The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1911-04-19
YOUTH CHARGED
WITH PATR|C|DE
Thomas Thompson Under
Arrest Second Time.
AN INDICTMENT FOR MURDER
Returned Against Him byWeb-
Ster County Grand Jury
-WaSArreSted.
BOY KISSED MOTHER GOODBYE

jacksonville, KY, April IA
sensation was created to-day when
Thomas Thompson, aged IS, son of
Henry T. Thompson, wealthy mer-
chant who was found murdered in a
deep ravine near Providence the day
after Christmas, was arrested for
the second time, charged with pat
Iricide. An Indictment was returned
by the Webster county grand jury
at Dixon late last night. 1t charged
the boy with wilful murder.
Deputy Sheriff Cosby Campbell at
2 o'clock this afternoon went to the
High School at Providence, which
young Thompson attends, and, call
ing the professor to the door, asked
to speak to the accused boy. Quiet
ly he informed him that he had a
warrant for his arrest, charging him
with murder.
The boy is reported to have made
no answer, but went back and got
his cap and walked away with the
officer. He was taken to his home,
where he kissed his mother and two
sisters, who completely broFe down
when they learned of the arrest At
O'Clock he was taken to Dixon,
where he was lodged in Jail, Bail
was denied him,
| Three weeks after the wealthy
merchant had been found dead in
the ravine from a bullet of SS-cal'
iber steel-jacket automatic revolver
his son was arrested, charged with
firing the shot which killed bis faith
or. All evidence introduced at the
examining trial was of circufnstan
tial nature and was not sufficient tC
hold the boy. County Judge Brown
ing thereupon ordered his dismissal
Detective Sensing, of Nashville
swore out a warrant for the arres
of a close friend of young Thomp
son, Kearney Benjamin, three day.
after Thompson was released from
custody. After two days of trial
County Attorney Bennett moved tina
the charge against Benjamin be dis
missed.
Not long afterward many citizens
of Providence assembled at the cit!
hall, and it was decided to ask the
Mayor to appoint a secret commit
tee of six men to work on the case
the identity Of the members of thu
committee to be known only t.
Mayor Montgomery. 1t was learned
on the third day after the grand
jury was at work that it was inves
tigating the case.
Over a score of witnesses were
examined. Detective Sutton, o.
Providence, who swore out the war
rant for Thompson's arrest, and De
tective Sensing, who swore out the
warrant for Benjamin's arrest, tes
titled before the grand Jury. What
alleged evidence the citizens com
mittee discovered is unknown. Judge
e. Henson is in Henderson and has
not vet set the date for Thompson's
trial.
Rumors OF Confession.
Owensboro, KY, April IA
special from Dixon says that the
Commonwealth will place an eye
witness on the stand to testify in the
Thompson murder case. 1t is un
derstood that this witness will testi
fy that Henry T. Thompson, father
Eof Thomas Thompson, who was ar
rested to-day, left home early on
the morning of the tragedy in search
of his son. The latter, in company
with Kearney Benjamin and Other
Young men. had spent the night eel
ebratiDg Christmas.
1t is said in Dixon that some one
has made a confession 10 the grand
Jury, but the identity OF this person
is being CLOSELY guarded. The names
of twenty-five witnesses for the Com
monwealth appear on the indict
mert. many of them being the mos
prominent citizens of Providence
where Thompson lived and wal
highly respected.
i One of Henry t. Thompson
brothers resides in Louisville. De
tectives have been working on tn
case ever since the crime.
z