Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-03
TAKEN UNDER OATH
PRACTICALLY SAME As IN
PRIOR ADMISSIONS.
JURY DECLARES CONFER
TO HAVE KILLED MILANs
County Attorney Scott Files Infornna-
ton Charging First c5sroe Murder;
and Preliminary Hearing Is Set For
Monday in Justice Pesk's Court
"Was Playing Killing and Liked IT,"

A restatement Of his crime in the
same plain, Straightforward manner
that characterized his first confession,
and the verdict Of the coroners jury
that Dennis and Minnie Milan came
to their deaths March 81 by gun shot
wounds fred by John >-onfer," were
the two main features of the second
and final part of the double murder in
quest, held Friday afternoon.
Confer was the principal witness.
and told thru his interpreter, Lewis
Welter, practically the same story that
ne told in Jail Thursday Added
statements and slight discrepancies
were apparent, but none was given
that materially affected the testimony.
No attempt was made to cross exam
inc Confer or confuse him, and he
maintained a calm and stolid exterior
thruout
"Piayins Killing and Liked IT,"
When first brought over from the
jail Confer was taken back into the
morgue and confronted with the bodies
of the man and woman he had slain
He was apparently not at all at
fected, and his facial expression did
not change. Asked at the inquest
whether he was sorry he had COM
mitted the murder he answered Yes,
but asked If he regretted his act i'm
mediately after he had done it, he
said No" He also stated that he
was not sorry he had killed Mrs. Milan,
and that he had meant to kill them
both. Questioned concerning the shoot
ing of the dog he said he shot the dog
because he liked it" and added that
he was playing he was killing and
liked it." He willingly signed the tes-
tirnony, which made mis- second written
confession.
Morbid Crowd Thrones Morsue.
Confer did not exhibit any emotion
when being questioned. despite the fac.
that he was facing a Largo crowd OF
curious onlookers nassed against the
door and windows Of the undertaking
parlors. Asked as to whether he knew
what would be done to him for killing
the Milans he said court" Just as
he was being taken back to jail he
asked when he was TO have his trial.
Outside of that question he volunteered
nothing.
Other Witnesses Examined.
Four other witnesses were examined
before Confer was placed on the stand,
in the persons Of James Collins. S. G.
Woodwork, Clayton Thomas. and
Lewis Welter. OF these four Welter's
testimony was the most important. He
was asked concerning mute's sense
of hearing" and repeated what has
been printed in the T.-R. concerning
this, namely that a mute can feel a
III
actually hearing it. Welter said.
however. that the falling Of window
glass would not cause heavy enough
conclusion to attract the attention OF
a mute. Welter also testified that
Confer was inclined to be lazy and
shirk his work when Milan was absent
from the farm, but that when Milan
was there Confer was diligent and in
dustrious.
More Testimony az TO Fear.
Messrs. Collins. Woodwork, and
Thomas. farmers who live near the
scene Of the tragedy, indicated in their
testimony that Mrs. Milan had ex-
hibited fear OF Confer. Mr.. Thomas.
who had not been a. the Milan home
until the next morning Thursday tes-
titled that he found one shotgun sheI
py the SCUM door OF ne mousse, anu
seven shells in the ash pile near the
rear of the house. OF these seven
shells, he said, six had evidently been
discharged but recently, and that two
Of the shells had blood on them. All
three of the farmers who had been at
the house that night testified that they
were unable to find any trace Of rob
bers."
Confer Charged With Murder.
County Attorney Ray P. Scott filed
a charge of first degree murder against
Confer in the office Of Justice S. E.
Peek this forenoon. The preliminary
examination will be held Monday.