Arizona republican., 1908-02-29
IA BURGLARS
 CONFESSION
The Mystery of a Tucson
 Murder Solved
Why A. c. LeOnhardt Was Killed Last De- cember.

Tucson, Ariz Feb. 2S.-(SpeciaD- Two weeks ago, a young man named M. w. Hawkins, aged 22, was arrested on the charge of burglarizing a Tucson store, and has been in custody since that time, pending developments. His arrest created some surprise as he was well known and about eight months ago he was married to d daughter os C. F. Chase, one of the pioneers of this city. Today he made a confession Of the most startling character, that has created the. great est sensation Of any incident of crim- inology in these parts for a decade His confession includes a murder and a career of burglary that would match the operations of many who have de- voted long lives to that occupation.
 The murder to which he pleads gull ty is that of A. c. Leonhardt, who was shot and instantly killed about one o'clock on the morning of December 2s 1907, on one of the principal streets Of Tucson. There was never a tangible clue to the identity of the murderer. and the officers have sought diligently to find one. Leonhardt came to Tue son from Columbus ohio, and was a carpenter and a well respected young man. He had been out late attend ing some social function and was re- turning home. having left his friends but few minutes before the murder. All that was known concerning the in cident was that two persons, immedi- ately after the shooting. saw a man andJa woman running away from .I- theories of robbery. personal enmity 'etc. were advanced, even to the belief that the woman was a man disguised but none of them led to results.
 Hawkins TOW states that he killed Leonhardt, that his wife was with him at the time, and that he did it resent ing an insult offered her by Leonhardt when they met accidentally. The police believe his confession of the crime. but disbelieve the story of the insult, at tributing the shooting to an effort at highway robbery, though after the shot the holdups had to flee for their own safety. before searching their vic tim. Hawkins has confessed to three burglaries in Tucson and says the Tucson stores as a rule are easy to get into. At the time of his arrest he had formulated plans for robbing the three largest jewelry stores in the city as well as other places. He had found the work so easy he had planned. it on a wholesale scale and designed to make a big cleanup. The police believe he Is a confederate of one or two others who during the past winter have per- petrated many daylight swindes, but Hawkins denies having any confeder- 9tes and shields his wife in all things. alleging that she has not participated in his criminal work. The latter 1t is said is not as bright mentally as most women and on one occasion a long time ago attempted to commit suicide. She is also in custody.
 Hawkins, by his confession, lays bare much of his life before coming to Tue son. He confesses to burglarieS com mitted in Chicago, San Francisco. Val lejO and Los Angeles, and says he has been a thief from childhood. He does not steal primarily from the prompt ings of avarice but rather because of a peculiar mania that has possessed him from the time of his early depre dations That mania is the pleasur- able sensation he enjoys knowing that the officers are looking for him and are not shrewd enough to catch him. This feeling is exhilarating and the reverse of the usual mental effect of crime on violators of the law. He said that as a child he stole from his grand mother, his aunts and other relatives, and could not resist this impulse which was only the stronger when he was suspected and efforts were made to trap him.