Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-07-31
Admits Murder.
lrom Inc 81. Louls Globe-pemocrat.

(From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.)
JEFFEsoN CITY, Mo-, July 25.-In a
last attempt to secure a parole for his
brother, William Spaugh, Jr., who is
ill of tuberculosis and can live but a
short time, Arthur Spaugh, the young
er brother, also an inmate of the
Penitentiary, to-day told the Board Of
Pardons and Paroles that he killed
| Sheriff John w. Polk at Ironton, Mo-,
in order to save Williams life. William
| Spaugh is serving a life sentence for
| shooting Polk, while Arthur Spaugh
was sentenced to ffty-five years for
completely in the ARRAY.
ssBill did not shoot Sheriff Polk. l
shot him when | thought he intended
to kill Bill. He had already shot Bill
through the shoulder and was advanc-
ing on him when / fired. My brother
had his hands in the air, begging the
sheriff not to shoot him." said Arthur
Spaugh.
81 do not want my brother to die
here. He is not guilty of the killing
of Sheriff Polk. l alone am guilty.
Bill was not even armed when the
sheriff was shot. Thought the sheriff
Intended to Kill my brother and after
warning him not to advance three
times, shot him. I hope the governor
will release Bill so that he can spend
the few days he has to live a free
man. 1t does not matter what be-
comes of me-"
The prison physician says that Will
liam Spaugh a not live to exceed
sixty days and his death Is expected
sooner. William has arranged to have
his body shipped back to their old
home at Ironton, Mo-, for burial, pro-
vided he does not secure his release.
Arthur Spaugh has tuberculosis also
and is unable to do heavy work. He
is in the first stage of the disease, but
is able to work about the halls and dc
light work in the open air.
Mary E. Spaugh, aged mother of the
Spaughs, has been here much of late
pleading with the Board of Pardonf
and Paroles for her dying son. She
says she would like to take him to her
home at ST. James, Mo-, and nurse
him until he dies.
Arthur Spaugh has been in the Peni
Tertiary since July 81, 1907. Botf
have been model prisoners william
Spaugh, who weighed but 11S pounds
when received, took consumption two
years ago and had been confined tt
the hospital most of the time since.
The killing of Sheriff Polk grew on.
of a trivial matter. William Spaugf
struck a man with his open hand dur
ing a quarrel and walked to the home
Of his mother. Eight minutes late,
the sheriff arrived at the Spaugl
home at Ironton to arrest William
Spaugh and a pitched battle in whiof
a number of shots were fired occurred
The sheriff was killed and William
Spaugh was convicted OF murder an
sentenced to be hanged. Gov. Foil
COMMITTED his sentence to life inn
prisonment. Arthur Spaugh,t then q
was convicted as an accomplish.
The Board of Prison Inspectors
who must sign all applications fol
sick paroles, have not signed Spaugh'
application. The Board OF Pardon
will make no recommendation unless
the parole is requested by the inspect
ors.
/ reproduce the above merely t.
show hot rot and ~fllsehood go to the
, making Of a"good story" for the hun
Cry city daily. Sheriff Polk was bru
tally murdered in cold blood; there
was no "pitched battle,' and BIZ
Spaugh was not shot in the shoulder
nor anywhere else. Read the testi
mony produced at the trials. Tn
pardoning or paroling of either one
of the Spaughs, now, or at any TIM
J in the future, would be an outrage o.
:. Justice, and we do not believe there
the remotest likelihood Of anything G
the kind being done.