Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-04-01
wHITBECK CONFESSES TO MURDER.
Latest Developments in the Auburn Ira.
gedy Of March 18th.

gedy oil March 18th.
Developments have been rapid in
the Arlo Whitbeck murder case at
Aut urn the past week. as explained
in the item below taken from Fridays
West Union Gazette. We learned
yesterday that young Walter Whit.
beck, the twenty-three year old son
who was tracked to Duluth and ar
rested for the crime. had made full
confession, clearing his mother and
all others except himself of the hor-
rible crime.
Following is the article from the
Gazette:
walter Whitbeck, oldest son of Arlo
Whitbec. is In the Jail here. He is
suspected of being the man who COM
mitted the bloody crime of last week
He was arrested at Duluth, MIMI.
Tuesday, and Sheriff Culver reached
this place with him Wednesday night.
after chase of five days.
Mrs. Whitbeck, wife of the MUIR
dered man, is also detained at the
Jail. having been brought there i'm
mediately after the funeral Sunday.
1t is believed she has knowledge as to
/ the person guilty of the crime.
Mrs. Hmm collie Whitbeck). who
came from Chicago upon receiving
news of her fathers death. is staying
at the Jail voluntarily.
The coroner's jury. the members of
which are Sam Musser, E. E. Pitts,
Will Dickinson, resumed it's work
yesterday afternoon, and on the evil
dence presented the jury recommended
that Walter Whitbeck be held to the
grand jury on the charge of murder
in the first degree.
The arrest of Walter Whitbeck was
the elimination Of series Of circum-
stances which seemed to directly inn
plicate him in the crime. although no
adequate motive has as yet been
divulgsd. 1t is stated that he was
not on the best of terms with his
father. He started Tuesday, the day
before the murder. for Minneapolis.
1t is alleged that on Wednesday he
was seen at Fit. Atkinson and at
several points along the road which
leads from that village to his home.
Sheriff Culver had theory from
the first that Walter Whitbeck was
the perpetrator of the murder, and
acted accordingly. But his web of
circumstantial evidence seemed to
have struck a snag when on Thursday,
the day following the murder, Mrs.
Whitbeck received post card bearing
a Minneapolis post cancellation and
giving the date 80 a. m. March 10"
which would be the date of the
murder. The card bore the name of |
Walter Whitbeck. This card seemed
to give mute testimony that Walter
was in Minneapolis on the day his
father met his death.
Railroad timetables were consulted |
and a hypothetical case was con-
structed 1t was found that a person
leaving Fort Atkinson, Whitbeck's
nearest railway station, could travel
to Minneapolis Tuesday afternoon,
mail postal and return to TT. Akin
son by Wednesday afternoon. The
sheriff figured that a person reaching
at night could drop a
card in mail box after regular
collection had been made. and could
return to Fort Atkinson several hours
before the postal would reach its des-
tination. The card would undoubted-
~ lay in the mail box until Wednes-
lay morning and would be cancelled
At 8 and sent on It's journey.
Another postal from Walter Whit
beck was received by Mrs. Whitbeck
This was dated at Rush
Jity. Mimi. and was the clue which
ed to the young mans apprehension.
When Sheriff Culver reached Rush
Jity however Whitbeck had gone to
Duluth and was about to board q |
rain for Canada when arrested. He
lad about t400 in money on his ptr.
ION. Also he had a revolver" |.