Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-01-22
CARMICHAEL CRIME
TO GET INSURANCE
Tried to Mix Identity of Victim
With His Own to Defraud
Companies.

Burlington, Ia. Jan. 15.-"John Fl.
Carmichael killed Gideon Browning in
an effort to give the impression that he
himself was the victim and that his
wife might get his insurance money"
Thus declared Deputy Sheriff Moore,
of Port Huron, Mich, when he passed
through here yesterday afternoon with
the body of Carmichael, who killed
himself at Carthage, H., after fleeing
there from Adair, Mich, where he
killed Browning in the Rattle Run
Methodist Episcopal church.
This mercenary motive" insisted the
deputy, caused Carmichael deliberate
ly to plan and carry out the murder"
He regards the minister's story of
Browning's hypnotic influence as a
mere invention of the murderer for
possible use in his defense.
Sheriff Waggonsteil and Deputy Sher-
if Moore, of Port Huron: Lieutenant
Ely Baker, of the Detroit police de-
partment, and two Chicago detectives
identified the body of Carmichael at
Carthage and took charge of 1t.
Hypodermic syringe wounds were
found on the body. This suggested to
some hat Carmichael was a victim of
drugs. In one of Carmichael's pockets
was discovered ~Browning's watch. II
was also ascertained that the pocket
knife with which Carmichael commit
tea SUICIDE was bTOWIluS y.
The letter left by the murderer to
Mrs. Carmichael was made public yes
terday. In it Carmichael accuses him
self of cowardice in lot staying to face
the consequence of his act.
Last Letter Home.
Following is Carmichael's letter to his
wife:
Dear Wife: l am SO tired of being
chased hat / have written TO the sher-
if telling him all of the particulars of
his awful tragedy. / cannot see why
it came about as it did. My money /
had kept concealed on my person while
Joe was at home and happened TO have
it with me on hat awful night, so l
have had plenty TO use. You know that
/ did not prepare to leave in such a
hurry. Others may not understand 1T
that way. / soon will be in the hands
of the state officials or in those of the
judge of all. / wish / had told you or
some other friends of the influence that
nan was gaining over me, but l.
feared that you would only laugh. If 1
had not been crazed by fear | would
have let Browning know of the deed
that night before 1t went so far. But
| was in a state of terror. / know now
that / should have been brave n
faced the matter squarely as soon as
he was dead. / always was "a coward
anu II Ids EODbtu me VI IlA JuuSlitlil.
/ thought l could get away and hide
and her be helpful to you in some way
when the excitement should be all over
with. Goodby to you and each of the
children, Gala, Joe and Kirtha. our
loving husband, j. H.. Carmichael.
"P. S.-This is my share of the AK
tell property. I shall never need 1t. 1
enclose herewith 1885,"
1t has been ascertained that Car
michael during his flight rode on a Bur-
lington train from Chicago to Mount
Pleasant, Ia, arriving there Thursday
morning. He passed Thursday there,
intending to go to D~onnelson, Ia. He
had checked his baggage to that point,
but missed a train. Then he had his
baggage forwarded to Burlington. At
ter having his beard shaved off, com
pletely changing his appearance, he
went to Carthage Friday afternoon on
a freight train.