The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1902-04-03
MURDER WILL OUT,
W. H. Rice, the Oklahoma De-
putty Sheriff, Now in Jail,
Makes a Full Con-
feSSiOn.

feSSiOn,
To a TINES reporter who called at
the Jail Tuesday morning ". Ii Rice,
the Oklahoma deputy sheriff, arrest
ed ON sus;,icion last week as being
the party who shot and killed ". q.
Butler near Nyhart Tuesday night Of
lust week. unlocked his tongue and
without reserve told THE TIMES man
the story Of the killing and his con-
nection with the affair in a minute
way and without hesitancy. He
said:
My name is W. H. Rice, am -
years old, was born and raised six
miles east OF Garden City, Cass coun-
ty.
Left Cass county about five years
ago and went to Texas, where | resid-
ed about two years. Then moved to
FL Reno, Oklahoma. In the land
drawing in Oklahoma my father, O..
z. Rice, and | both drew claims. My
father still lives on his claim. sold
mine and since that time have been
working mt the carpenter trade and
teamingin FL Reno. lhavealso been
acting MS deputy sheriff under A. A,
Cosby, sheriff of Canadian county
Oklahoma | have my commission
with me and with my other effects is
in charge of Sheriff Smith.
II left FL Reno on Sunday, March
10th, for Bates county TO visit rela-
tives and friends, have an uncle,
l.. l.. Coleman, living near Aaron,
also an uncle, Lewis Jones, residing
in Foster, and ], b. Thomas, an
uncle, living near Nyhart, and other
relatives.
Beinginterrogated in regard to the
killing OF Butler, Mr.. Rice made the
following statement;
RICE's STATEMENT.
On the evening oi-the -26th Of
March, | was stopping with my
uncle, j. b. Thomas, near Nyhart
and accompanied by my cousin, Miss
Maud Thomas, aged 16 years, went
to visit my cousin, Earl Thomas
who lives about Il quarter of mile
south OF the bridge over the Miami
river.
We | # uncle John Thomas house
about 6 O'Clock p, m, and arrived AT
Earl Thomas about 6:3O p. IN. We
remained at his house until after sup,
per, and on account of the appear.
nnce of a storm coming up we start
ed for home about I!30 p, Hr'
We walked fast on account OF thu
ain coming up
All went well until we reached til,
Corner where the road turned west.
Here we heard II peculiar noise il
the road some distance behind Us
which appeared to becoming toward
us. 1t was very dark and we could
not see ten feet from us.
My cousin asked what was making
that noise
said, | don't know it sounds like &
small dog.
She said, "whnt will we do.
told her we would step to one sid,
of the road, and if it was dog, il
would pass on and not bother us
She was somewhat frightened.
then took my gun out OF my belt
The noise seems to be about 5Oyards
away and coming toward us.
1t was so dark | could not make
out what it was.
When it got within twenty steps o
us, it lightened, and saw it was
man coming toward us, running.
We were at the side of the road ant
he came direct toward us.
don't know whether he saw us a
the time or not. | stepped between
him and my cousin, pistol in han'
and called to him to stop four times
raising nv voice each time called
He made no reply and did not stop.
When he came within three or foul
feet OF me and refused to stop, | rails
ed my pistol and fired.
When the pistol went off the maj
dropped, he never spoke "a word anC
only made a slight noise as he fell.
When he fell, ! then discovered
what was making the strange nois
as he came up the road. 1t wa
chickens he had in his hands Whel
the pistol went off, one OF the chick
ems gave a loud squat.
Me and my cousin then went OF
home.
As we walked along my cousin said
"that was a man, wasn't it.
said yes.
She then asked me what was go
ing to do.
told her | guessed | would hav'
to give myself up.
She said, maybe you didn't xii
him.
said | don't know.
then said TO my cousin II doil
give myself up, We will have to keel
it still.
She said, "all right. :
told her not to mention it to any
one. until we know more about it.
That was about all we said about
| it.
rrlo ,,ov+ ,,orpinp thn rpDOrt came