Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-16
Beard Unmoved as He
ReCites Details of the
Bloody Tragedy.
HAD BEEN MISTREATED
Bob Massey Beaten to Death
With Stake After Attacking
Boy-Women Are Next.

Chicago, Ill, May 16.-An 1S-year-
old country boy. dressed in his Sun
day-go-to-meetin' suit" sat in an office
at the detective bureau yesterday and
told how he had murdered two wo-
men and a man.
The boy is Harley Beard He was
arrested at noon in the home of his
sister, Mrs. ID. L. Day of 1881 West
Madison street. He confessed to the
murder, which occurred Wednesday,
near Gallipolis, Ohio. His victims
were Robert Massey, Mary Massey, a
sister. and their mother, Mrs. Nancy
Massey, for whom Beard worked as a
farm hand.
The prisoner is either is or 19 years
old-he is not sure which. He told his
story with almost childish disregard
for pronunciation. 1t is believed by
many of the detectives who questioned
him that his act was caused by a men,
tai condition due to an injury to his
mead, suffered six years ago.
AS he drawled through the story of
his life and through the incidents
which LED up to the tragedy his eyes
never faltered from his questioners.
Occasionally he would raise his hand
to his head.
what is the matter with your
head?" he was asked.
Hit by Falling Tree.
"Oh, was hit by falling tree about
six years ago. Sometimes the place
hurts.' he replied. Then. in answer
to questions-he-tald.h his story. :. ----
My father WIS miilwright and a
carpenter. He died on a Saturday af-
ternoon in 1910 from sunstroke, and
most of us kids were sent to an or
phans' home in Warren county, Ohio |
My mother had died when l was very
young.
People used to come there and look |
us over and choose a boy, and then we |
we're bound out to them.
81 worked around for a while, most |
" at farming, and sometimes l work |
ed in a tobacco factory, but / liked |
the farm best of all.
Works for Masseys.
swell, finally went to work for the
Masseys. 1 liked the place, even if
hey did sass me.
Last Monday Bob wanted to go 20
own and / got up and hitched the
lorse. and he said l could go back to
,ed until it got light enough to do the
.hores. / did. and when l was in bed
3ob's siser. Mary. came into my room
md began to talk to me.
81 told her to go out and she said a
OF of things. but finally went out.
lidn't like her very much, although
he had always been pretty decent to
ne.
We'll, she told her mother that l
lad invited her into my room and talk
ID to her.
Girl Tells Her Story.
"She just twisted it all around and
aid / had said all the things that she
old me when she came in my room.
was said about it until We'd
esday. Bob was mailing a board of
he fence near the gate and / was
irving the hogs through. He came
yer to me and said:
IF / thought you had said that TO
ny sister I'd hit you with this hatchet
nd cut your head or
"As he told me this he put the blunt
dge of the hatchet against my cheek
nd then took il away and struck me I
Ist how il had happened and we got
D haggling. Then he started to strike ,
lie in the face.
Hits Bob With Stake.
There was a stake lying near the
snce and / made a jump for it. He
as still hitting me when struck him
yer the head with the stake. He fell .
own and said:
oh, oh, OH
"Then l hit him some more and he
y still. / started into the house
hen Mary came TO the door and
-abbed my left arm.
Kills the Two Women. Il
81 broke away. ran back and got the I
axe and let her have IL, too. The
d lady. Mrs. Massey, she came up. |
ought / might as well make a good
b of IL. and ! hit her. too. Then /
Ianged my clothes and started away. Z
AIRY and her ma was moaning.
'uldnt stand that. and so ! went and h
Il a razor that Sam Day gave me and
t their throats-"
Dispatches from Gallioplis describ-
g the crime do not tally with Har-
Us story. The dispatches say Mary
assey's hands were tied behind her 5
ok when her body was found and :
AZ there were indications she had Il
en- the first OF the family to die. 4