Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-26
NEGRO ADMITS HE KILLED
MINISTER AND HIS WIFE
Mystery Surrounding Crime in
Trenton, N. J., Cleared by
Confession.

IRENTON, N. j., November Z6.-"l am
guilty and God knows have done wrong
but I want to die as a white man, and
not be branded by any court as a negro
I am white, and my father Is one of the
most wealthy men in Philadelphia. u.
have relatives among the society folk, Of
Trenton
This is a statement made last night by
John Sears, thirty-three years old, a mu'
latto. who today confessed that he in.
f1icted the wounds that caused the death
of Rev. AMI L. Armstrong. the aged
pastor emeritus of the Dutch Neck Pres
byterian Church, and his wife.
Sears made full confession and has
expressed the hope that he could be put
to death tomorrow asserting that HI
will be the bravest man who ever walked
to New Jerseys electric chair. He ad'
mits that his motive for the double muir.
der was not robbery, but the expectation
that he would inherit much Of the min
listers money.
Mother Held as Witness.
Mrs. Rachel Sears. mother of the con-
fessed murderer, was taken from the
home of Farmer James Coleman. who re-
had been placed under guard by the
county authorities. to the county jail last
night. She is being held as q witness.
having admitted ha she saw her son
with smoking shotgun standing in the
hall which adjonS the rooms where the
old parson and his wife were killed. Mrs.
Sears said she had feared for some time
that her son would kill the minister and
his wife. d.
He had white father" she declared
to the keeper. land Mr.. Armstrong was
saving enough money to see that he would
never want during the remainder of his
life
Longed to Be a "White Man"
This is Sears confession, in part:
Mr.. Armstrong struck me with cane
Tuesday night because 1 came in late.
He was old and 1 did not want to strike
him then, but 1 knew that when he was
gone 1 would be white man in the eyes
of everybody, and I would have lots of
spending money.
II have a girl in Princeton whom !
promised to marry, but knew that / could
not keep her unless Mr.. Armstrong gave
me the money l was entitled to- l had no
trade, had never been asked to work
much and wanted to have something on
which to keep her and myself. Mr.. Arm
strong led me to believe that was gen.
teman.
II believed that If shot my guardians,
as / believed they were. / could go safely
away and make believe that some one
else had committed the crime. stood in
the hallway, hiding myself behind a coat
rack. and after Mrs. Armstrong had re-
turned to the parlor after lighting the
lamp for Mr.. Armstrong in the study,
fired at him, aiming at his heart, and then
fired at Mrs Armstrong, aiming at her
heart also. l was member of the New
Brunswick company of the New Jersey
National Guard for years, and knew my
aim was sure.
1T was not until after I saw them both
fall that l realized what an awful crime
l had committed.
Dog Betrayed Him.
Il told my mother I was going out,
but while I was hiding in the hall ]
heard Billy, the dog. bark and knew
that he knew l was in the house. When
fired the shots l thought my old man.
my was in her own room. but Billy
came down the steps and she followed.
She knew what I'd done l was afraid
of Billy, he acted SO terribly, and 1 told
nanny to go upstairs and hide while
got DOCTOR
Sears confession was made after he
was given some third degree" treatment
He was taken from the county jail to the
home of the Armstrong;, and there con-
fronted with the bodies of his alleged VIC
Tins According to the detectives present,
he peaded to be taken away, saying that
the sight tortured him.