The age-herald., 1901-11-13
Newell {, Rafhbun COnfesses to a Plot to Secure h.
 suTaRce Money
HIS IDENTITY IN DISPUTE
Authorities at Little Rock Want Him Brought There to Testify at Inquest Over the Corpse
 Sent as His Body.

Louisville. November F. Newell c. Rathbun. who. according to the police, confessed that he planned to defraud an insurance company out of 5000 by pre- tending that corpse shipped to Little Rock. Ark, was his own dead body. to- day admitted according to the authori- ties that the man who accompanied him to the hotel in Jeffersonville. Ind, and was found dead the next day was Charles Goodman. who is said to have come from Evansville. Ind.
 The Associated Press said last night that on account of the disappearance of Goodman from the Salvation Army Hotel in Louisville last Wednesday night with the announced intention of going to In- diana with newly-found friend. and his non-return. the police thought the dead man was Goodman. Not until today, how ever. would Rathbun admit that Good man was the name of the man that ac- companied him to the Jeffersonville hotel. Chief of Detectives Sullivan and Chief Applegats and Coroner Coots of Jeffer- sonville interviewed Rathbun today. He listened as one by one the circumstances which the police regard as proofs of his guilt were laid before him by Chief Sulli- van. According to the officers Rathbun suddenly sprang up. and walking hastily to a window. looked out for a few min utes. Then turning like sSe animal at bay. he faced the crowd of men in the room and asked in a shaking voice: What is the punishment for offenses of this kind in Indiana? Does the death penalty exist over there?'
 Never mind about the penalty, Rath- bun" said Captain Sullivan, what we are interested in its the name of the dead man.
 For a moment Rathbun looked at the group of faces before him and then he said:
 You are on the right track. Goodman Is the name of the dead man. I met him in front of the Salvation Army and de- termined to keep him drunk for several days and then fix him.
 Afraid to Confess.
 Here he stopped and then said "If should make a confession it would be printed in the papers and would turn people against me-"
 He then lapsed into sullen silence and would say nothing else. When ques- toned further he denied having given Goodman laudnum, and said he would have made use of chloroform. He then refused to go back to Indiana without requisition papers.
 Col. John D. Rodman, United States re- crulting officer here. notified Chief Sulli- van today that no requisition will be necessary for the return of Rathbun to Jeffersonville. Ind.
 He says that Rathbun is now a gov ernment prisoner charged with deser- tion. and as soon as he can communicate with Washington he will have the pris- oner taken over. The JeffersonyilIe au fhoritfaS will Ira cfa fo, of Rathbun on charge of murder.
 Further efforts to secure a com plete confession were unavailing and Rathbun was taken back to jail. Just before this. however. he made the following state ment to Chief of Detectives Sullivan:
 T admit everything except that killed Goodman. I meant to kill him and kent him drunk for the purpose but he died of alcoholism and 1 was not forced to make way with him. My story about an accomplice named Blanchard was fictf- tious. I acted alone and without a con federate.''
 Blanchard" was. according to the story Rathbun told yesterday, a corporal whom Rathbun got acquainted with at Plattsburg. N. Y.
 It is said that Goodman, who was of rowing nature. came to this city on Oc- tober 2s and took quarters at the Salva- tion Army. He repeatedly told the clerk, V. IcituIl, that ne ulQ not nave any money. and did not know how he would get out of the city
 Mr. Pelton says that about noon last Wednesday Goodman entered the hotel and remarked that he had Just met an easy mark. who had given him a quar- .er- l nave got an engagement with him at [ o'clock tonight. and he is going to show me how to make some money" continued Goodman
 Clerk Pelton's Story.
 Shortly before o'clock Pelton says he saw Goodman meet a man answering Rathbuns description in front of the hotel. Detective Donahue followed the eiew and found that the two men. who answered the descriptions of Rathbun and Goodman. appeared in the Falls City Hotel in Jefersonville about S o,clock Rathbun registered for both. and tha,, were assigned to different rooms
 In about half an hour they appea rad in the offlce and the hotel clerk says that the man whom Rathbun had said was Teneyke had on a different coat and vest than when he went to the room He nad also added collar and necktie to his attire. The two left the hotel saying they would return.
 According to Peltons story, Goodnan returned to the Salvation Army hotel shortly after o'clock with a new coat and vest on and also collar and lie Pelton says he joked with him about inc change in his appearance and Goodman said he had got the clothes from the ''easy mark he had met in the morning Goodman told Pelton to check him or as he was going to- spend the night in Indiana with his new friend. Goodman went out in a short time and has not been seen at the hotel since
 Today the coroner of Jeffersonvi,le identified a pair of trousers found in Rathbun's grip as being of a suit the coat and vest of which were on the corpse found at the Falls City hotel.
 The Louisville detectives today received teiegrams from the chief of police at Little Rock. giving an exhaustive de- scription of the corpse forwarded from Jeffersonville that of Rathbun. In almost every particular the descriptions