The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-08-29
CONFESSES MURDER
KILLED FATHER, MOTHER AND
HIS BROTHER.
At First He Stoutly Denied Any
knowledge Of the Crime. but La

knowledge Of the Crime but La
er He Confesses.
After having been pressed by con-
tinuous questioning for almost 80
hours in the jail at Bonneville, Ind,
William Lee late Friday made a
written statement in which he said
he had killed his father, Richard Lee
In self-deefnse, after the father had
murdered his wife and younger son,
Clarence.
The bodies of Lees father, mother
and brother were found in their burn
ing home early Thursday and Lee
was charged with the murder. AZ
ter young Lees statement Friday,
Sheriff Scales, fearing the prisoner
would be lynched secretly took him
to Evansville.
Lee, who is twenty-five years old,
calmly reiterated his story that he
knew nothing Of the circumstances
of the killing of his family until late
Friday afternoon, when he suddenly
said: II have something preyiig on
my mind" Calling for paper and
pencil he wrote as follows:
"I was awakened by noise and
went into the bedroom where my
father mother and brother slept. AS
I opned the door saw that my faith
er had murdered my mother and
brother. My father sprang at me,
axe in hand, exclaiming, II will get
you too." I grabbed the axe. away
from him and hit him over the head
with it. / could smell kersoine and I
found oil had already been poured
over the bed. Just because matches
were handy and I did not know what
else to do, I set fire to the bed cloth
ing and then gave alarm of fire."
After he had completed the state
ment he said: "I didn't know what
else 10 do when set the place on
fire. didn't know how the thing
would look" The streets about the
Jail were crowded all day with town
people and farmers. -
The county officials said they plac-
ed no faith in his statement. The
motive ascribed by the officials in
charging Lee with murder is that
he wished to, obtain money with
which ito be married to Nina Taylor.
Cash amounting to 500 said to have
been in the. Lee house, Wednesday
has not been found. The lives OF
Richard and Clarence Lee were in
sured for $500. William Lee is
known to have quarreled with his
parents because they opposed his
marriage.
William Lee, of Evansville. Ind.
% years of age, confessed late Sat-
urday night that he murdered his
father, Richard Lee, his mother and
younger brother Clarenc" and then
set fire to the house in the hope OF
concealing the crime, at Bonneville,
Ind. early Thursday morning. In
verbal and written statements to
Sheriff Davis in the jail. Lee said
his motive was anger because his pa
rents would not consent to his mar
riage with Nina Taylor, of Newburgi
which he had planned for Thursday
evening and would not give him mon.
ey with which to begin housekeep-
ing.
When the confession was made
public officers started with Lee in an
automobile for the State reformatory
at Jeffersonville to prevent possible
mob violence. Lee had made state
ment that he had killed his father in
self-defence with an axe after his
father had murdered his wife and
younger son, but Sheriff Davis press
ed the restless prisoner, for 1.-The true
story" and Saturday afternoon he
wrote haltingly worded confession