Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-15
PENMAN CAUGHT;
ADMITS SLAYINC
Young Farmer, Taken Near
Danville, Blames Shaw
Tragedy on Drink.
SAYS HE is READY TO DIE
Insane Desire to Own Fast Automo
bile Prompts Killing OF Illinois
University Student.

Danville, ILL.,, Aug. 15.-Gust Pen
man, the young Champaign county
farmer sought for the last two days as
the slayer of Harold A Shaw, son of
a rich Urbana man, was arrested yes
terday in Ridgefarm. q village twelve
miles south of here
He was brought to Danville, remain
ed in a cell one hour, then confessed
to the sheriff that he had shot and
killed Shaw and buried his body on his
fathers farm.
Shaw was slain by Penman Satur-
had left in Shaw's racing car. which
Penman was trying to buy. The last
seen of Penman after the murder was
Sunday evening at Danville, where he
abandoned the car in which he es-
capped on a ruse to prevent his arrest
for violating Danville traffic ordi-
| nance.
BLAMEs TRAGEDY To DRINK.
Penman blames drink for the mur-
| der or SnaW.
81 was drunk It was drink that did
| it." he told the sheriff.
Il shot Harold Shaw twice in the
head under a tree in my fathers pas
ture. l was possessed of strong de-
| sire to own Shaw's car, because 1t
was fast"
| Penman told a newspaper man last
night:
After all I've been through l don't
care if have to die"
Penman began his confession by
saying that Saturday he had been
drinking all day and that at the time
he asked Shaw to take him for ride
he had hazy idea that he would End
some way to get rid of the owner be-
fore they returned. They had driven
several miles along the roads near
Philo when he suddenly felt an i'm
pulse to shoot the student, he said.
They left the machine, Penman shot
Shaw, then dragged the body to Sc
cluded spot, where he left II until he
had returned to the city and told what
he considered plausible story for
} the disappearance of Shaw. He then
took Shaw's companion, who had been
; awaiting their return at the Penman
farm, to Urbana. Early Sunday morn.
ing, Penman says, he returned to the
place where he had left Shaw's body
concealed.
BORROwS SPADE; BURIEs BODY.
After borrowing a spade from q
neighbor he buried the body, and then
returned to Philo, he says, where he
spent the next day racing about the
village street and the roads of the
surrounding country.
Late in the evening, he declared
he began to realize the enormity oil
his crime and decided to make his es
, cape.
Coming toward Danville in the
racer, accompanied by a young mar
, named Wilson, he was arrested be
cause Of violation of the traffic or
J dinance, but upon giving an explana
: ton was allowed to leave the police
: station. He left the racer in a nearby
; garage for repairs.
Boarding an east bound Big Foul
: train the same evening he rode "blinc
/ baggage" to Indianapolis, later goin,
r to Cincinnati While there he becam,
! possessed of desire to see his father
I and mother, confess to them and theI
: give up.
ADMITS FORGING POSTCARD.
Penman admits forging a postcard
received in Philo from Hamilton, o.
signed with Shaw's name, to keep OF
ficers off the scent until he couit
reach his home, and in order, he said
TO give his friends the benefit of tn,
reward offered for his capture.
The men at Ridge farm, who recog
nized Penman from a published de
scription sent out after the Staying
had never seen him before, but upol
meeting him on the street spoke L
him, using his name and receiving al
answer. The officers we're at one
: notified and his arrest followed. Per
man says he shot Shaw after the
had left the car and while they wer
L standing in a pasture belonging t
his (Penman's) father
Penman was removed to Champaig,
D last night. His father has arrange
for his defense in court.