The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-03-01
D.sIRE T) &c a CHAUFFEUR
CAUSED a BRUTAL KANSAS
MURDER
HAD TO HAVE MONEY
orville Poland, Who Killed His Sleep.
ing Friend, Wanted the Money to
Go TO Chicago 10 Become Motor
Driver.

TO become chauffeur and the mel
cessity Of getting the money 10 en-
able him to realize his ambition were
the motives that prompted Orvlle J. |
Poland TO kill his sleeping friend /.
Jesse Haymakcr. in the Wells Fargo T.
office Of the Santa Fc depot here |
Wednesday morning This IS shown
by the story Of the crime that has
been drawn gradually from the SLAYER /
Poland wanted to go TO Chicago toI
study motor cars in school that pur
ports 10 graduate chaufreurs and me.
chanics \ friend Of his. George VII.
kerson. was TO leave for Chicago
Wednesday, and Poland had planned
to go with him lie told a number
Of his friends Tuesday that he was
going with Wilkerson TO Chicago
Wednesday But he had no money.
lie had formerly worked for the cx-
press company, but he had spent his.
money rs he earned n.
81 just had to have the money" Fo.
land keeps repeating apparently in oN.
tcnuation Of his awful crime. II
didn't intend TO kill Jess He was my
friend. But just had to have that
money
Poland had spent most Of the night
with Haymaker and Hart, the former
the night man at the depot office Of
the express office. and the latter the
night man at the uptown office. While
at the uptown office he had swept
out the front rooms, a Job which Hay
maker was supposed to do before he
went home in tho morning.
"Tr Just play Joke on Jess by do
ing this work" he told Hart.
Then he and Hart started for homo.
II was about . O'Clock in the morn
ing. He left Hart AZ his home and
started on toward his own home and
went Just one block Then he turned
back and went TO the station. II was
while walking that block he made his
decision. when he got to the depot
he woke Haymakcr up and induced
him 10 violate the rules Of the com
pany and admit him, on the plea that
his mother, Mrs. Poland, was not at
home
This kind act in behalf OF fr'ond
hut In violation of the company rules
cost Haymakcr his life
"Haymaker went 10 sleep" says Fo-
land in his latest confession made
after his testimony before the coro-
ner's Jury in which he contenled that
nc must have fired the shot while
asleep "Thcn went to the desk and
got the gun. Jess lay there sleeping.
and I studied . long time-ten or II
teen minutes-Before I made up my
mind for sure. Then ! went mp close
took deliberate aim and fired. Jess
kinda threw hts head up turned over
on his side and rolled off the bench
20 the floor. knew that he was dead.
went over by the door and stood
there ten or fifteen minutes. Then
got his keys out Of his pocket and
went over and robbed the cash dra "
. er In the uptown OF e., just hah
TO have that money. so 7 could ea
. TO Chicago TO learG low 10 run an
automobile. didn't have no job and
thought I would like that kind NJ
work"
Poland Is less than 90 years old
rather sparsely bunt OF medium
" height and weighs about 135 pounds
J, He has yellow hair, blue eyes and
. mink cheeks n youth Just verging 'ntC
q manhood lie has never been regard
|. cd as a bad hoy. His associates say
/, he has always been noted for hii
> good nature and had never showI
'' anv vicious habits While not 81
\ bright, mentally, as the ordInar'
Young man, he was never REGARDED
as being unbalanced and even hi
relatives have no idea that he wa
insane when he committed the deed
His mother and brother are willin
mat he should plead guilty to firs
degree murder.
When first arrested, Poland wa
stolid and regarded the dilemma 3
which he found himself with apparen
Indifference. He appeared 10 bolieY
that he had covered his tracks
carefully as 10 avoid detection II
boldly talked to the officers about tn
crime before he was suspected, wit
the evident purpose OF throwing theI
farther OFF the scent But statement
he made right then led to his undon