The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-13
CONFESSED To MURDER.
Former EmpIoye Of Express Company Ac.
knowledged Killing Messenger.
WANTED MONEY WITH WHICH TO MARRY
He Robbed the Express Safe ana
Turned Money Over to His
Prospective Bride.

n Columbus, Onlo, Ausust L. Sh"iiNS -
Ferrell former employe of tie Adams Elk
press company, was arrested TODAY in this
city and has confessed to the killing of Mes
s1nger Charles Lane and the robbery of the
way safe of the Adams Expire company on
the PENNSYLVANIA easlbound tran. when ar
rived in this city at midnight Friday. One
/ thousand dollars OF the money which he
had stolen was recovered.
Terrell was 10 have been married Thursday
next to Miss Lillian Costelow the beautiful
Young daughter of Patrick Costelow an eng
neer on the PENNSYLVANIA lines He had
been discharged from the employ OF the
Adams Express company about three weeks
ago and had not since be able to secure
employment. He confessed Tat the motive
OF the robbery was TO secure money, OF which
he felt in great need in the face of his an
preaching marriage The money recovered
he had given Miss Costelow to keen for him.
saying that it was the money he had saved
from his earnings.
He was at the home OF his atfanced and
in her company wnen placed under arrest
Ferrell is but % years OF age ana las
splenuid phys que beng six lett in height.
lie has dark mar and an attractlVs race anu
was iinelv dressed. When the officers TOOK
him into custody he assumed noncnalant
deme amor but when he found that ne could
no longer deceive the onicers. he MADE a
ItuIl CUuIgSSlOn Alter MS statement ia Dteu
taken by Chief OF POLES Tyler and he was
led to cell in the police station, he was IN
a state OF nervous collapse and orders were
given that he be watched closely to prevent
him doing himself bodily injury. In MS con-
fessi0n Terrell said that he had become S
perate because of his inability to secure em-
ployment and realization OF the fact that
he must have money to deIrRy the EXPENSES
OF his approaching marriage. The ROBBERY
had been carefully planned and 1t included
the murder Of Express Messenger Lane. re
had no accomplices and no conhdante lie
knew Lane we'll. In fact. they were friends,
and he relied on Lanes confidence to help
him execute the crime. He knew that con-
siderable money was always carried by the
messenger on Pennsylvania train No, be
tween st. Louis and Columbus, and that he
was certain to secure large sum If he robbed
the way safe Having provided himself with
nistol he went to Urbana Friday morning
and waited for No. S. When the train ar
rived there Terrell went at once to the eX-
press car aud told Lane hat he was out
of money and asked permission to ride TO
Columbus with him Lane consented, never
for a moment suspel ting the treache of h
the train left Urbana thev chatted pleasant
~ Lane sat in chair IN the end of the
car with his back slightly turned.
, when Terrell 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 messen-
gers back. Lane rolled of the chair, on the
floor on his face and Terrell quickly fired
the remaining shots at the PROSTATE body.
, Lane was unconscious. but Ferr II fearing
that the wounds already inflicted would moi
cause death took Lanes receiver and fred
TWO more bullets from 1t into he body. Fer
rel then took the kew to the way safs from
the pocket Of the dead messenger and opened
the safe and laid Lanes revolver on ona
side. where he could reach It easily in case
he was detected and needed it to defend him
self. After he had taken out ali the sacks
containing the money packages, money orders
and wayblls, he placed them in small
satche and waited until the car arrived at
; Plain CITY when he slipped off the train,
He went 20 hotel and retired for the night
without registering. Once in his room Fer
rell proceeded To 20 through the packages
S and take out all the cash, Lifting up the
in secure place In the springs. The expre %
r sacks and envelopes he expressed to &c w;
, Coyor. Loekport, n, c.. This name and
l address were fictitious. He took the train
When he arrived here, Terrell said, he
was much disturbed by the talk about the
robbery. which he heard upon every hand.
but he kept his nerve. During the day he
paid number of bills that he owed out of
the money which he had stolen and bought
some clothes and other things which he need"
/, young lady to whom he was engaged TO be
married and arranged to call again Satur-
day afternoon. 1t was at Plain City late
; Saturday afternoon that City Detectives
O'Neiil and Dundon obtained the clew that
led to Ferrell's apprehension. They had been
at the hotel at daylight, while Terrell was
proprietor If any strangers had registered
=, or had been seen about the hotel The pro-
pretor said that he did not remember hav-
5 ing seen any strangers. Later in the after
noon the detectives again asked the proprie-
tor If he had seen any strangers about, and
, no remembered then that a man who had
forgotten to register had stayed at the house
over night and had gone away the early
: morning train to Columbus. The detectives
q at once searched the room and found Lanes
! revolver. They also found several vaybills
= that had been overlooked by Terrell while
making up the express package. Tho hotel
keeper was able only to give imperfect
: dissertation of the strange guest because, as
g he said, he was too sleepy at the time to
take any particular notice OF him. After
, learning of the express package they at
once telephoned to Columbus and had ii in .
tercepted. The package was opened and the
stolen sacks containing the money orders,
: sired t. get rid of were found
n SUSPICION rested on Terrell because of in
! formation secured in regard to his move
: ments during the last three days, and Co
: lImbuS officers arrested him a. the home
OF MS sweetheart, Miss Casteow. The de-
tecuveS did not breach the subject of the
e train robbery but told Terrell that he was
a suspected OF burglary Thinking that per-
: haps tho detectives were on the wrong scent
a Terrell nerved himself and said with appar-
I mistake
y told Terrell what he was wanted for and
e what they knew, and ne reluctantly ad-
q mitted that he had committed the crime.
. Ferreil tried to keep his nerve, but 81
was evident that he had been under a Sc
we're strain and that he could not stand the
ordeal much longer. Several times he broke
Gown ana when he was finally led to cell
: ne was IN state Of collapse As soon as
I Was learned that Terrell had given the
: money money to hls sweetheart, Inspector Barron
Q went 10 the house and secured IT, The
4 disclosures ~ '"0
! The following is copy of Ferrelrs cor.
: iession to Chief OF Police Tyler:
! MY name is Charles R. Terrell and my
' parents live in Steubenville, l formerly
worked Tor the Adams Express company
Out was discharged two months ago.
was to be married to Miss Lillian Caste
11S next Thursday and l needed money
rms was what caused me to do what !
, haVe done looked for work and did
: not hnd It and the thought Of being idle
L ana without money! made me reckless.
: On FRIDAY thought might get some
u money In the way l did get It and inn
e mediately began 20 lay my plans.
h went to urbana Friday afternoon