The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-15

seven weeks and two days afterward the
body was in such a condition that II would
have been impossible 10 have drawn the
body from the we'll with a little pair Of
wire fence hooks, carried IL three-quarters
of a mile over three fences 10 a public
road, and placed it in piano-box buggy.
The box Of the buggy was twenty-five
inches wide and FIVE inches deep. Nora
ktfer was large woman. and the coroner
IN MS testimony before the court at Boon
vile said that though he had used his ut
most strength he could not lift the body
out of the creek
1T was impossible for any one TO have
drawn Nora kifer, a large, heavy woman,
out or deep we'll without any curDlng
10 II with a pair Of little hooks, carrie q
her the distance from the well 70 the road,
and then drive twenty miles over a rOugh
gravel and rock road TO the creek. Ihen
tied a rock TO the girls body and throw
her nifty or sixty feet from the DrldBe INTO
the creek And after all of this there was
not mark or scratch on the body in spite
Of its decayed condition. and the fact that
the skull was broken in. The woman was
never In the well, the body was never
drawn out of the we'll
lie quotes "A number or passages from
the Bible and then makes an appeal for
justice. He said a statement relative to
the killing of Nora kifer which he signed
was done when he was excited and with
out knowledge of what the statement con-
tdined. Further he says
81 have borne the weight of the frightful
mental torture of the suspicion they have
cast upon me. To-day, as yesterday / can
look the world in the face. l am worthy
TO command my freedom. L only suf-
fering for some one else. / have often
thought of him, of. the grief he must feel.
although he has hidden it within himself
Dear friends, my heart is so bruised that
i do not know what to say. To have TO
bear all they have said about me Is the
most horrible of mental torture. But in
the end the truth must be known We are
not living in century where the light can
be always hidden and smcthered down,
/ believe wi ha
There Is great work and the guilty one
some time will be shown.
Il am fighting the great battle all alone
against the guilty ones and those who for
a few dollars have sold and condemned
their souls to everlasting punishment. 1t
is not my will that they shall suffer. 1
pray TO God that He may forgive them, al
though they have convicted me- / am only
filling the place of some guilty one who by
his own action and statements has plainly
shown his guilty deed. | am trusting in
the good people for my freedom, that 1 do
so justly deserve, for L have done nothing
to suffer for. May God help the good peo-
pie to remember me. and my good wife,
and only child, in their dark and gloomy
home, which was once filed with sun
shine, peace and happiness. To-day it is
hiled with sorrow through some unworthy
II trust in God that the time is near
at hand when my freedom to me will be
gwen, and my home will be filled again
with sunshine and all bitter tears from
our eyes will be wiped away, and ouI
hearts, which have been filled with sor-
row will be filled with joy. Dear friends
what comfort you can give If you will
lift your trusty souls and Thy wisdom
learn TO see, and sweet content will bless
your hearts with happiness they will bt
filled and those who rest within Thy care
will find their every trouble stilled. Ny
love to all"
The brief or statement prepared with
the idea that the case would be reviewed
by the Supreme Court about Dec. l Wher
he mentioned the date to attache of ths
prison who told him that would be too late
executed Nov. Is. he replied with evident
unconcern, rs that the date? L declare
thought il was a month later
He insisted that he did not write note
to Nora Kifer. the one which il was claimed
was delivered by his boy. and that his sor
was not in school on April 3. 19OO at which
time he is said to have carried the note
He claims the States witnesses perjureC
themselves and he could have proved that
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2. COL 81