The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-07-22
CONFESSED
HIS GUILT
SLAYER OF MILWAUKEE, BRAKE
MAN CONFESSES TO OFFICERS,
preliminary Hearing Set for Tuesday
Next Before Mayor Carey. Numley
was Not Admitted to Bail.

William Numley has confessed to the
Alilihg OF Fred Powell. He has been
luehtlhed by others who saw him near
lhe scene OF his crime and he now lies
~ Tue county Jail awaiting preliminary
nearing which is set for Tuesday morn
Ing next The story of the crime and
the capture is told in another column.
Numley after his capture at first denied
his guilt, although he at once admitted
1hat ne was present at the time and
that he knew the brakeman had been
hurt. Under the severe cross.examin-
alton to which he was submitted YES.
terday by uperintendent Beardsly
and Sheriff Bell he finally wilted and
Vola the story OF the crime. Other
evidence goes to corroborate his con-
fesslon and the officers are sure that
they have the guilty man. The story
as told by Numley is as follows: In
the early hours of Sunday morning he
with mum Der of other tramps at
tempted to board north bound freight
cut OF Arion. The brakeman, Powell,
ordered them OF and fred his revolver
along side OF the Gar, Numley was al
ready climbing the ladder and Powell
came toward him and demanded money
II he wished to ride Numley saws
that Powell stepped on his hand and
that this together with the demand for
money angered hum and that he drew
MS knife and struck out in the dark at
Powell, striking twice He knew that
he had hit his man but did not think
ne nad inflicted serious injury as the
brakeman climbed back to the top of
tne car and called out that he s'Would
Iget him yet Numley says he then
dropped off of the car and went back
10 Aflon He met a man named Pfetfer
and told him that he had had a scrap
with brakeman and had given him
cut TO remember him by. Pfetfer
stated that Numley added ''and I wish
had killed him" Numley further
states that he next walked to Dow City
ana hung around that place until in the
morning when he overheard conver-
satlon about the killing of Milwaukee
brakeman by negro the night before.
1hls Is the first, he claims, that he
knew OF the death of his victim or that
he was badly hurt 1t is said that sew.
eral people saw him at Dow City on
Sunday morning and that an officer was
ADVISED to arrest him but that he re-
fused to do so without warrant. In
the meantime Numley made his es-
cape. He crossed and recrossed the
Boyer on the railroad bridges hoping
to thcow Off pursuit and finally hid in
the tall weeds close to the river bank.
IL was here that he was captured by
two OF the searching party and taken
TO Dow City. Numley seems to have
nothing to offer in defense except that
the brakeman treated him roughly and
that he did not know or intend the
wound to be serious. The knife with
which the deed was done was large
jack knife with blade fully three
toSoSS AouS etIu aS Sudl DIS FdZOr !.
How he could have taken the knife
from his pocket, opened the blade and
struck the fatal blows with his left
hand while, as he states Powell was
standing on his right hand. is mys-
terry. The knife blade does not open
easily and it could hardly have been
opened wiyh one hand
The officers had Numley under a fire
OF questions nearly all day yesterday
and at night were we'll satisfied with
what they had accomplished.
The Sherlock Holmes employed by
the Milwaukee was a Sphinx only to
be looked at and admired from dis
tance, but the facts of the confession
! soon became known and much interest
was displayed in the preliminary hear
ing which was called before Mayor
; Carey this morning.
Last night the prisoner desired to
secure counsel and at his request r.
Shaw Van appeared as his counsel.
The prisoner was arraigned in the
court room. large number of specta.
tors being present. By agreement the
hearing was postponed until next Tues
| Quy mOrninp