, 1905-02-28
TELLS OF
MURDER
WILLIAM BURNEY CONFESSES TO
PART HE TOOK IN KILLING
OF MERCHANT GERBER
IN JANUARY.
Confession Taken in Shorthand by At.
torney for Defendant in Presence
Of County Attorney Dowrey and
Sheriff ReaIs-Came to Laramie
at About Time Of Day Proven by
Republican Following Murder.

William Burney. alias "Dicey,' the
negro arrested Tor the murder of Geo.
Gerber here on the night of January
10, has made a confession. The con
tession was made in the presence of
County Attorney Downey and Viii Nc.
Murray, the attorney for the defend,
ant, the latter taking the confession
in shorthand. The Republican knew of
the confession yesterday. and asked
Sheriff Reals, Under Sheriff Morgan
Knadlcr and Deputy Sheriff and City
Marshal Sisman for the details at
noon. Those gentlemen declared it
would be ruinous to the case as af-
fecting the states interest to have the
fact Of the confession made known,
and reporters for this paper, at the
earnest solicitation of these gentle
men and OF County Attorney Downey.
agreed not to refer to the matter. All
the gentlemen present at the time the
confession was made and taken down
by Mr.. McMurray were pledged to Sc
crecy. The Republican refrained from
speaking of the confession, even going
so far as to say that the man brought
from Cheyenne as another of the sus-
poets was being held here as "A wit
ness.
Clay, the man brought over from
Cheyenne Sunday night, Inc a white
man at Hanna. Burney had been a
gambler at Rock Springs. At first he
worked in a gambling house as porter,
later being given charge of the poker
table. Here he vas detected by the
proprietor in some crooked work and
was fired. He came to Hanna and
thence to Laramie, arriving here, he
says, between & and Z O'Clock of the
night of January 10. He n Clay
went to the Chinese restaurant, where
they we're seen by Marshal Sigman,
The white man, according to the story
OF Burney. ven to the Globe hotel,
where he was later joined by Burney
and Clay. 1t was during this visit that
the men held secret caucuses in the
ear of the Globe saloon. From there
they went to Gerber's store, finding
some men in the place first and later
some boys. When the boys had gone,
and just as Gerber was preparing to
close the store, the three men induced
him to let them in.
Burney says in his confession hat
Clay struck Gerber on the head with
an iron bolt he had picked up in the
railroad yard, and "Dicey" believes
that Clay must have also cut the mans
throat. They robbed the place, divid-
ing the money in the railroad yards
and taking the train at 1920 the same
night for Cheyenne. Burney a y he
spoke only to the porter of the Pull
mar car.
Burney and Clay left the train at
Cheyenne. Burney went from there
to Greeley and thence to Fort Col
Inns. where he was arrested.
Clay is said to have robbed the
Kitzmiller bowling alleys at Cheyenne
and been wounded in an attempt to
break Jail. He was a prisoner in the
Cheyenne Jail when Sheriff Smalley
brought him to Laramie Sunday night.
Clay is also said to have confessed.
The officers are very greatly cha
grined at the publication of the report
of the confession. They had the prom
Use of reporters for this paper that the
knowledge possessed would not be
used. That promise was faithfully
kept. They contend that the publica
ton at this time will hamper them II
running down the third member of the