New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-01-12
CARMICHAEL A SUICIDE
TALE OF NUR-
DERING BROWNING.
Pastor Resented Hypnotic Influence
ofIgnorant Cdrpenter-Fight and
Butchery IN Church.


Gideon Browning neighbor, whom he gle"
with q hatchet and crernated last Tuesday night
in Rattle Run Church committed suicide To-
dav at Miss Miranda Hughes's boarding mouse
nv cutting his throat with pocket knlfe'
The preacher left letter 10 the SheriH Oh
Adair Mich. giving details of the muroer olS
n1embering and incineration OF bro"nins' anu
ascribing the act to seIf-defence and norai
cowardice because of the hypnotic lnnuehce li"'
Browning an hterate carpenter, heid over MN
While the confession of the circuit rlder Is
rather extensive and on some points minute -
leaves many questions in regard to the Tragedy
unsolved admitting that the statements arc
true Some of the letter tends to create the
immersion that the confession is really the pro-
duc+ion Of the subtle imagery Of an uhsounu
mind. .-;,,
The nreacher does not explain Satisfactorily
how he and Browning came 10 go TO the nd''
Run church or why both seemed bent on Keep
ing their presence there secret except " @'
that Browning wanted the preacher TO olhcia'o
at Browning's wedding that night. 1his a'
count does not explain the fact that '-e
preacher evidently knew that Browning slreauy
had one wife. If not two.
NO SPOKEN EXPLANATION.
Nothing more than Carmichaers letter to the
Michigan Sheriff has thus far been uncovered IN
Carthage teNQlnR 10 eNpid4il t'iS
tragedy. Carmichael died without regainins
consciousness. He had prepared 70 leave Ca'-
thage this morning. and went 70 an clubhouse
in the ward before starting for the railway
station There several hours later Miss Hughes
discovered him bleeding and frozen He hao
cut his throat. but the wound was not neces-
sarilv fatal long bleeding and the zero tenn
perature causing death.
The suicide left letter addressed TO his wife
in Adair Mich but II has not seen opened. The
preacher was unknown to any one in Carthage
and. gave his John Elder.
Carmichael arrived here over the Chicago.
Burlington & Quincy road. He appeared in
happy frame OF mind. and discussed freely with
every one his plans for coming here and start
ing factory The statement in his confession
that he constantly dreaded being captured by
the detectives was not borne out in his conduct
here although at the boarding house he ate lit
tie. mentioning something OF fasting, and
leaving the impression that ne was devout
Catholic.
CarmichaeTs suitcase arrived here Satur-
day morning from Burlington. having been re-
checked from Donnellson. Iowa. This indicates
that Carmichael had gone through Burlington TO
DonneIlscn and thence returned TO Burlington
on Friday. allowing his suitcase 10 follow him.
1t is thus probable that the minister left Chi
cago on Wednesday afternoon or that night, ar
irving here Wednesday evening or Thursday
and going on 70 Donnellson. 1t is thought he
was originally bound for Kansas City, but
changed his mind.
Late to- night the sheriff decided 70 open Car
michaels letter TO his wife. and found that 1t
was practically duplicate Of the confession TO
the Michigan sheriff. He addressed it Dear
wife" and mentioned his three children b. name.
Saturday morning Carmichael sent an express
package to his brother at Wellsburg, ". Va.
THE PASTORS CONFESSION.
The confession OF Carmichael. given out this
afternoon, is dated Carthage, January 8 and is
addressed to Sheriff Waggensteil, Port Huron.
Mich. 1t follows:
Honored Sir: 1 write this letter 10 explain
some things in connection with the Columbus
church tragedy. l am guilty only because
am a coward. The man had such hypnotic
| influence over me that felt that something
must be done. l felt greatly ashamed
able TO compel BIe TO yield TO his will. but 1
said nothing about ii. AT first he said: Its
ali right, eiueT don't be afraid Then he be
gan 10 talk about how We two could get rich.
Three times he came TO the rear of my barn
and talked 10 through the manure hole:
twice he was at the river when l went 10 water
my stock, and each time L felt that he was
doing something that he was proud of
once when / going out To Columbus he
was the pike near the pink schoohouse.
When overlook him he asked me to ride !
could not refuse. He asked mo If ever | had
driven UP the pike to Port Huron, 10 which
l answered no. Then he said, Come, let's drive
up" l dissented but he kept on until he per
suaded go. He got out anc stood at the
! corner while l went to the barn with the rig.
! Then. after We had been at the restaurant. for
! which he paid. also for the horse. he gave me
| half dollar and said he wanted me to go across
! there and buy small Ratchet for his boy TO
| play with. l began to tell him to go and do his
| own buying, when he set his eyes upon me in
| the Gueerest sort of a look something like the
! look of a snakes eyes. Then felt his Influence
| tightening his grip on my mind; so I went
inf 70 90 Olr he bpp
! way to get the horse and rush off for home.
! When 1 turned to close the door he stood look
! ing upon me through the window and l just
! bought the Ratchet and came out again. but by
| that time he had disappeared, so l went to the
| barn, got my rig and started for home When
! l made the turn inc Military street he at
! the corner to get in. He rode as far as South
| Park, where he got out to take the car. He took
| the Ratchet with him and said nothing, did
| / think anything at the time about the change
! once at the depot at Adair he came out of the
| house in his shirt sleeves and exercised me by
! compelling to walk the rails All the while
| l felt small a bantam chicken
GO TO THE CHURCH
| When he arranged with me about his wedding
he saiG he would go to Port Huron and meet me
on the road between that place and the church.
/ thought he fully meant to get married when
| he engaged my services but when we met on
| the road and he was alone l began to feel I'M
easy, but he said IT vas all right, the others
| would come in n carriage. When went into
| the church 1 wanted to light a lamp. 20 which
he dssented. saying, NO. elder. no light unless
| they should come" Presently he said Maybe
vou'd better have a little fire" So l vent out
and passed wood to him through the window.
! When | had put in what | thought would be
enough he said, Now, elder, the moon is shin
| ing right the front door, and If you go around
there to come in some one may you. Just
put UP some wood here and come in at this win
dow" 1 brought few sticks and laid them
across one another, from the top of which he
helped me into the building. He let the window
nearly down again. and we kept looking out
through the opening to see the others come
down the state road.
Presently he took big, hearty laugh and
said: There amt looking, FOR there
IT, 10 no ,raddiDo H. u,as .;.+I,.-