The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-05
SHORT MAKES
 A CONFESSION Says Bill Rigby Killed wv. |. Mccain. FOR SAKE OF WIFE AND BABY Describes in Detail Events ot Fatal
 Night. Tn statement Fillmore County Man Held for CompIicity in Deputy
 sheriTs Murder--Makes
 "CIean Brea.t.'
FOR SAKE OF WIFE AND BABY

Jack Short. one of the Elmore coun- fv white men in jail in Montgomery with the Rigbys, charged with the murder of Deputy Sherif W. L Mc- Cain, has given aut confession m which he declares that Bill Rigoy IS solely responsible for the murder or W, l.. Mccain. who was deputy sheriff of Fillmore County.
 The confession Is alleged to be bona i'd. having been made to Solicitor Bowling and W. W. Pearson. repre- senting the State, in the presence or Day Jaiier S. J Pettus.
 Short is said to have been aetuated in making the confession soon after receiving a letter from his wife who bade him tell the truth for the sake of his wife and baby.
 Short then called for Judge Thomas. and being unable to have the judge at- tend him, he seized his first opportu- nifty, 1t is declared. to make clean breast" of the killing This opportu- nity occurred when Solicitor Bowling was at -the county jail Friday.
 Short is said to be a man of medi- ocre intellect His confession reads as follows:
 says Bill Threatens Life.
 Montgomery, Ala. Feb. 1. 1907.
 .sOn the night Bill Mccain was killed, about g D. m. Bill Rigsby came to my house and told me he wanted me to go to Paulk's store with him and get one-half gallon of cider. fdid not want to go and he insisted on my going and threatened me, If did not go. I got my wife and we three went to Allen Rigsby's house, and left my wife and Bill. and went to Paulk's store and from there to Greil's new quarter.
 T got away from him after a while and he caught up with me and told me: By God. 1t looks like you are trying to slip off from me. I have found Neal | and John in the new quarter and two or three negroes. and we are going to have a skin game. He further said: If anything happens in this quarter to- night, and you tell 1t, I will kill you deader than he'll
 He told me at Pauik's store that Neal and John were in the quarter I went to Little Abe's and old Abe How ards and asked each of them where the party was going to be. Bill was near where Mccain was killed. when I was at Big Abe's house.
 The last place I saw Bill Rigsby in the quarter was near little Abe's house, squatting down in the road Bill had single barrel snet gun, and a 3s-colt pistol.
 "After I left him squatting in the | Fudus WtIt tHS HSW qudTiCT EOtAu I toward Milstead and when I got close to the Hill place, I heard gun fire. | I was going toward home then, When got to Tomkahatchee Creek bridge near the Hill phase. Bill overlook me running fast. and he then told me that he had killed Bill Mccain. Said Neal and John had gone up the dinky line told him that If he had killed Bill Mccain I would tell Bud Mccain be- fore day. He then hit me over the l head with gun. cut my clothes with knife. cursed me, took $5.56 out of my pockets, shot at me twice with his pistol. one shot going through my hat brim.
 Taking Shell Out of Gun. T fell then and he went on of from me. running fast I stayed there about ten minutes and then went on home This was right about 12 o'clock at night. When got to Allen Rigsby' s well, overlook Bill. He was trying to punch an empty shell out of his gun. He said he was waiting 10 give Neal and John a chance to get in the house and in bed before he got there. so that nobody would know they had been together.
 T have made this statement of my own free will and accord, and with out any promise or any threats being made to me by any one"
 Jack Short" Counsel or the Rigbys and Short also, said yesterday afternoon that the confession was one given to the State "I have talked to Short about his confession and what he said to me varies considerably from the confession given out by the prosecuting counsel and there may be developments which will change the phase of the situation,' said his attorney.
 W. L. Mccain was assassinated from ambush near Tallassee last fall. For this offense, Neal Rigby has been con- victed in Fillmore county and sentenced to life imprisonment Allen Rlgby. John Rigby, Bill Rigby and Jack Short, all charged with complicity in the same murder. were brought to Mont gomery for safe keeping, pc ding their trial in Elmore County.
 Allen Ribby is the father of the other three Rigbys. The most desperate one among them is said to be Bill Rigby who was the last one captured in Ma con County after desperate resistance.