The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-01-14
MURDER SOLVED
Minister Committed Murder and
Then Killed Himself.
TELLS OF HIS CRIME


County, Mich, Where He Had
Committed the Horrible Crime,
He Told All About 1t, and How He
Did 1t.
Carthage, ILL.,, Jan. 1.-THE Rev.
John H. Carmichael, pastor of three
Methodist churches in and near
Adair, Mich, confessed slayer of
Gideon Browning, a ueighbor, whom
he slew with hatchet and cremated
last Tuesday night in Rattle Run
church, committed suicide today in
the toilet room of Miss Miranda
Hughes's boarding house by cutting
his throat with pocket knife.
The preacher left G letter to the
sheriff of Adair, Mich, giving de-
tails of the murder, dismembering
and incineration of Browning, and
ascribing the act of self-defence and
moral cowardice because of the hyp-
motto influence that Browning, an
| illiterate carpenter, held over him.
While the confession Of the church
rider is rather extensive and on
some points minute, it leaves many
questions in regard 10 the tragedy
unsolved, admitting that the state
ments are true. Some of the letter
tends to create the impression that
the confession is really the produc-
ton of an unsound mind.
The preacher does not explain sat-
isfactorily how he and Browning
came to go to the Rattle RIM church.
or why both seemed lent on keeping
their presence there secret, except
to say that Browning wanted the
preacher to officiate at Browning's
wedding that night. This account
does not explain the fact that the
preacher evidently knew that Brown-
ing already had ono wife, if not
| two.
Nothing more than Carmichael's
letter to the Michigan sheriff has
thus far been uncovered in Carthage
tending explain the mysterious
tragedy
Carmichael died witt out regaining
consciousness. He nad prepared to
leave Carthage this morning, and
went to the toilet room in the yard
before starting for the railway sta
tion. There several hours later Miss
Hughes discovered him bleeding and
frozen. He had cut his throat, but
the wound was not fatal except that
long bleeding and the zero >empcr-
ature had sapped his life.
The suicide left a letter addressed
to his wife in Adair, Mich, bur it
has not been opened. The preacher
was unknown to any one in Carthage
and gave his name as John Elder
After long rambling and discon-
nected recital of his meeting with
Browning, Carmichael described the
active killing and incineration as fol-
lows in the letter for the sheriff:
II saw he was holding a weapon
Of some sort up his sleeve. Instantly
l made grab for it, and I got the
hatchet from him and asked what
he menat to do with that. He said,
I'll show you,' and from his over
coat pocket drew out knife in
each hand. He came at me, strih.
ing with both hands, while I backed
across the church, down the side
aisle, and across the front, but I
did not dare to turn about to open
the front door. Then threw the
hatchet and struck him, and he fell.
then turned to apen the door,
when he grabbed me by the leg and
threw me down, where my hands
came upon the hatchet. There was
desperate struggle, in which | used
the Ratchet until he laid quiet and
still | cannot tell all that happened
after that I was wild to dispose Of
the body. | was in horrible terror,
so | began pulling IF his garments
that l might drag the body away
somewhere and hide il Then when
my eyes fell upon those knives I
flew into rage AMI began to cut
him, when he woke lip and grabbed
me again. Then for while l used
that hatchet until was sure be
was dead.
Then I saw that the fire was hot
enough to make the stovepipe red
nearly to the elbow. so | grabbed
him by the feet and dragged him
down there and cut him to pieces,
putting in each part as it was dis
membered. Then | began to put
the garments into the front stove.
and I remembered that it had poor
draft and the things might not burn.
Then l saw that my clothing was
torn and bloody, while some of his
were yet whole, aud l exchanged,
and then took all but few Of mine
and piled them in slong with the
body.
II then went up nearly to Tunneli
Station, where l turned my rig
about and started it on the back
track. My great coat hid my torn
and bloody garments until got to