Omaha daily bee., 1907-05-16
BURKE WILL PLEAD GUILTY
Murderer sf Oopples Says BE Win Confess
Crime When Arraignsd.
CANNOT TELL Why he DID THE DEED
Says He shot the Man Twice and
Woman Once, hut Knows
No Reason or
Motive.

Motive.
II am going to plead guilty. They can do
whatever they want to with me- There Is
no use for me to fight the case, l don't
know why did It. / never had any trouble
with Copple. We were always good friends.
They say 1 shot six times, but can only
remember three He was coming from the
barn when 1 went out. / shot him twice
J and then Mrs. Copple came out. suppose
she heard the shots. l shot her once. Then
/ l went into the house and went to sleep"
! This In substance was the statement OF
Fred Burke, or Louis Ray Higgins
the murderer Of w. L. Copple
and wife Of Pender at the county jail
Wednesday morning. He discussed the case
coolly and without any reserve. While tax
ing he hung his head and did not look
those he talked square in the face more
than an instant at a time.
| A constant stream Of visitors called at
the Jail during the forenoon and many OF
them we're taken up to the solitary cell to
view the fiend whose brutal crime has
aroused the people of the state. Burke
paid no attention TO the remarks about him
made by the visitors. His sore toe was
| troubling him and he lay on his cot most
Of the time
Thomas L. Sloan, acting county attorney
of Thurston county, reached Omaha Tues
day morning and has charge OF the legal
phase Of the case. He said Burke would be
left I'm Omaha for some time, as he feared
lynching II he were taken back to Thurston
county. He could not say when he would
be removed for his preliminary. After feel
ing dies down little Burke will be spir-
tied back to Pender unannounced for his
preliminary.
Brutality IL Emphasized.
The brutality of the man is shown by
the statement OF Blanche Copple the 1S-
year-old daughter Of the murdered couple.
She said after the shooting Burke came
into the house and told the children to 80
back to bed.
You have killed papa and mamma"
said Blanche; Il know It, because they
would not leave us here alone like this"
Burke tried to make them believe their
parents were safe, and then the little girl
asked him to light lamp. because the
6-months-old twins we're crying.
LET the little brats cry" Burke is said
to have answered. 'I won't light lamp"
The little girl stayed up in the dark for
some time. taking care of the children.
In the morning Tommy, the 7-year-old
boy went out into the yard and found
the bodies. which were being eaten by the
hogs.
II had to fight the hogs for a long time
be said. telling Of the incident afterward
ito keep them away from papa and
mamma"
slORn's Theory of M6tive.
Mr. Sloan has the only theory that has
so far been advanced as a motive for the
murder He saysr copple, while a big
hearted and kindly disposed man, was a
very hard worker and made his men work
hard He was also a large man. phys
ically. Mr.. Sloan thinks Burke got angry
from being required to work hard and
not being able to handle Copple, and after
brooding over his facied wrongs. decided
to shoot him. This theory is borne out by
by the remark Burke is said to have made
to Sumner, the n-year-old boy with whom
he slept, that he wished the boys father
was dead and that he would fix him.
Burke declares he had absolutely no mo
tive in committing the crime.
IT had never thought of killing him until
that night. he said. II don't know why 1
did it. / don't remember hearing Copple
leave the house. / was sick and went out
and vomited. / saw him coming back from
the barn. just got the gun and shot him.
/ didn't look for any money and was not
after any. 1 did not have over 50 at any
time after the shooting"
Burke said he had been arrested num-
Der of times at various places for drunken
ness, but never on a serious charge. He
! worked in Omaha last winter for three or
3 four weeks as an ice cutter on Cut on lake.
: He went under the name Noyes. He says
, , his father and mother have been separated
l for twelve years and he does not know
where his father is.
, Too Early for More Bounty.
. Had the murderer been captured twelve
hours later there would be $500 additional
in rewards to be divided among the cap.
tors. Governor Sheldon had decided Tues
day afternoon to offer that amount on the
part Of the state at the solicitation OF
\ County Attorney whitcomb Of Pender, who
. went to Lincoln Tuesday to see him IN
e that regard. It was late In the afternoon
before the decision TO offer the reward wai
reached and Governor Sheldon decided tc
I put on the act until morning Whiteomt
then came to Omaha and found the mar
: had been captured before the reward haC
been ohicialiy posted. 1t is not thought tn
sum can be made payable to those catch
ing the murderer.
Mr.. Whltcomb said Wednesday morning
II he believed should Higgins be taken nortl
e for examination now, the militia would b.
e necessary to protect him from the enragec
x people. Never BEFORE he said. have tn,
: farmers and others been so wrought al
u over any local matter and a lynehini
would be almost certain should an at
: tempt be made TO take the prisoner any
: where near the scene OF the crime.
Funeral of the victims.
, BANCROFT, Neb May Is. - (specia
Telegram 1.-The funeral OF the Copplei
r win be held at Bancroft tomorrow at
p. m. The bodies viii be inferred at tn
. Bancroft cemetery.