The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-09-18
POSSE CAPTURES
VIVA. HOFFMAN,
Slayer of William Brandt Caughi
Near Belleville, Ill.
SR0WSNO REMORSE FOR CRIME
Fos1d Asleep by -. Clair County
Omr~rs and Makes No Resistance
-O~clares Ne Feared Father
in-Lass Would XIII Him.

Waterloo. H.. Sept l4.-Williarn
Hoffman,. who killed his father-in-
law, William Brandt. at Maeystown.
III, last Monday evening. was cap
iured on the outskirts Of Belleviiie. H..
Saturday afternoon. by force of dep
MY sheriffs under leadership OF Deputy
Sheriff Klamm.
In state Of mental and physical col
lapse. he fell asleep beneath a tree on
the side Of the road. az when he
awoke II was 10 look into the muzzles
of two repeating shotgups and two re-
volvers. He made no resistance. as he
was unarmed. He was delivered 10
Sheriff Thomas Ruch, Of Waterloo, Al
East st. Louis
Lynching Threaseaed.
Sheriff Ruch and Deputy William
Tolin arrived al ten o'clock with Hoff-
mann. from Belleville. on the Mobile 4
Ohio passenger train. Over four hun
dred persons were al the depot
Several shouted, Lynch him. Hang
him" but large force Of police and
deputy sheriffs forced the people back
Hoffman, was pale and nervous and
frembled at the large crowd. With his
hands and feet cuffed he was escorted
10 carriage and quickly driven TO
the Monroe county jail. where he was
placed in cell No. G. He refused 10
talk TO anyone, and lay down on his
bed.
Coincidence TroubIed Him.
Il am glad II is all over" said Hoff-
h<,s ur,
much that haven't any nerves lef:-
am sorry only for the sake OF my wife
and my children. II had come to such
a state that one Of US would he killed.
and believed that he intended killing
me when ] shot him.
Il was out squirrel shooting Monday
afternoon. and on my way home ]
stopped AT my fither-in-law's home. l
held the reins OF my mule in one hand
and with the other knocked al his door
NY father-in-law answered the knock.
and asked me what I wanted. told
him that we needed some money. He
got mad when said this and said: 4
will give you money turning on his
heel.
Claims <~If-Def~use.
Il thought he was going to get his
gun 10 shoot me. so fired first. then
went home. told my wife what had
happened and stayed there until D.
N. Tuesday | thought the officers
would come after me. but as they didn't
took $50 and babe my wife and chill
dren good-by and started walking
down the Mobile & Ohio railroad
tracks.
Il passed through huntsville, Red
Eud and Sparta At the latter place /
took a train for Cairo. where ar
rived at two O'Clock "Wednesday after
noon. From Cairo ! went 10 Metropolis
by boat. and from there 10 Paducah by
rail From Paducah ! came 10 Col
conda. Pope county. by boat There
lad my mlstache shaved off.
Reads cf Reward.
Il saw by the papers that a big re-
ward had been offered for my arrest.
and I thought ! would try TO escape.
as my identity had not yet been sus-
rected. | went to East ST. Louis anc
registered at the Wies hotel Frida,
night ! got up early Saturday morn
ing and caught the first car for Delle-
vile.
Il net a man driving a 1umbe:
wagon. and he gave me lift for a
mile, and helped him unload his lum-
Der then walked 10 tie big tree.
where ! lay down TO rest, as | was very
tired When ! awoke the officers had
me surrounded with their weapons. !
was surprised at first. but now do
rot care. l thought ] was protecting
my life when ] killed my father-in-
L.