The San Francisco call., 1907-03-27
RIAND SODERBERG, who confessed early yesterday
inp to Oakland murdered his mother declares
- that he does not ivea he prefers the gallows
haunting of dead
Confessed Slayer of Mother
Begs to Be Executed
Visions Of Dead
Terrorize Son
in Prison

OAKLAND, March 26.-"All i want Is
to die and escape from the memory that
I have killed my mother. There is moth
ing more for me to live for. and would
rather hang than spend the rest of my
life In prison. II they hang me 1 will
not have to think all the time of what
have done, and I have nothing before
me now anyway"
These were the words of Erland h
Soderberg, who last night confessed to
Detectives st. Clair Hodgkins and L. j.
Flynn that he had murdered his moth
er last Saturday night in their home at
463 street. After a night of remorse
the murderer, at last realizing the enor-
nifty of his crime, is willing to mount
the gallows and escape the haunting
memory.
Ever before the murderer, until his
life pays the forfeit for his bruta.
crime, will be the dead face of his vic
tim, upon which he gazed last night at
the Morgue, where he was taken by the
police to look once more upon the face
of his mother before it was shut for
ever from the gaze of mortal eyes. Re-
turning from the city deadhouse he
was confronted by the evidence in the
hands of the detectives.
MAKES FULL CONFESSION
Trembling in every limb as each
CHASTITY detail was portrayed, he at last
sought refuge from the terrible vision
in full confession just after midnight
this morning. So carefully had the de-
tectives run down each clew in the case
that they were able to paint graphic
word picture of Soderbergs movements
as he slew his mother and concealed
her body in the closet of their home,
until at last unable to bear the merci-
less recital longer, the murderer buried
his face in his hands and shudderingly
whispered
Yes, / killed her. L don't know why
1 did it. and 1 can't remember just what
happened, but 1 know 1 killed my
mother. 1 did it just as you said. 1t
seems to me that you must have seen
me kill her"
Soderberg after his first outbreak
soon became more stolid and indiffer
ent and described with brutal detail
just how he had slain the mother who
with unfailng devotion had ministered
to his wants for nearly quarter of
century.
At the close of his recital Soderberg
was led back to his cell and a special
guard was set over him that he might
not escape the penalty by taking his
own life. Stunned by the realization of
the full horror of his deed, however, the
murderer sank down on the edge of
his prison bed and buried his face in
his hands, seeking only to shut out the
vision which had been conjured up by
the words of the detectives.
HOUSE OF TRAGEDIES
Convulsive shudders, which mo-
shook his body, proved
clearly how vain was the struggle to
escape from the CHASTITY memories
which haunted him. Throughout the
night his actions seemed to indicate
that he was again living through the
tragedy which had been enacted in the
house in B street, which since the mur-
der of Mrs. Soderberg has become
known as the haunted house Of Watts
tract"
The dwelling seems we'll named, for
three times in its history has death In
violent form stalked within it's walls.
Years ago it was occupied by painter
named Hansen, who one day disap-
peared. Search was made and the body
of the unfortunate painter, who had
ended his life because of financial re-
verses, was found swinging to a rafter
In the kitchen.
Some years later another tenant of
the ill-fated dwelling failed to appear
as was his custom, and once more the
morgue wagon was called to the house
and the body of its occupant removed
to the morgue. The second man to die
by violent means had ended his life,
which had become a burden, with
poison. Last Saturday night came the
of an aged mother by her only
son, and now residents of the neigh
borhood pass the place at night with
averted eyes and hasty steps, so thor