Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-20
DAILY NEWS FAKE FlZzLES
Yellow journals Alleged Confession" B1-
ploded and BOth Parties Discharged.
REAL LIAR NOW STANDS UNCOVERED
Reporter who Manufactured the
Canahd Makes Miserable Mess ss
o.. Witness TryinE 10 ,Jnstify
His BRseIeas Yarn.

up lHe concession" of % Mrs. FRANK L.
Wheeler that James Diggs murdered her
husband, after bluning and clustering
after giving the lie to the county attor-
ney's ONCE, well ,as-4t to a reputable
newspaper, was given chance before
Judge Crawford Of the police court to
make good and he failed ignominously;
in other words after a thorough investi-
cation, hts alleged confession. was not
only proven to be high-handed fake, but
both Mrs, Wheeler and Diggs were dis
charged for want of evidence to warrant
a conviction:
/ At 1:O5 Thursday afternoon Police Judge
Crawford discharged James Diggs, colored'
and Mrs. Dora Wheeler. charged with the
mutder of Frank E. Wheeler. whose body
was found on South Fourteenth street on
the evening Of February %. Deputy County
Attorneys Fitch and shotwell. for the state
placed on the stand over a dozen witnesses
to establish the relations OF Diggs and
Mrs. Wheeler, the movements OF Diggs on
the evening, OF the murder and the possible
motive for the crime, while Attorney w
w. Dodge, representing the defendants
called only Matron Gibbons Of the city jail
for the defense. Neither Diggs nor Mrs.
Wheeler took the stand The case was
submitted without arguments. Deputy
County Attorney Fitch urged that the de-
PENDANTS be held to the district court.
FalSer on the stand.
One OF the features of the trial was the
testimony of Harry Wilkinson. reporter for
the Daily News, who reiterated an alleged
confession said 20 have been received by
him from Mrs. Wheeler on the morning OF
February 26 in the -nlatron's department
Without referring tor the credibility Of the
alleged confession the police judge de-
clared that the confession must not be con-
sidered against Diggs, and II It be true,
II would merely indicate the feelings of the
wife for her murdered husband at the time
The police judge further said in giving his
decision that the only scintilla Of evidence
offered by the state, was the attempt of the
detectives to connect Diggs' shoes with
footprints found in the soil near the scene
of the murder, and the visit OF Diggs to the
Millard hotel engine room the day before
the murder. Judge Crawford declared it
would be the height of folly to put the
county to the expense OF a jury trial on
such evidence as that brought before him.
Matron Gibbons repudiated in part the
] yellow Journal confession offered by the
state. -'s. -f}
The court room was crowded TO suffoca-
! ton The case was taken UP about $50 and
lasted until after o'clock. 1t proved the
-most interesting case of the kind to be
heard in the police couft for many years.
No Evidence from the First.
At the time of tho murder Of Frank e.
Wheeler. James Dlggs and Mrs. Wheeler
were arrested on suspicion of having been
parties to the crime. Dlggs being supposed
to have been the person who dealt the
I fatal blow. The matter was brought be-
fore the grand jury then in session, but
for want OF evidence the prisoners were
discharged. A fevo1dsss after the crime
htifA 5titiioTh yellow s1Ainted an alleged con-
fession, said to 6Aye been secured from
Mrs Wheeler by, one of Its reporters, Last
week Miss Iral Wheeler, sister of the MUIR
,dered man, 7arrived from Kansas and
began proceedings ID reopen the case, with
the alleged confession and the aforemen-
toned junior yellow in the spotlight. With
the Junior yellow printing a TRADE of sour
rilous attacks on the county attorneys
Eofice and insinua ting that the otherrnews-
papers were trying, to shield Diggs and
Mrs Wheeler because, they had been beaten
on a Scoop, (meaning the alleged con-
'fession). the county attorney was finally
| prevailed upon TO try the case In the po-
lice court to satisfy all interests and to
clear the office of the sspersions that It
had not performed its full duty in the
premises. The result was that the preilm-
mary hearing was set for Thursday morn
ing, when the case was tried with nearly
all of the states full strength. The de-
cison Of the judge came with much force
on those who wanted tc see fair play all
around and yellow journalism exposed in
its night garments. t---
Confidence of Defense.
The fact that Attorney Dodge, for the
! defenda ats. was content to rest his case
on the evidence Of Police Matron Gibbons,
who testified only TO the alleged confess
sion, showed the confidence Of the de-
fense. 20 --
Harry Wilkinson took the stand and re-
peated what he declared Mrs. Wheeler told
him in the matrons department on the
morning OF February 8 Wilkinson said he
went into the .matron's department ostensi-
bly,. to see an,old woman named Mrs. Dillon
and while in the room held conversation
with Mrs. Wheeler.
Il first told Mrs. Wheeler that Diggs had
fully confessed and had implicated her"
said the witness.
The statement that -Diggs had confessed
was in itself deliberate lie. as everyone
about police headquarters affirmed
Then Wilkinson said Mrs. Wheeler told
him that she had begged Diggs not TO kill
her husband, that she knew he went to
the Millard hotel engine room. to get a
look at Wheeler, and furthermore she had
warned her husband about the matter and
had arranged TO move to Colorado. VIII.
kinson also said the Wheeler woman told
him that Diggs intended 10 kill her hus-
band that he. might receive part OF the
insurance carried by Wheeler in favor OF
his wife. ~ -r ft
Questioned in regard 10 the circumstances
under which he secured the alleged con-
fession the witness said he was positive
the matron went into the east room whiIS
he spoke TO the prisoner and that he and
the woman were at a table during the
confession"
Mrs. Gibbons Riddles the lies.
Matron Gibbons. the only witness for the
} defense, was called by Attorney Dodge.
After relating the summary ejectment Of
the yellow journalist from the matron's de
partment Mrs. Gibbons said she was no
further than ten feet any time during tbs
presence Of Reporter Witness Wilkinson
She said:
Wilkinson came in to see Mrs. Dillon
an old woman who was in need OF pecun
airy assistance and whom the reporter haC
been in the habit OF seeing from day to day
While he was in the room ! showed tive
| vvouaen to a reffrlpu room and did not x,