolen was
recovered.
Ferrell was to have been married
| Thursday next to Miss Lillian Costlow,
the beautiful young daughter of Pat
rick Costlow, an engineer on the Penn
| sylvania lines. He had been discharged
from the employ of the Adams Express
company about three weeks ago, and
had not since been able to secure en-
| ployment. He confessed that the mo-
tive of the robbery was to secure money,
of which he felt in great need on ac-
count of his approaching marriage.
The money recovered he had given to
Miss Costlow to keep for him. saying
that it was money he had saved from
his earnings. He was at the home of
his affianced and in her company when
placed under arrest. When taken into
custody he assumed a nonchalant de-
|
could no longer deceive the officers, he
made full. confession. After his state
ment had been taken by Chief of Police
| Tyler and he was led to cell in the
police station, he was in state of nerv-
Gus collapse. and orders We're given
that he be watched closely to prevent
him doing himself bodily injury. His
age is %.
The confession of Ferrell disclosed
premeditated and blood-curdlng crime
that seemed almost impossible of belief
to those who looked upon the man of
gentlemanly and refined appearance,
who reluctantly told the story of the
murder and robbery. In substance his
story is as fo,lows:
He said that he had become desperate
because of his inability to secure employ
| ment and a realization of the fact that
| he must have money to defray the ex-
| penses of his approaching marriage. The
| robbery had been carefully planned and
| II included the murder of Express Messen-
| ger Lane. He had no accomplices and no
| confidants. He knew Lane well. In fact,
| they were friends, and he relied upon Lanes
| confidence TO help him execute the crime
| He knew that considerable money wes al
| WAYS carried by the messenger on Penn-
| sylvania train No. s between st. Louis and
| Columbus, and that he was certain to Sc
| cure large sum II he robbed the way
| safe on that train. Having provided him
| self with Smith & Wesson six-shooter, 3S-
| caliber, he went to Urbana Friday morning
| and waited for No. s. When the train ar
| rived there Ferrell went at once TO the
| express car and told Lane that he was out
| of money and asked permission to ride
to Columbus with him. Lane consented,
| never for a moment suspecting the treach-
| ery of his pretended friend. For a short
time after the train left Urbana they
| chatted pleasantly. Lane sat In chair
| in the end of the car with his back slightly
| turned
When Ferrell had finally nerved himself
for the crime. he drew his revolver and
| stepped up behind Lane unobserved and
| fired three shots in rapid succession into
The messengers back. Lane rolled off the
chair on the floor on his face and Ferrell
| quickly fired the remaining shots at the
| PROSTATE body. Lane was unconscious,
but Ferrell, fearing that the wounds al
| ready inflicted would not cause death, took
| Lanes revolver and fired two more bullets
from 1t into the body. Ferrell then took
the key TO the way safe from the pocket
| of the dead messenger and opened the
safe, and laid Lanes revolver inside, where
he could reach IL easily in case he was
detected and needed Ii TO defend himself.
After he had taken out all the sacks con-
tanning the money packages, money or
ders and way bills, he placed them In a
small satchel and waited until the car
arrived at Plain City, where he slipped on
the train. and went to hotel. =.
The detectives learning of the mys-
terious guest at the Plain City hotel
visited that place and found clews
pointing to Ferrell, and they followed
him to this city. The detectives first
visited his boarding place, and We're.
informed that he was probably at the
home of his sweetheart, Miss Cost
low, $50 Twenty-first street, on the
East side.
u They at once went to the Costlow
house, where they found Ferrell. 1t
was a trying duty for the detectives
when they We're ushered into the room
where Ferrell sat conversing with the
young lady. Terrell appeared annoyed
at the intrusion. The detectives did
not broach the subject of the train, rob;
berry, but told him that he was sls.
pected of burglary and that they
wished him to accompany them othc
police station. where the chief of pO.
lice wanted to interview him. Think
ing that perhaps the detectives were on
the wrong scent, FerrelI perved himself
and said, with apparent cumposure: Il
guess there must be some mistake" He
excused himself to the young lady and
accompanied the detectives ~ the city
prison. On the way to the station the
detectives told Ferrell what he was
wanted for and what they knew, and
he reluctantly admitted that he had
committed the crime. At the police
station written confession was taken
by the chief of police. .-..-
As soon sit was learned that Ferreli
had given the money to his sweetheart
Inspector Barron went to the house and
secured it. The young lady was utter
ly prostrated By the disclosures. She
had not suspected Ferrell of wrong
doing for an instant, and the news was
terrible shock to her and her par
ents, who had regarded Ferrell as a
model young man.