The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-24

hole was discovered In the leg Of the
trousers worn by his pal and they were
made to change trousers. The hole then
fit over the wound. A doctor was called
in to examine the wound and 1t was pro-
nounced a gunshot wound.
An investigation was at once set on foot.
1t was found that on their stockings were
/ Spanish needles and that there was num-
Der of Spanish needle bushes under tho
back window of the Chinn residence
through which the burglars had entered
the house. Warrants were sworn out and
the youths placed in jail. Whitney, who
had given his name as Thompson. then
began telling some of the truth and gave
their names and home towns. He wanted
the officials TO telegraph to their friends
and say they were all right. Detective W.
! z Irwin of Nashville. who was familiar
with the criminal records of Whitney and
O'Brien. came here and idnentified them.
He said they were wanted at Nashville for
a burglary n week before. in which they
had compelled a young lady to strip the
diamond rings from her fingers for them
pointing a revolver at her head. He pinned
them up so close that Whitney finally
made n confession. blaming O'Brien with
the murder of Mr.. Chinn. He said they
had come here stranded from Louisville
after being released from Jail there. they
having been suspected with being impli-
Gated in the Nashville job and held by the
police. At midnight they had started out
from their box car in the Southern yards
to rob some houses.
WANTED MONEY.
They entered the residences of ex-Lleu-
tenant Governor NJ. C. Afford and 0. L.
Slade. but had found nothing save a re-
volver In each place and these they had
taken. When they went into the Chinn
home they were desperate and wanted
money They found none and determined
to force the merchant to give them his
money at the point Of the revolver. AL
this juncture the son discovered their pres
ence and gave them a fight.
He said they had no intention of COM
hitting murder but were prepared for the
worst. En- route back to the box car they
HAD hidden the revolvers which they had
stolen and the one they had brought, with
them from Nashville under the Toulouse
at the yard limits Whitney told where
the revolvers could be found and they were
recovered.
Addison B. Chinn was wealthy. He was
an ex-Confederate soldier and well-known
throughout the State. Asa Chinn. his son,
associated with the firm in business. The
people were INDECENT and Whitney's con-
fession would have caused their lyrching,
had it not been for the prompt action OF OF
| They were brought back and tried. Attor-
neys took their cases to the Court of APP
peals and friends besieged Governor Beck
ham with petitions, asking for their par
don. but, notwithstanding they are mere
boys nothing could save them. so mon
| strous was the crime they committed. One
| of the obstacles in the way of a commute
He told to- me Governor Beekbam il it were
necessary he would bring him petition
signed by ten times as many persons as
| the Governor told him 1t was not necessary,
| that his mind was made up.
TRIED TO ESCAPE
| The widow of the murdered merchant
would not see the mother Of O'Brien. who
called to see her and ask her forgiveness
Twice friends of O'Brien attempted to Sc
cure his escape from the prison. Once a
package of newspapers arrived from Mem
phis by mail. addressed to 0Brien. and:
| opening the bundle, Jaier Wallace found
| six fine steel saws tempered to cut iron.
| Correspondence with the boys mother
ranged to liberate the boy, but no action
was taken against them.
| During her visit here a search OF OBrien's
! cell revealed six more fine steel saws similar
to the ones that came wrapped In the news
papers from Memphis. Had o'Brien and
they succeeded in filing through the bars
eleven alleged murderers might have been
| liberated, as the Jail at the present time,
| holds that number of men for this crime.
Claude O'Brien halls from Memphis. where
| he had early education in crime. He be-
longed to the Oscar Lee gang that infested
| the town and kept the police nonpulsed by
their daring. The gang was broken up
and OBrien formed the acquaintance of
Earl Whitney in Nashville. They extended
| their operations to Kentucky and many
burglaries are traced to them and their as
| sociates.
| Whitney's parents died when be was quite
young and he served term in the Reform
School.