The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1916-12-21
(From Saturdays Daily Press)


Skinner murder mystery yesterday when
John Davis, aged 35, farmer living on
John McDonald's place two miles north
of ParagOuld, was arrested on warrant
charging him with the murder Of Harry
Skinner in cabin occupied by Lille Me
Donegal and Louie Brewer on Saturday
night, July 15 The warrant for the ar
rest Of Davis was predicated upon separ-
ate confessions made by Louie Brewer
and Lille McDonigal following the &C
quittal Of Nun Brandon upon which the
women had attempted to fasten the crime
in confessions made last September fol
lowing their arrest for completely in the
murder.
Davis was lodged in Jail yesterday
afternoon late by Al Crooms, former sher-
if, who apprehended his man on the
SWaffOrd place northeast of the city. Da-
Wis conduct in not appearing at court
this week to testify in the Brandon case
aroused suspicion against him. He stated
last night, however, that he had been
working in the timber at Schug's mill,
that he had never been summoned to ap-
pear in circuit court and was not trying to
dodge any court process. He vehemently
denies having had anything to do with
SINNERS murder, insisting he was at
at home on the night Of the killing.
BREWER WOMAN BREAKS ICE.
The first break in the story that had
been told by the two women who tried,
to send Nun Brandon to the electric chair
for the alleged crime, came Thursday
night when the Brewer woman was takenI
from the Jail and questioned by Prescott
ing Attorney Davis and others. She was
confronted with positive proof to show
she and Lille McDOnigal had testified
falsely against Brandon and was urged
to make a clean breast of the whole af-
fair and tell the truth, She finally did SO.
After her confession she was given quar-
ters away from the jail so no opportuni
ty could be given for a conference be-
tween her and Lille McDOnigal and yes
terday morning Constable John Wise took
her to Piggott and had her placed in jail
at that place. The officers then took the
McDOnigal woman out for q sweating,
informing her that Louie Brewer had told
the truth about the killing and given the
authorities the name of the murderer.
She was asked if she cared to make al
statement and she replied in the affirma-
tive, coroborating the statement of the
Brewer woman in all material details.
SAYS DAVIS AND LILLE McDONI-
l.
In her confession the Brewer woman
recited the details of the killing very
much as she and Lille McDonigal had
given them in their testimony against
Brandon, with the exception that in theI
confession Thursday night the name off
Davis was substituted for that of Bran
don. She said some day in July about
week prior to the killing, she came toll
Paragould and went to the home of Hilda
Smith and in the afternoon she was joined
by Lille McDonigal, Later they came to
town and about dark they met Jack
Goode and Clarence Palmaster with whom
they went driving, Lille McDonigal inI
Palmaster's buggy and she in the buggy
with Jack Goode Up the road they met
Harry Skinner and John Davis in Skin
ner's buggy. Palmaster was driving John
Davis buggy When the parties met Lii
lie McDonigal got in the buggy with Skin
ner and Davis got in the buggy With