The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-03-04
ADMITS MURDER
OF CLARA ROSEN
JOHN JuNklN MAKES coNFES.
SION or FlENDisti CRIME.
TAKEN 10 DIES MONIES JAIL
Negro Who Pawned ottumMa Vic
TINS Diamond Brooch Says he
Was Alone When The Girl
Was Killed.

Z
Friday night, Feb. 9Th. made a com
plete confession in the Monroe county
jail Saturday night to Sheriff Griffin,
Chief Of Police Gallagher and Elk.
Chief of Police John Gray. of ottum-
wa, and B. d. Way a Pinkerton de-
tectiye OF Chicago.
On Saturday night, February goth,
horrible outrage was committed by
a negro on Mrs. Charles Johnston, and
for fear that mob would lynch Jun
kin he was brought TO Abba and plac.
ed in the county jail. A mob was or
ganized in Ottumwa Sunday and came
to Abba on the night train.
1t was the protection Sheriff Grit.
fin gave to Junkin from this mob that
first unsealed his lips. He is an ig.
norant negro, stepped in crime, and
he thought that since Griffin had
saved him from being swung up by
an angry mob he could also save him
from being legally hung, by placing
the responsibility OF his awful crime
on the shoulders of another negro
by the name OF Frank Weaver, who
had been boarding at his mothers
restaurant. ~
Friday morning Chief of Police Gal
lagher, John Gray and Detective Way
came to Abba and put John Junkin
through the sweat-box without obtain
ing any results. They returned to
Ottumwa on the 1870 passenger train
IN the afternoon About 1880 Mrs,
Griffin telephoned w. B. at the court
room that Junkin wanted to see him.
Sheriff Sent ror. s
The sheriff responded and Junkin
told him that Frank Weaver came to
his mothers restaurant about 800
on the night of the murder and gave
him a diamond ring and asked him
If he would peddle it for him. He
dressed and went to Mrs. Cutters
ha:ne and tried to sell her the ring.
Weaver was STANDING on the outside.
Mrs, Cutter said 1t looked nice, after
which he told her he found 1t in front
Of Mrs. Cooley's house, and then they
returned to his mothers, restaurant.
Two men called at the restaurant
and wanted rooms. My mother could
not ACCOMMODATE them and took
them to the Laclede hotel and then
went to Reeds drug store and pur-
chased half pint of whiskey, drank
it and went to bed. told Weaver the
next morning that | would sell the
diamond for him. s
In this confession he told Sheriff
Griffin that Weaver Lad on his person
a pocket-book, bracelet, a string OF
gold beads and other articles that he
could not describe. He said he sold
the diamond and signed his name as
Walter Davis. After disposing of the
diamond he was placed under arrest
by Chief of Police Gallagher.
Located Stolen Articles.
After making the confession TO the
sheriff and informing him that the
missing articles were in an attic of
his mothers home, Griffin telephoned
Gallagher 10 arrest Frank Weaver.
The sheriff went to Ottumwa on the
10:40 train Friday night and with the
assistance of Gallagher, Way and Day
made a search of the premises. Grit
fin went into the attic, where he found
Miss Rosen's pocket-book, gold brace
let set with pearl and rubies, a string
Of gold beads, stick pin, pen knife,
hand mirror with gold back and
handle -.Es-ta s..-a,
Weaver was put through the sweat
box in Ottumwa and Saturday morn
ing Sheriff Griffin brought him to Al
bia.
Saturday afternoon a representative
Of The Abba Union went to the jail
with Griffin and on questioning Junkin
he told the same story, but his de-
meanor was thar of man who want
ed TO shift the responsibility of his
crime on innocent shoulders. After
leaving the Jail Sheriff Griffin told us
that Junkin was the murderer and he
would have confession out of him
before the close of the week
The OttuRwa officials came to AL
bia Saturday evening and after sup
per put Junkin through an awful
sweating process. They almost ham
mered the life out of him and before
they got him to unseal his lips the
entire squad. including the criminal,
were exhausted Junkins lips were
parched and resembled leather that
had been burned to crisp.
The last time he was knocked from
his chair and the articles he had
taken from the murdered girl were
placed before him he made a full and
complete confession, which was about
as follows:
The Confession.
Junkin said ne lett his mothers
restaurant at 6:30 Friday evening,
February 9Th. and went north on JEFF.
ferson street to Ducrow's grocery.
and met woman on Dora and Cara
streets. He grabbed her hand satchel
and she resis'ed him, telling him to
leave her alone, as she was Chris
tian girl. Junkin knocked her down
and tore the hand satchel from her.
the handle becoming detached and res
manning In her hand where 1t was
when her body was found. He then