The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-01-15
Minister Who Murdered Man in
Michigan Church Kills
Self in Illinois.
CONftSSfS CRIME IN LETTER
Says He Mad Fallen Victim to Dead
Mans Hypnotic Power-Killed
Him in Fight.

Carthage, ILL.,, Jan. 10. - The Rev.
John H. Carmichael, who last Tues
day night in the little Methodist
church at Rattle Run. Mich, killed
Gideon Browning. the village carpen-
ter, and then burned the body in the
stove, committed suicide here yester-
day by cutting his throat with a peck
ct knife. He died at the county hos
pital after he had been taken from
the boarding house Of Miranda
Hughes. where as a stranger he had
been living since last Friday.
Under Hypnotic Power.
In a long letter which was found in
his suitcase, Carmichael told in detail
the story of the killing OF Browning;
how he had fallen a victim to Brown
ing's hypnotic power, and meeting him
in the church Tuesday night was com.
PEELED to obey his every command:
how, finally, when Browning attacked
him with knives. he (Carmichael) de
Tended himself with a Ratchet. After
finishing his victim with the Ratchet.
he said, the red-hot stove in the
church room suggested itself as the
pest method of disposing of the body.
Before putting the body in the stove.
however, he exchanged some of the
dead mans clothing for his own,
which had become despatched with
blood.
Death as Horrible as Victims.
C~armichael's death was almost as
horrible as that of his victim. When
he arrived at the Hughes boarding
house he gave the name of John e.
der, and as he said he was a wood
worker and had come here to start a
factory no suspicion was attached to
his presenc e. Yesterday morning he
informed Miss Hughes that as no sat
isfactory site for his factory could be
found here he intended to so to Bow
en-. Ill.
81 think I will find q better site
there" he said. I'll take the 8 O'Clock
train Saying this he went out into
the back yard.
Throat Cut From Ear to Ear.
AS he delayed coming back and had
not returned at train time to set his
suitcase, tie landlsdy instituted q
search. A passing team ter was Eail
ed, and be, with others, Joined the
searchers. But Carmichael already,
by his own hand, so far as he VS.
able, had expiated his crime. In an
old wooden shed back of the house
he had cut his throat from ear to ear.
The dying man was carried into the
house, but he never recovered con
seriousness. Every effort was mcde to
revive him, but he died at / p. m.
His clothing and suitcase we're
searched and two letters were found,
one addressed to his wife at Rattle
Run, which was sealed and remains
unopened. The other letter was the
confession, which was addressed to
the sheriff at Port Huron, Mich.
TWO Crushed Women.
Adair, Mihc., Jan. 13.-There are
two crushed, heart-brOken women in
this s~ensation-torn little village. They
are Mrs. John H. Carmichael, widow
of the preacher-murderer who COM
mitted suicide in Carthage, ILL.,, and
Mrs. Browning. mother of Gideon
Browning, the victim of Carmichael's
murderous mania. Not only Adair
village, but the entire countryside is
I wild with excitement over the days
! developments in the Rattle Run MUIR
der mystery.
Mrs. Carmichael Is sick in bed 1t
| her home. The shock Of the days
news after the strain she has endured
/ since the crime was discovered was
| more than she could bear, and for
| the first time she broke down. But
| she is still firm in the belief that her
| husband was insane when he killed
Gideon Browning.