The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-23
DR|SKELL POLICE
CONFESSION IS IN
Is Admitted in Evidence After
Bitter Fight Against 1t by
Prisoners Attorneys.
is ALLOWED IN, THOUGH,
FOR IMPEACHMENT ONLY
Admission Considered Big Vic
tory for State; DriskeIl Say
agely Attacks Police.

Lucian f. Driskell S confession TO the
police that he murdered Night Watch
man c. c, Riley on State street the
night Of October ), 1909, was admitted
IN evidence at the afternoon session of
Driskell's hearing for the murder of the
officer In Judge Lewis IS division of the
Third district court Tuesday, but only
after bitter struggle on the part OF
tho defense to keep it out.
The confession, the court said, would
be admitted only for impeachment pur-
poses and must be considered by the
jury in determining Driskell IS guilt or
innocence only in so far as it affects
has credibility as witness, but the
effect of it is there and the working in
of the confession is considered great
victory Tor the state
Driskell absolutely repudiated the
confession and in doing so made say.
age attack upon the police Of Salt
ping him to the hide, placing him in,
solitary confinement and leaving him
there two days without food or drink,
but in the face of this he was forced
by the states attorney TO admit that
after he was removed to the county
jail. without the influences. power or
jurisdiction Of the police, he made a
Sheriff Joseph G.. Sharp substan-
TALLY the same as the one he made 10
| the police.
This confession the accused in des-
peration also repudiated aud today the
business men who visited Driskell at
the city Jail at the request Of Chief of
! Police Samuel NJ Barlow, following the
department by the opposition press of
the city, and Police Chief Barlow, Chief
Of Detectives George 4. Sheets. Detec-
tive George Chase and Sheriff Sharp
will 90 on the stand and overwhelming
ly give Driskell the lie.
Says He Was Trickod.
Driskell says that he was tricked
INTO signing the police confession and
charges both the police department and
n. J. Ocksreider, held in the city jail
here for the California authorities on
the charge Of embezzlement. with dou-
decreasing him 10 obtain it. Further
than that he was under the influence Of
| yenshe he can offer no satisfactory ex-
| plapation of his confession to Sheriff
Sharp. Driskell also says he was made
drunk with whiskey furnished him by
| the police and was sick, too. from lack
of food and drink and was scared when
he made the police confession
| Chief of Detectives Sheets says. how
ever, that Driskell was never without
practically all his clothes and that he
| was given no whiskey until after he
made his confession and Detective
George Chase, who got the whiskey for
| Driskcll at Chief Sheets's instance, cor
| roborateS this.
n.,e I'LL Aol. .i,a rtn 1.In
clock Tuesday morning, after the cx-
! animation of three other witnesses for
| the defense and there was q suppressed
air of excitement IN the crowded court
room as he stepped up into the chair,
aftcr carefully removing his gum and
placing il under the lapel of his coat
| for future use,
DriskeIl's mien was careless to the
point of Indifference, but as the exam
nation proceeded his eyes narrowed,
and the somewhat sardouic smile left
his face for several minutes at time
frequently and before the cross-exam-
nation was reached nc was beating
merry. nervous tattoo upon his chair
with the fingers of either hand.
Doesn't Admit Holdup.
Driskell's story followed the line in
dicatcd by Mathonihah Thomas, his
chief counsel. in the opening statement,
but he did not admit helping holdup
Young Nebeker. After remaining IN
his room most of the day October 5,
Driskell testified. he went TO CONNER
cial street about Z o'clock and met
r. E. Kennedy. his pal. in front of the
saloon at 33 Commercial street, after
leaving his overcoat at n saloon at
Second South and Commercial streets.
The two then went to First South and
Commercial streets, at which point they
In
smacked or the sporting world. Dris-
lSell did not speak to Healy. he says,
but Kennedy asked Healy TO go to
a rooming house at First South and
Broadway, just across the street from
them. and see if a couple OF mattresses,
working at the bond restaurant, were
in.
Before Healy got back, Driskell said,
he and Kennedy left, going TO the lower
end of Commercial street to get mia
overcoat Then they went 10 the Ma
iestc theater and watched one perform
ance. after which they drifted down
State street, going to an eating place
iust around the corner west on Second
South street and eating some rolls
After eating the rolls, Driskell says,
they crossed over to. the east side of
Stale street and were arrested by Riley,
but they didn't know who Riley was. of
course. Riley, Driskell SAYS, grabbed
him by tho right arm and Kennedy by
the left, merely saying:
q want YOU fellows
DriskeIl SAYS that he walked only
about twenty feet with Riley, then he
broke away and ran, starting diagon-
ally across State street. But for the
warning of the driver he would have
run into a sprinltling cart or some sort
of vehicle. he testified. Dodging the
vehicle he proceeded on his flight across
State street, landing on the west side
walk midway between the Empire and
the Orpheum theaters. Then. in a fast
walk. he went on up the street and,
turning into Commercial avenue. pro-
ceeded as fast as he could in a walk un-
til he got TO the intersection of Plum
alley.
Here he stopped, Driskell says, and