The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-08-18
MURDERS A FRIEND
EXPRESS MESSENGER LANES As
sAssIN ARRESTED.
Former Messenger and Friend OF
the Dead Man C~onfesses to . Mos
Horrible Crime-He Was to be
Married in q Few Days anu
Needed the MOney-His e
heart IL Frustrated.

Columbus, Ohio. Aug. 14.-Charles n.
II. Terrell, a former employe or tne
Adams Express company, was arrested
yesterday afternoon in this city n
has confessed to the killing Of Messen-
ger Charles Lane and the robbery OF
the way safe of the Adams Express
company on the Pennsylvania east
bound train which arrived in this CITY
at midnight Friday. One thousand
dollars Of the money which he a
stolen was recovered.
Terrell 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 Ex-
press company about three months
ago and had not since been able to Sc
curt employment. He confessed hat
the motive Of the robbery was to Sc
cure money Of which he felt in great
need on account 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 afianced and in her company when
placed under arrest.
Terrell is but twenty-five years of
age and has a splendid physique, being
six feet in height. When the officers
took him into custody he assumed a
nonchalant demeanor, but when he
found he could no longer deceive the
officers he made a full confession.
After his statement had been taken he
was taken to the police station n
went into a state of nervous collapse,
and orders were given to watch him
closely to prevent him doing himself
bodily harm. The confession Of Fer
rell disclosed a premeditated and
Blood-Curdling Crime
that seemed almost impossible Of be-
lief to those who looked upon the mar
Of %gentlemanly and refined appear
ance who reluctantly told the story OF
the murder and the robbery. He said
that he had become desperate because
Of his inability to secure employment
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 it included the murder Of
Express Messenger Lane. He knew
Lane we'll. In fact they were friends,
and he relied upon Lanes confidence
to help him execute the crime. He
knew hat considerable money was al
ways carried by the messenger. on
Pennsylvania Train No. s between st.
Louis and Columbus, and that he was
certain to secure a large sum If he
Robbed the Way Safe
on that train. Having provided him.
self with a Smith & Wesson six shoot
er, .3S calliber, he went to Urbana Fri
day morning and waited for Nc. 8.
When the train arrievd there Terrell
went at once to the express car and
told Lane that he was out of money
and asked permission to ride to Column
bus with him. Lane consented, v
for a moment suspecting the t%reachery
Of his pretended friend. For a short
time after the train left Urbana they
chatted pleasantly. Lane sat in a
chair in the back of the car with his
back slightly turned. When Terrell
had finally nerved himself for the
crime he drew his revolver and stepped
up behfnd- Lane unobserved and
Fired Three Shots
in rapid succession into the messen-
gers back. After he had taken out all
the sacks containing the money pack
ages, money orders and way bills, he
placed them in a small satchel and
waited until the car arrived at Plain
City he slipped off the train. He Sc
cured a room at a hotel and retired
for the night. He came to this city
on the morning train, and after going
to his DON and changing his clothes
went to the home of his sweetheart,
to whom he gave the money to keep
for him. AS soon as it was learned
that Terrell had given the money to
his sweetheart, Inspector Barron went
ID the house and secured it. The young
lady was
Utterly Frustrated
by the disclosures. She had not sus-
pected Terrell Of wrongdoing for an in
slant, and the news was a terrible
shock to her and to her parents. who
had regarded Terrell as a model young
man. The young lady had v
doubted his story that the money
which he placed in her keeping had
been earned and saved by him as he
stated. Ferrells home is in Steuben-
vile, Ohio. His father is said to be
a bridge carpenter and a highly re-
spected citizen of that place.