The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-03
'COnFESSES CRIME
IN WILD DEL|R|UM
REMoRsE CONES TO ZIMMERMAN
IN CANT AND HE ATTEMPTS
SUICIDE.
NOW UNDER ARREST
OFFICERS FROM LOUISA, WHERE
STAYING OCCURRED, HAVE
HIM IN CUsToDY--HE MAY
NOT SURVIVE.

MILLBORO. VA. Jan. Odd cir
cumstances today confirmed q con-
fessiou Of murder made by George
Wise COSBY in detirum that obsessed
him following an attempt at suicide.
While lowering between life and death,
his desperate condition being due 10
self-innicted bullet wound In the
lung, Cosby has talked almost con-
tinuously Of a murder that he com
mitted. 3,
While his statements were rational
enough to rouse the interest Of those
who heard, stil It vas thought that q
disordered brain might be picturlng an
imagined crime. Not until today,
when officers arrived here with war
rants for his arrest, was it realized
that the mans attempted self de-
struction was prompted by remorse
over. killing that seems to have been
f]eudishly cruel.
Story of Crime.
Cosby is twenty -four years old. and
has been employed al Swearingin's
lumber camp, which is about six miles
from here. Nobody ever knew until
today where he came from be-
cause it is the custom of the lumber
camps not TO ask Like lots Of others
Cosby came in unheralded, asked for
work. got IT, did it and that is alt
there twas to it. WHARF, he came
from. whether or not he was n man of
family, how long he intended to stay
ali Of th5E (FAEhA'e htIEf-
ness Men don't ask personal Ques
tions in the lumber camps.
Having worked regularly for Swear
ingin for some time Cosby asked to be
allowed 70 take a Christmas trip. Per
mission was given him by his boss. and
he went home 10 Louisa county where
ore day last week he killed Clyde Nc
Gee with whom he had been drinking
at Christmas tree entertainment and
dance,
Tragedy at Quail
The killing occurred at Quail A 1T
tie place. not a great distance from
the county seat The Christmas tree
Fart Of the entertainment was over
and dance was in progress when the
two Ten began TO quarrel, II seems.
The rrmpus grew fiercer as It pro-
ceeded. and ii ended finally with Cos
by shooting down Niece
Made wild by whiskey. Cosby, il is
said, did not stop after firing a fatal
shot. hut continued to discharge his
weapon until six loads had been put
in McGee's BODY. Five shots, it is al
legged. were fred as Niece lay pros
trate IN the floor. and while the other
persons who had assisted in the
ror from the house. Having emptied
his gun. Cosby. 1t is said. then mash
ed his victims head with his foot.
Fleeing from the scene of his crime,
Cosby. II is said. went to his home,
and there at the point of gun COM
pellee his mother and sister TO give
him ali Of the money they had
Then. with the money and four load
ed revolvers, he escaped from the
county, making his way back to the
lumber camp near Miliboro,
Attempts Suicide.
AS rough and as hardened as Cos
by was, he could not stand the tor
ment OF his conscience. More whis-
kew helped some. hut ii could not
stiHe altogether the fierce remorse
Becoming desperate finally, Cosby
took a .3s caliber Colt revolver and
shot himself through the lung Doe
tors got to him not long afterward
and have managed TO keep him alive
until today
AS he lay suffering as a result Of
his wound Cosby talked Of the muir
der. When he returned after Christ
mas he carried his arm in sling,
but he explained this by saving that
he had been shot while in West Sir-
ginia. After he had shot himself he
added TO his story by saying that he
had killed man, but again giving
West Virginia as the place where the
shooting had occurred. 1t was not
until this morning, when officers ar
rived from Louisa county. that the
whole story became known Cosby
II seems. concealed some Of the cir
oumstanees, planning, no doubt. 10
escape prosecution should ne recover.
The Louisa officers came to Mill
boro largely by chance While they
understood that Cosby had been EN-
ployed in the lumber camp, they
were by no means certain that they
would find him there AS the Off
GERS came west last night they disc
tributed to officials at places along
the way handbils bearing a desorip-
tiop of Cosby an an offer OF reward
fer his capture They were taking
no chances on his getting away
Has Slim Chance.
Tr. Edmonds thinks that Cosby has
2 very slim chance to pull through.
His right lung was penetrated by the
bullet and he has lost a great deal
of blood. The other wound, which
must HAYS heen@ resolved In the eagAt
with MCGEE, MAS ALSO examined hv
tsse Surgeons IL aas fouad that sf4e
ullet in this case had entered near
the wrist and passed out near the
shoulder.
Cosby. It Is said, has the reputa-
ton of being a bad man. He is
known TO be eccentric and at home
Ia Louisa he was feared. He is said
to have been in previous duarrels and
TO have shot at men. although this
is the first time he is known TO have
committed murder. He is unmarried,
as was the man he killed.