Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-04-07
4 ~ NI1tI ~ IA
ENTERS PIEA
Of FGlJNTYT0
MURDER
N. D. Bousmal, ST., Slayer Of
Mr.. and Mrs. !. B. Akers,
at WilderuHe, Will Be
Sentenced To-Day by Judge


--------.--ss
Guilty. was The plea Of NJ ID
Bousman. sr.. when no was arraign
cd in the circuit court a 80 O'Clock
this morning to answer 70 the indict
ment brought against him lor thu
killing Of Mr.. and Mrs, Luther b
Akcrs at wilderyille. lssbruary 81
The old man had been indicted fol
tho double murder hut q no time
since his arrest on the eyeuipg Of thu
slaying had he denied the deed, and
today, all he asked was an oppcrtnnit,
to tell the court the story OF t
troubles that had lcd up TO the Il.
gedy and that In his. mind iustitlcf
him In the killing Of inc Akers
Following the plea OF tho defend
ant. number OF witnesses wer,
called to the stand 20 detail the cir,
cnmstances Of the discovery OF the
bodies OF the old couple. who had
been killed while on their way tt
Sunday school. The Courier editor
was also called 10 tell OF tho confes-
sion which Bousnan had made "a
him. This was the first admission
that Bousman made that no had way.
laid and killed tho old Methodisi
minister and his wife and was do.
tailed 10 the newspaper man shortly
after Bousman had been placed in the
county Jail
Bousman himself was later placed
upon tho stand ut his own request.
Az flrst overcome with emotion. the
confessed murderer could not pro-
coed for a few minutes, and his slight
frame was shaken with sobs as he
faced the court that was organized
TO mete out such justice as the laws
impose for iniractions OF the statutes
against the taking OF human life.
Then Bousman became calm, and rs
he proceeded with the story OF the
differences OF the neighbors he wax
cd most emphatic and gesticulated as
he explained the attempts OF the
Akers to cause him to keep his goats
and hogs shut up. Once In his talk
he lost the thread OF his tale. and
then he remarked that II am not q
damn bit crazy. but once In while
my mind wanders little"
Bousman had an especial griev-
ance against the prosecuting attor-
noy who had been called upon by
the Akers In their efforts TO have
Bousman obey the stock laws which
prohibited the allowing OF hogs to
run at large. He charged that the
officer was In league with his neigh
bors, and wound up trade against
him by charging that he should be
held "as on accessory to this crime"
The prisoner did not talk OF the
crime itself, only Of the things that
had led up to II, When he reached
that point he said that he had told
all he desired to, and he left the
stand Afterward his attorney had
few witnesses called to corroborate
somo OF the statements which Bous-
man had made concerning disputes
with Mr.. and Mrs. Akers, No new
evidence was brought out during the
progress OF the hearing other than
that which tho Courier has previous
ly published.
The crime OF second degree MUIR
der, to which Bousman confessed. car
rlea d life term In the state penlten-
tlary IrirN degree murder Ia not
now charged In this state, as the
penalty. execution, has been done
away with, As six hours must inter-
vene between a plea Of guilty and the
sentence, Bousman can not be
brought before the Judge TO have his
fate pronounced TIL late this after
noon.