The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1911-08-30
Then Killed Father, Moth
err and Brother.
HORRIBLE TALE OF BUTCHERY
Unfolded by Indiana Youth
Haltingly COnfesSeS
Terrible Crime.
LOVERS DISAPPOINTMENT

Evansville, Ind, Aug. 26.-Wil-
liam Lee, twenty-five years old,
confessed late to-day that he muir
dered his father, Richard Lee, his
mother and younger brother, Clar-
ence, and then set fire to the house
in the hope of concealing the crime,
at Bonneville, early Thursday morn
ing.
In verbal and written statements
to Sheriff Davis In the jail here,
Lee said that his motive was anger
because his parents would not con-
sent to his marriage with Nina
Taylor, of Newburg, which he had
planned for Thursday evening, and
would not give him money with
which to set up housekeeping.
When the confession was made
public, officers started with Lee in
an automobile for the State Reform
atory at Jacksonville to prevent
possible mob violence here.
Lee had made a statement that he
had killed his father in self-defense
with an axe after the father had
murdered his wife and younger son,
but Sheriff Davis all of to-day press
ed the restless prisoner for the
true story" and this afternoon Lee,
asking for pen and ink, wrote a
haltingly worded confession and
afterward pieced together, in an
iswers to questions, description of
the horrible butchery in the close,
three-room cottage at Bonneville.
Lee said that he went on We'd
nesday night to Newburg, where he
called on his finance and they talk
ed of the arrangements for their
wedding. He had had 500 In the
bank, but had spent 1t, and he
knew his parents had $50 in the
house. He returned home late at
night and his mother reprimanded
him, he said.
He told her he was determined
to be married the following day and
she answered that he should not,
that he must stay at home. Going
to his own room, Lee said, he
brooded until he was out OF his
mind.
Suddenly he rushed into the room
where his father, mother and
n
by the door," he said, land struck
flor my father, but hit my mother.
My brother raised up and l struck
him. Then my father, who had
been outside, ran in and started to
grab me by the throat. l hit him
and he fell. was scared so bad
ly didn't know what I was doing.
What scared me was that my faith
err had threatened my life and
was angry at what my mother had
said"
Lee said he lit a match to see
what he had done, and then drop
ped the flaming stick on the bed
where his mothers body lay. "The
flames flashed up and blinded me-"
he went on. "and l jumped into my
room, put on my trousers and ran
to alarm the neighbors. l would
not have done this thing for any
thing If had had any sense at ALL"
The fire in the Lee home was put
out before the bodies, the skull OF
each crushed, had been more than
scorched, and William Lee stolidly
helped carry them out to the lawn,
insisting that he did not know how
they came to their deaths.
Lee is illiterate and has been an
idler since boyhood, according to
testimony at the Coroner's inquest,
which closed to-day at Bonneville.
His father. plasterer. appeared to
fear him and supplied him with
money, even giving him a fourth
share of the proceeds of the sale
of some property recently.
Evidence produced to-day refuted
Lees statement that he rushed
from the house Immediately after
he had started the fire. A basin,
stained with blood, in which he had
washed his hands. was found. Long
gray hairs. supposedly his mothers,
chung to the sides OF 1t.
Hidden behind door, was a
basket filled with dishes, knives and
forks and kitchen utensils. which