The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-03-04
CROWDS OF WOMEN
SEE NEGRO F|END
FLOCK TO JAIL FOR A LOOK At
MURDERER JuNkEN.
BRING FLOWERS AND FRUIT
officials Astounded by Interest Taken
In Accused--Detective Declares
Confession Given At Abba
Is True.


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Des Moines, March 3. - Women,
scores OF them, mothers and daugh-
tiers, sometimes, accompanied by hus-
bands and brothers. but more often
alone, called at the county Jail yes
terday to see John Junken, the negro
who has confessed to the commission
Of the atrocious murder Of Clara RIOS
en- OF Ottumwa.
Il Many carried flowers and many
brought fruit which they requested
Jailer Wise to deliver to the negro
when they had been turned away from
the prison door and refused permis1
sion to look upon the man who is
guilty OF one of the most fiendish
crimes against women ever committed
in the state. 4li.
Day Before Yesterday the newspa-
pers carried stories about the request
Of Junken for fruit. Early yesterday
morning the first call came over the
wire to Sheriff Ness. 1t was wom-
an and she wanted to know If there
was any way flowers could be sent to
the negro. Others called, always
women, some wanting to send flowers,
others wanting to send fruit and some
just desiring chance to look at the
negro fiend. All were given the an
swer ~No" except in few instances
where the sheriff granted special priv
ileges.
Many Brought Flowers.
Jailer Scott Wise and his assist
ants had the same experience as the
sheriff, All day came the incessant
request OF the women Many brought
their offerings oil flowers and fruit to
the Jail Some the jailer took and
gave to Junken and some he refused
AIT one time yesterday at least TWEEN
.-ty women, well dressed. respectable
looking women, came to the bastile in
a body. They wanted to see Junken
And when they were turned away they
were really disappointed and so ex-
pressed themselves.
This desire on the part OF the wom-
en- CT Des Moines to look upon the ne
gro fiend cannot be explained by the
officials except on the theory OF NOR
bid curiosity. Why they should bring
flowers and fruit is unexplainable. But
they were offered.
1T may have been out of sympathy
for Junken, but | cant believe 1t. said
Jailer Wise. "Why women, above ALL
should have sympathy for man the
type OF Junken is more than | can
understand One would think he was
a martyr who had practically sacri-
feed his liberty or his life for women
instead of a murderer and alleged raw
isher."
Jailer Wise estimated last night that
at least 200 people had been to the
Jail yesterday to see Iunken and he
declared he was safe in saying that
one-third, II not more, of this number
were women.
Did Crime Alone.
mo one was with John Junken
when he murdered Clara Rosen,' de-
clared B. d. Way, Pinkerton detective
who has been investigating the OF
tumwa crime and who was in Des
Moines yesterday TO see Junken The
story he tells impliacting two white
men is made out of whole CLOTH" con-
tinued Mr., Way. 1t was manufactur-
ed on second thought as a possible
means OF saving himself from death
penalty. His own confession, made
Saturday night at Abba, is the true
story OF the crime and his later con.
fession. which he made the same night,
was disnroyed within ten minutes by
myself.
After the second confession, in
which Junken implicated two white
men, Tommy Saunders and Jim Wine,
j went back to his cell alone. to test
him, as we thought he had lied
"'John, said, there's just one
thing more | want to ask you. What
was the position OF the body of Clara
Rosen In the CELLAR
lie thotieht moment. and replied
that the head was toward the north
east Then he told ME of the position
OF one arm. His description tailed
exactly with the condition in which
the body was found, and ] knew he
had had no confederates. as he claimed
IN his second confession.
In that confession he said he had
not touched the girl after the scuffle
on the sidewalk, and that the two
white men had carried the body up the
terrace and thrown 1t into the cellar
while he stayed on the walk and
watched Had that been true he could
not have known where the body was
lying nor the position OF the arms"