The Carlisle independent., 1906-06-07
Woman Murdered by 15.Year.old hsoro

Ao"Hu uedu Monday morning Tn her
 room at the Drummers' hotel at Little
 Rock, which she conducted, was killed
 Dy VIII Gay a 15-year-old negro, who
 WasempIoyed at the hotel as a porter. | Gay made confession, and shortly 1 thereafter he was taken out of the coun- ty by Deputy Sheriff Chichester. The officers would not state where the negro had been taken.
 In his confession Gay declared that the killing followed dispute over the refusal of Mrs. Leetham to pay him money which was due him for wages. The officers are inclined to believe, however that Gay has not told the en- tire truth, and they believe that Gay was attempting to rob Mrs. Leetham when he killed her. It is believed that after killing Mrs. Leetham the negro stole some money which the woman had in her room, but how much he se- cured is not known. It was found that he has given S15 to Johanna Deane, negro girl, since the murder.
 Gay was arrested about 7:30 o'clock Monday night, and was kept in the sweat-box the greater part of the time from that time until II o'clock. Until that time he had stoutly denied having any connection with the crime, and his demeanor upon the witness stand during the coroners inquest was such as to convince most of those who heard him testify that he was inno- Cncnioinn against the negro when the detectives discovered that number of holes had been cut in his shirt. It was also noticed that there were some spots, resembling blood spots, around the holes in the shirt indicating that he had endeavored to remove the evi- dence of his crime, but had not entire ly succeeded. This, together with cer- tain contradictions in statements which he made at various times dur ing the day, led the detectives to place the negro under arrest Gay at first denied any knowledge of the crime, but later, when confronted with the girl to whom he had given s15, he broke down and made full confession.
 Chief of Detectives Clifton and De tectives Morgan and Newland worked on the case from early in the morning until Il o'clock at night, not taking time. even to eat supper After they had fixed upon Gay as the assassin they turned all their efforts toward securing confession from him. Chief of Police Hawkins co-operated with the detective department and also devo- ted practically the entire day to the case.
 The murder of Mrs. Leetham was re- ported to the police at o'clock in the morning by the murderer himself Gay notified headquarters that he had gone to the hotel and found the woman lying upon the floor in her room Capt McMahon, Sergt. Mcdaniel and Justice Meisner went to-the scene immediately and took charge of the body.
 For some time there was absolutely no clew to the identity of the murder CT, and the affair was complete mys- tery. A dozen theories were advanced. but none of them seemed plausible enough to be accepted by the officers
 On the witness stand the negro de- clared that he left the hotel at mid night on the night of the murder and went to his home in Argenta. He said that when he returned at o'clock the next morning he found the screen door open and Mrs. Leetham lying on the floor. He said that he then noti- fled the police.
 In his confession, which was made in the presence of Chief Clifton, De tectives Morgan and Newland and Chief of Police Hawkins. Gay said that after every one had left the room at midnight Sunday, he went 10 Mrs. Leethams room and asked ter for the money that was coming
 } him. Mrs. Leetham told him that
 le would not give it to him, as she
 ought he would get into trouble.
 told her that he was going to have ldie and she began talking about a ps-
 which he had borrowed from her. rom told her that friend of his had it, and that he would get it. She told
 that she wanted him to get it right althoY. He told her that he would do n. she would give him his money, a reshat if she did not he would not ested ne pistol. He said Mrs Leetham y sevei started toward her trunk and
 she would show him what she CT anc do. He said that he then be 7 to suf- stab her He did not think he Id been kill her. he said, but he shut he year 5 and did the cutting. He said nan was lying on the bed all arefullv e, but was trying to get up. CT quit he took his money, as it was ae Pos fl the table. He said Mrs. Lee bought hS on the side of the bed when Is. and oAad that she must have rolled s very eoe was on the floor when he s deci- tha in the morning. He said coffee kn;. he cut her he threw the trou- ham. the lront window on Mark
 the t and then walked about nutes .Tob., later going to the home of wouldf gave ane, the girl, to whom he pro- untiJ He said he remained there made to tba clock and then went back 1;l-o, He only went to the door