The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-10
Detective Wattenberg was
Sensational Witness.
SUBMITS CONFESSION
States That Williams was the Murder.
er of Strickland, and Set Fire to
.the Oil Works. Several Inter.
esting Witnesses Exam

ined.
The preliminary hearing in the eX-
held before Justice of the Peace r. G.
Reid yesterday morning. There was a
continual fight against the admis--
sion of the testimony of Mr. r. l..
Wattenberg, the Pinkerton detective,
who was the one sensational witness,
and even afer all the evidence had
been taken, Justice Reid stated that
he could not announce his decision
until tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.
This reservation holds in the balances
the fate of young Moore, and if the
justice holds that the evidence sub
mitted by Mr. Wattenberg is not adj
miSSable, Moore will in all probabili-
ty be discharged, as his confession
was made to the detective, and upon
this he was arrested and placed in
Jail. Prevailing opinion is difficult to
ascertain, as hardly two persons en-
terrain the same view of the case, but
all seem to agree that the young pris-
oncr is champion myth teller, and
professional preSaricator
The moment of intense interest was
when the written confession of Moore,
made to Mr.. Wattenbcrg, was read.
1t is as follows:
II, Frank Moore, of 500 S. Blood
worth st, do hereby make the fol-
robbery, and murder at the Standard
lowing confession regarding the fire.
robbery and murder at the Standard
Oil works, which occurred on May
goth 1905 at 2.35 q. m. l, Buck
Burch Earl Jones, and George Will
liams met by appointment at the Aca-
denny of Music at 11:15 p. M, May
18th. 1905 We then went to the
standard Oil works together. Arriv-
there. Williams remarked: Il will go
and get the tools, where [ have hid
den them in a culvcrt." He then re
turned with long cold chisel, spike
hammer. and short chisel about six
inches long. We were then in the
neighborhood of the telegraph poles
that were lying on the ground near
the tool house. We then proceeded
towards the works and Williams and
Jones went around and entered the
works by some back way which L
could not see. | was then waiting at
the front door of the office on the
street. and Burch was at the office
door on the inside of the plant
Williams and Jones came into the
office from the rear of the plant. Will
liams said y Boys | have killed the
night Waterman. We are all right
now if we don't get caught any other
wav. I hit him with a piece of iron. >
civilians had the tools under his
arm. and Jones had the spike ham
mer, and they then proceeded to bat
ter open the safe. Jones was sitting
down holding the long chisel, While
Williams used the spike hammer. IL
took them about half an hour to open
the safe. Williams took the money
70 nd L.
7 do not know how much he got, but
he gave me nothing, though the prop
osition was to divide equally. Jones
and Williams then left the office, ana
went out through the yard by the
back way, and must have started the
fire on their way out; just when can
not state, as l remained in front all
the time.
civilians told Burch and me to
meet him and Jones at the Melrose
Knitting Mills to divide the proceeds.
Burch and / went there, but Jones
and Williams did not put in appear
ance Burch went to Johnson street
to see if Jones and Villains were
there. and l did not see him aIter
that. | however, saw Jones ana VIII
liams lump on no. "a at the tool
house. one Jumped up and caught
the hand rail to the tender, and the
other Jumped on coach. then
walked to Johnson Street to try ana
pet hold of Williams to get my snare
of the money, but when L arrived
there the train had pulled out. l dld
not see Jones or Williams, nor have
7 seen them since leaving Johnson
Street. went to corner, of Halifax
and Jones Streets, whenI heard the
alarm sounded and saw the fire. |
waited ten or fifteen minutes and
then returned to the scene OF the
fire. where / remained until seven
o'clock, when l went home.
81 also state that l make this con-
fession of my own free will, and not
under threat or coercion of any sort.
(Signed.) FRANK MOORE.
witnesses: W. A. Scott, r. L. Watten-
berg. c.. NJ Walters.
"Sworn and subscribed before me
this 21st day of July. 1905.
J. r. YOUNG. ms. Com. y
The Hearing i'm Detail.
The case was called at 10 O'Clock
and the prosecution placed Mr.. A X
Pitman. of Baldwin's Detective Aency
on the witness stand. Mr. Pitman was
not subpoenaed by the State until tho
defense requested that this be don"
and Mr.. Pitman had no knowledge OF