Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-09-17
POSSE CAPTURES
VIM. HOFFMAN,
Slayer of William Brandt Caugb'
Near Belleville, Ill.
SHOWS NO F0RCRIME
EOund Asleep by st. Clair County
officers and Makes No Resistance
Declares He Feared Father
In-Law Would Kill Him.

Waterloo, ILL.,, Sept. 14.-William
Hoffman,, who killed his father-in-
law, William Brandt, at Maeystown,
ILL.,, last Monday evening, was cap
tured on the outskirts of Belleville, ILL.,,
Saturday afternoon, by a force of dep
uty sheriffs under leadership of Deputy
Sheriff Klamm.
In a state of mental and physical col
lapse, he fell asleep beneath a tree on
the side of the road, and when he
awoker it was to look into the muzzles
of two repeating shotguns and two re-
volvers. He made no resistance. as he
was unarmed. He was delivered to
Sheriff Thomas Ruch, Of Waterloo, at
East st. Louis.
Lynchtng Threatened.
Sheriff Ruch and Deputy William
| Tolin arrived at ten o'clock with Hoff-
mann, from Belleville, or the Mobile &
Ohio passenger train. Over four hun
dred persons were at the depot.
Several shouted, Lynch him! Hang
him!" but a large force of police and
deputy sheriffs forced the people back.
Hoffman, was pale and nervous and
trembled at the large crowd, With his
hands and feet cuffed he was escorted
to a carriage and quickly driven to
the Monroe county Jail, where he was
placed in cell No. 6. He refused to
talk to anyone, and lay down on his
bed.
COnscience Him.
81 am glad it is all over" said Hoff-
mann. my conscience bothered me so
much that I haven't any nerves left. |
am sorry only for the sake of my wife
and my children. 1t had come to such
a state that one of us would be killed,
and | believed that he intended killing
me when | shot him.
81 was out squirrel shooting Monday
afternoon, and on my way home l
stopped at my fa~ther-in-law's home. |
held the reins of my mule in one hand
and with the other knocked at his door.
My father-in-law answered the knock,
and asked me what | wanted. | told
him that we needed some money. He
got mad when | said this and said: I
will give you money turning on his
heel.
Claims Self-Defepse.
81 thought he was going to get his
gun to shoot me, so fired first. I then
went home, told my wife what had
happened and stayed there until 5 p.
m. Tuesday. I thought the officers
would come after me, but as they didn't
| took $40 and babe my wife and chill
dren good-by and started walking
down the Mobile & Ohio railroad
tracks.
81 passed through huntsville, Red
Bud and Sparta. At the latter place |
took a train for Cairo, where l ar
rived at two o'clock Wednesday after
noon. From Cairo l went to Metropolis
by boat, and from there to Paducah by
rail. From Paducah | anne to Col
conda, Pope county, by boat. There I
had my mustache shaved off.
Reads of Reward.
81 saw by the papers that a big re-
ward had been offered for my arrest,
and l thought | would try to escape,
as my identity had not yet been sus-
pected. | went to East st. Louis and
registered at the Wies hotel Friday
night. | got up early Saturday morn-
ing and caught the first car for Belle
vile.
Il met a man driving a lumber
wagon, and he gave me a lift for g
mile, and helped him unload his lum"
Der. | then walked to the big tree,
where | lay down to rest, as | was very
tired. When | awoke the officers haG
me surrounded with their weapons. ]
was surprised at first, but now | dc
not care. | thought | was protecting
my life when l killed my father-in-
law"