The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-23
TELLS HOW
HE KILLED
MR.. ROMER
CONTINUED from First Page.)

"I gave him a drink Of water and asked
him IL he was badly hurt. I don't know
he said, feebly. and then he became uncon-
scious. l then took his ring from his finger
and took possession of his revolver and his
overeoat, after which l covered the body
with bedclothes and quietly left.
II went to New York, where I sold the
coat for $40. On the way over In the ferry
from Jersey City l threw the revolver into
the river. l was feeling pretty good with
myself, but when I bought a paper and
learned that poor Romer was dead and that
1 had murdered him, 1t broke me all up.
IT wandered around New York until II
o'clock that morning, when l went to Jer-
sey City and took the 1870 a m. train
for Philadelphia. That night I tried to
sleep, but kept seeing Romer rise before
me. 1t was terrifying. I saw him in 100
different positions. struggling with me,
lying on the bed. trying to shoot me, and
then that vision would disappear and In
its place would rise the electric chair.
MY appetite became affected, and l
found myself ravenously hungry, but when
I would sit down to eat the sight of Romer
would rise before me and my appetite
would vanish. | became afraid of my
shadow. My money ran out and tried to
dispose of Romer's ring at a pawnbroker's
near Seventeenth and South streets, Phila-
deiphia, but he only wanted to give mi
a small sum on account.
IT then sold 1t to a man named John
Woodson, a colored jewelry dealer, for
$s7.
THEN for fonr days I went through a
living hell. I lid not hire a room. I did
rot need my. I couldn't sleep. And then
I could not bear to be alone. I hung
around pooi rooms end knew the detcc-
tives were after me, but l had undergone
so much 1 made no effort to get away. ]
tave gone over a week with little or ne
sleep and found I could not until 1 con-
fessei the whole thing"
Detective Drabell said today that he was
satisfied Mrs. Leora Earl, the negress
chambermaid In the hotel, now In custody
as a witness, had nothing to do with the
robbery or murder. He said the letter writ
ten by Wilson to the woman had nothing
to do with the case. She will be asked tc
give her testimony to the Grand Jury and
then probably released.
1t has been stated on good authority thai
the will of the murdered man provides fol
placing his S-year-old child under guar.
dlanship of her unit In Albany and the CIR
will grow up away from the envlrons of the
awful affair. The will will be offered fol
probtae this week, 1t Is expected.
The question OF disposing of the reward
offered by the citizens of Orange was dis
cussed today by Chairman Thomas A,
Davis, of the committee which pledged the
amount.
when the murderer shall nave been con.
victed, the money will be ready for the
claimants, and it is likely we will nave to
consider several claims, beginning with the
man who gave the first information about
the stone. There will be a meeting Of the
committee this week in all likelihood.
Among the witnesses TO be heard by tho
Grand Jury are John Woodson. the negro
jeweler, of Philadelphia, to whom Wilson
sold Romer's ring; Thomas Waters, a
negro, who was present at that sale; E. j.
Crane, of Philadelphia, whom Wilson first
asked to buy the ring; Elvie J. Weather
head, Romer's partner; Gordon C.. Lindes,
employed by the undertaking firm; Her
bert Hopper, Mrs. Frances J. Kieb, Miss
Jessie Kieb, Stephen Miller, all of Or
ange; Chief Washer. Of Orange; Detec-
| tive Godfrey, OF the Prosecutors staff, ane
others.
woodson went TO New York Friday t.
buy some Christmas jewelry and wa
robbed of jewelry worth $2,977. He showed
a pocket which had been cut open, evil
IDENTIFY the work of a pickpocket. Woodsor
said he went to Manhattan to take in the
sights and in the course of his wander
ings met another negro and a negress. He
went around town with the pair and when
he woke up the next day the jewels that
he had with him when he arrived in New
York were gone.