The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-09-24
SERVES TERM PRICE BREAD
FOR MURDER; HIGHER BUT
GIRL Wal S.LOAF LARGER
After Fifty Years in Iowa
Penitentiary, On His Way
To First Love.
KILLED HIS RIVAL
FOR LADY'S HAND
Going to DeLand To Claim
Sweetheart of so
Years Ago.

Fifty years in the penitentiary,
serving a sentence, as he said 'for
killing fellow-man," William A. Zeno,
now 6S years of age, is a free man,
but spent last night in the Pensacola
city prison. There was no charge
against him-he simply sought shell
ter, and said that he had nothing
against anybody in the world" He
tells a story possibly without a paral-
lei.
More than fifty years ago, then
boy of Is years, he said, in Des
moines, Iowa, he killed "my fellow
man." "God requires the absolute
truth from me, gentlemen, and l am
telling it, with God as my Witness"
he said, standing at the grating on
the second floor of the Pensacola po-
| lice station.
at was about a girl, child whom
loved ever since she was a baby,
and whom, gentlemen, l love yet. She
was fourteen, the man l struck down
18th pruning knife when he tried to
! kill me in 1866 with a seven-shot PTS
tol was nineteen. l was then but
lad of eighteen, but I, of course, will
always remember that day.
Both Loved Girl.
my friend and | loved the same
j girl, even if she was so young. One
dat he told me that must stay away,
and threatened to do me harm.
told the girl. She answered, that the
best way to do was to stop seeing her
when she told me. 1 followed her ad-
vice. My friend one day met me and
started to take my life. l had the
knife as | told you, and struck quick
est. He died within a short time.
did not run-did not try to get away,
and soon afterward the officers had
me in custody. was tried, never de-
MED that l killed him, and although
it was in defense of my own life, 4 re-
GREETED it more, gentlemen, than you
can ever believe.
Long and Weary Service.
"Well, it was long and weary ser
vice for the state, but was frightened
by letters l received from the girl
whom / will not name, but who, now
sixty-four years of age, is yet waiting
for me. She is in this state, and | am
now on the wa to DeLand, which was
the place she was in when the last
letter was received. Yes, | am go
ing to her, and she knows it. She
knows that l am in this city tonight,
or will know just as soon as my latest
reaches her.
Learned Three Traces.
"While / was in the penitentiary, L
naturally learned some lessons, and
had some experiences, which l hope
never again to go through. I have
l learned three trades, and now believe
that / can face the world and again be
man, even though l now wear
stripes" and with this statement, ex-
hibited, as part Of his clothing an old
pair of trousers lined with the striped
costume of the prison. When it was
suggested that he may have escaped
the prison, Zeno said: Gentlemen,
Pm here, and the police can keep me.
l want you to investigate my past,
my story, and, as God in Heaven is
my witness, you will find out that l
am telling you the absolute truth.
would like for any of you to do so. l
do not want anyone to believe that,
after my long years of punishment,
am going to come forth, with any
thing but truth on my lips"
Tall, unshaved, with unkempt hair,
attired in rough clothing, weIl-worn
shoes, he presented an abject appear
ance, standing within the grating,
telling his life story. To emphasize
the story, he called at times upon
God as my witness that / am telling
the whole truth" and talked with the
utmost earnestness.
/ Zeno, according to his story, works
when he can get it, saves his money
so that he "can honestly travel on the
railroads" and all because he wants
to meet the girl of his youth, "whom
today love just as ardently as the
day l struck down my friend" He
said that he paid his way to Pensa-
cola and reached here Saturday.