Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-12
TAKEN TOOSKALOOSA
Richard Williams to Face Charge
Of Murder.
He TALKS OF HIS MOVEMENTS
Admits Being in Buxton at Time the
Crime Was Committed But Refuses
to Say Anything About the Killing
Cold Blooded Murder.

F8!aFEsf
From Tuesdays Dailyl
Richard Williams, colored, charged
with the murder of William Sharpless
in Buxton Sunday evening, was taken
will be given a preliminary hearing
on charge of murder in the first de-
gree. AS more particulars of the
crime are received, the more cold
blooded it appears. So far as known
Williams had no trouble at all with
Sharpless, and if the story of those
present can be taken for the truth,
the murdered man was the victim of
mistake on the part of the murderer.
| While Williams admits he was in BuX
ton at the time of the murder, he will
not say that he committed the deed.
He did state, however, that he had no
| trouble with Sharpless and that he
does not know how the murder hap
pened to have been committed. Just
before leaving for Oskaloosa this
morning he told Chief Gray and a
Courier reporter that he took team
! from Buxton and drove to Abba, COM
ing on into this city on No. 2. He
says the team broke away from him
just as he reached Abba, and he does
not know what became of it. The
firm of Woodson and Brown have been
retained to defend him, and George H.
Woodson went to Oskaloosa with Will
liams this morning to arrange for the
preliminary hearing, which will prob
ably be held in that city this after
noon.
A Cold BIooded Deed.
The story of the murder unearths
one of the most blood-thirsty crimes
that was ever committed in the state
of Iowa. William Sharpless and
number of other miners were drinking
in what was called the shack" at Bux-
ton early Sunday evening. THE
shack" is a blind pig and was built
directly on the line between Monroe
and Mahaska counties. The man that
runs it has his house built partly in
Monroe county and partly in Mahaska
county. His living apartments are in
Monroe county, and it is alleged the
liquor traffic was carried on in Ma
haska county. While Sharpless and
his party were drinking in the place
it is charged that Williams entered
and asked for drink. 1t is alleged
that Williams was standing at the bar,
Sharpless asked him for a sum of
money which he (Williams) is alleged
to have owed Sharpless. Without
answering Sharpless it is alleged that
Williams said "I'll kill you, and turn.
4 ed on his heel and left the place.
4 Without Word.
| Within a few moments, it is alleged
I that Williams came back, and walking
4 up behind Sharpless, placed the re-
volver directly behind his right ear
and pulled the trigger.
Sharpless fell to the floor without q
word, and when the habitues of the
place reached him he was dead. The
bullet entered just to the rear Of the
right ear and passed out just to the
rear of the left ear.
Stole Team.
} After the shooting it is alleged that
Williams ran to the stable of man
named Coleman, for whom he had
been working, and hitched up team
of horses to Colemans buggy, and
drove off. Coleman saw Williams
hitching up, but at that time had not
heard of the murder, and he did not
give the matter second thought. VIII
liams drove rapidly south, and within
: an hour had reached Abba. about nine
miles south of Buxton Here he wait
ed until No. 2 arrived, when he
caught the train and came into this
city.
Went to Bed.
AS soon as Williams reached this
city he went to Gilbert's chop house
where he secured room and went tt
bed. He got upsearly yesterday morn
ing, and visited several places
|frequented by negroes, and late in the
: afternoon drifted down to Smoky Row
, where he was captured by Captain
Gallagher and Officer Pitts.
Found the Gun.
: When he was searched at the sta
$ ton big A or AS calibre revolve
was taken from him with one chambe
empty, and it is surmised that the hui
; let from this chamber killed Sharpness
Sheriff Cricket arrived in this cit.
). late last night to take Williams bacl
i to Oskaloosa, bat was forced to re
main here until this morning to catcl
a train.
Williams Talks.
t While Williams was being takel
S from the Jail to the depot this morn
+ ing he was interviewed by a Courie
reporter. He said his home was il
t Alabama, and that he had been in BuS
n ton about nine months. He said h
e had been employed as teamster a
: the mines in that city, and that he ha
!. also been employed as stable foreman
d He said he was in Buxton at the tim
the murder of Sharpless was commit
ted, but he refused to. say anythin
about the deed. When asked if Their
was any trouble between him an
e Sharpless and he said there was none
He was asked how he got out of Bu1
ton on the night of the murder, an
{ he said that he drove to Abba in Colt
: mans buggy. At this point Attorne
Woodson, who was with the party toll
:, Williams not to talk any more abor
u the crime, and the colored man obeye
his lawyers instructions for the tim
being.
Team Ran Away.
o Afterwards, when Chief Gray que
toned him, Williams said that just q
he was getting out of Colemans bu
., A1hia ono of tho borsac booo ~,