Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-06-26
CONFESSED TO HIS MULE.
VENTRiLoQuISM USED TO GET
FACTS ABOUT A Murder.

Ebony Baalam obeyed yoice-.Ani-
NAL Demanded Full Recital of the
Crime and Terrified Negro Quickly
Responded with the Story.
The detective, who by aid OF ven
triloquisIa and mule, secured from
negro a confession which led to
the arrest Of VIII Christmas and Wal
ter Holland, near Dotham, Ala, writes
the Atlanta (Ga.) correspondent OF
the Philadelphia Record, was an At
lanta man, named F. Schmidt.
The story of the manner in which
the evidence was secured, almost IN
credible as it is, is apparently con
firmed The outline of it is chat the
sleuth suspecting that the negro knew
something of the crime, secured a
statement on the strength of which
the two men were arrested and taken
to Campmellton, Fla, where they will
be held pending further investigation
of their connection with the triple
murder in the Christmas family. Will
Christmas is the son of one of the
trio murderered, and Holland is q
son-in-law
In his early days, Schmid manifest
ed a ventriloquistic ability, and more
than once brought his voice-throwing
propensities into play. AS he grew
older he found good use for his gift
and was a star in many parlor enter
tainments Then as he drifted into
detective work, for which he appeared
to have natural ability, he more than
once made use of his gift, but never
as successfully as upon this occa-
sion.
Some three weeks ago a local de-
tective agency was asked to send a
man to Mariana, Fla, to investigate
the murder, and man was imme
diately dispatched. 1t didn't take him
long to satisfy himself that he was on
the right lead. He found, too, that it
was through suspected negroes that
he must work, and knowing the SUI
perstition of that race, he began Ia
boring on that line.
Making himself out fortune-teller,
that detective found easy access to
many of the negro homes in that Sec
ton. Then introducing table rapping,
held many a seance at which negroes
for miles around were present. Then
| jumping at broad guess he began
| limiting at events in the lives of the
attendants, at which each member
of the audience showed indignation
then surprise. Not really knowing
whether he was reaching effective
| grounds or not, the detective kept up
his line, and realizing that Schmid's
gift as a ventriloquist would stand
him a good hand, he wired his chief
to send Schmid on. Schmid came, but
at first did not show mis- face He
and his forerunner, however, held a
consultation or two, and mapped out
a line of campaign. At the next Sc
ance Schmid was hid outside the
house while the spirits were moving
about within, the dying pine torch on
the big hearth throwing its weird
shadows over the group gathered
around the table at which sat the de-
| tective and a dozen black skin men
and women AS the table began to
move and some departed spirit mani
! tested itself to the fat dame of the
| The message from the dead was be-
Ing read by the medius. Then, just
as the stiffness was the most strenu-
Gus, a voice arose from the middle of
| the table. 1t said:
jackson, Mr.. Christmas wants to
speak to you
With a bound and yell the negro,
who had been suspected of knowing
something of the triple killing, went
into the air, every one about the table
springing up and calling on the Lord
for mercy. Then fiat upon the floor
the women fell, while more than one
| of the men rushed from the house into
| the cool air. For few minutes there
was a perfect frenzy Of fright in that
| cabin, and the seance for that night
was cut out right then and there. The
I Secret Service man alone knew that
| his confederate hidden in the cabin
| had worked his powers mighty we'll
and for the next day or two neither
he nor Schmid came near the scene.
Then, on Wednesday last, while
Jackson was az work in the field be-
hind his mule, Schmid made his ap-
pearance with his companion. Soon
the conversation turned on fortune
| telling and seances. Schmid being in
troduced as the greatest L4edium on
earth, as the man who could make
any spirit come to hand at any time.
"And," said the medium, '1'll bring
him around tonight and we'll have a
good time"
mo, 'scuse me, boss" said the
negro, showing evident excitement. 81
don't want no more of them seances
about me- Use done had the last one
wants to see. No, sir; no more for
me-"
'But, Jackson" said the medium,
you don"
Just here the mule spoke, saying:
Jackson, tell the truth. Tell these
men what you and 1 saw that night
at the Christmas home The night
you rode me over there. You can't
fool them. They have been sent here
by the Lord to save you"
As the words fell upon the negro's
ears he began quaking. His teeth
chartered, the whites of his eyes
rolled around and around and great
beads of perspiration appeared on his
forehead. Before the sentence had
been finished the negro had rushed
! in front of the mule and as the inn
| patient animal tossed his head that
negro dropped upon his knees, yelling:
Oats Gods voice, sure. I done
heard that before and 1 recognize it.
| If it wasn't Gods voice den that mule
he couldn't talk Oar mule is tell
ing de truf, and God is bringing my
sin home to me-"
Pitiable was the negro's plight; and