The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-07-02
ADMITS He
KILLED
: GIRL
Laborer Gives Himself UP
to Reporter and Tells
How He Shot Miss
Caroline Brasch
SAYS THAT SHE
HYPNOTIZED HIM


tBy United Press Leased Wire.)
SAN FRANCISCO, July e.
Learning that John Novak was ac-
tnsed of the murder of Caroline
Brasch. the 20-year-old bookkeep-
err for Gray Brothers, James Ed
ward Cunningham gave himself up
to a reporter of the Call last night
and confessed that he shot the
girl Wednesday afternoon. Cum
ningham was taken to the ofice Oh
the Call, where he spent most OF
the night telling his story, and
was turned over to the police ear
ly today.
Cunningham formerly was la
Jborer in the employ OF Gray
Brothers. Like Novak, he en-
countered some difficulty in the
settlement of his time check at
the company's office. According
to his story, $2.55 had been de-
Quoted from the amount due him,
and repeated trips to the Office
failed to get what he believed was
a fair settlement.
Shot In Cold Blood.
Miss Brasch, the pretty book
keeper who met death while carry
ying out the orders of her su-
periors, was in charge of the pay
rolls, She refused to comply with
Cunnlngham's demand for the i'm
mediate payment of the balance
on the check and had turned calm
ly to go about her work when the
man drew his revolver and fired
the fatal shot.
Tells Story of Crime.
''I had tried many times to col
lect what was due me-" Cunning
ham said today, ''but decided at
last 1t was impossible. Wednes-
day morning determined to make
a last attempt and to kill the girl
If she did not pay me-
"She exerted a peculiar in
fiuence over me-" he continu-
e ed in an awed voice. II was
sure that she was trying to
hypmotize me; to influence
me- SO that the check wouldn't
have to be paid. When
went there Wednesday an
other girl was in the room
with her; I think her name
was Shirles. Both of them
tried to hypnotize me. I
could feel the influence
creeping over me, and was
afraid of 1t.
Deliberately Planed.
Before / went to Gray Broth
ers' office I bought the revolver
and cartridges. / am q crack shot
and knew that one shot would
DC the work. Yes, the whole
thing was premediated, as you call
It. The girl had been given plen-
~ of chances to pay the money
and save herself, but she wouldn't
take them.
"Novak was In the office when
/ went there. knew he was the
man, for / read his description
in the paper.
A Sure Shot.
"When 1 shot her I think she
twas standing by the safe with her
back toward me although she may
have been bending forward SO that
her mass of hair looked like the
back of her head. / knew /
couldn't miss her. ] can hit a
bullseye at 25 feet every time. |
am o sure shot.
II stayed in the room about 10
seconds after / fired. Then \
went out In the hall and ran down
the stairs and into the street.
had the cooked pistol dn my hand
all the time.
yesterday I wandered all over
che city out by the Presidio and
across into the park panhandle
and then into the Sutro forest"
"I stayed there until evening
when went down town. then
saw paper for the first time and
saw that they were blaming the
wrong man. Then I made up my
mind I'd tell the whole story"
Great Scoop for Newspaper.
When Cunningham had finish
ed his story the other morning pa
pers had gone to press with their
last editions and he was then taxi
"a to the police station where the
detectives took him in hand and
made him retell his story.
~