The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-26
Alleged Slayer of Father,
Mother and Brother May
Admit He Killed All Mem
bers Of His Family.
lis IN EVANSVILLE
IAIL NOW SECLUDED
Sheriff of Vanderburg Coun-
ty Bastile Intends to Take
No Chances Of Mob Cap
turing Prisoner.
National News Association)

{NaJlOnai NeWS ASSOClatlOnJ
EVANSVILLE, Ind, Aug. 26.-with
the removal Of William Lee. selfcon-
fessed murderer of his father, and
generally believed murderer of his
mother and brother, to the Vanderburg
county Jail, the interest Of the Boon
vile tragedy shifted to Evansville.
is considered as the final link in the
chain of evidence that already was
complete SO far as the fundamental
elements of the crime are concerned
His inability to give any reason why
his father, a heretofore harmless par
ent and husband, should in the night
time conceive the idea of killing wife
and son in itself is conclusive against
the only survivor of the family. VIII
liam Lee.
The confession on it's face is con-
vincing that it is an invention thought
out for the purpose OF relieving the
murderer's mind of the tragedy. Sher-
iff Davis has positively refused to per-
NIT anyone to sec Lee in the Wander
burg county Jail. He indicated this
morning his fear that Warrick coun-
ty mob might swoop down on the Jail
at any time and he is taking no chan
ces.
Damaging Statement.
One statement made by Lee to re-
porter before being taken to Evans
vile last evening is considered dam
aging. Just before posing in his cell
for picture he was reciting the de-
taifs or Che hEt16geuy.de was asked why
he did not run when he found out
what he had done.
Well" he said, Il have enough
sense to know that IL ran they would
know I was guilty, SO decided to
stand my ground" The admission was
considered important by Prosecutor
Ora Davis and Sheriff Raymond Stales
since it showed Lees state Of mind
| when the fire was discovered.
Lees semi-confession, made to Sher-
| iff Scales, was as follows:
During the night was aroused from
my sleep by hearing means and other
strange sounds. / got up from my bed
! and went into mothers room only to
see dad" fighting with Clarence
l was scared and yelled at dad. "
who rushed at me with an ak raised
ready to strike me.
j rushed at him and caught the ak
gle got the ak away from him and
then killed him. ] hit him twice. both
times in the head
/ After killed him broke down and
cried and then l realized what an aw-
full thing had done.
realized that l would be charged
with the murder of all of my folks and
the crime.
/ / went into the kitchen, secured the
! coal oil and then came back and pour
ed it over all of the bodies. l did not
seem the least bit scared then. After l
poured the oil out / set the beds on
fire. and you know what happened at.
ter that.
| This is the truth If ever told the
truth. am not guilty of cold d-blooded
murder. I thought about that after
had killed dad" That is why set
the house on fire.
Ugly Rumors Heard.
/ Warrick county has a criminal rec
ord replete with murders, lynchings
and mobs. The saloons are in full op.
Grafton and there were ugly rumors in
circulation today.
Hundreds of people gathered in the
streets of Boonville. yesterday after.
noon. to witness the departure of the
Lee funeral procession. The body OF
the mother was borne in black fu.
i neral carriage, while the bodies of the
father and son were borne in two
spring wagons, just behind the hearse
The two sisters Of Mrs. Emily Lee, the
! murdered woman, and their families
followed The bodies were buried in
the Salem cemetery near the home Of
Nina Taylor, who Lee was to have
married Thursday afternoon.
| Will Lee did not attend the funeral
Before leaving for Boonville Lee said
he would like to see Miss Taylor but
he said it was her place to come to
see him without an invitations Lee will
be held in the Vanderburg county Jail
Ipending his arraignment for the
crimes in Warriek County. A complete