Bisbee daily review., 1917-09-02
UNQUALIFIED IS CONFESSION OF
 IOWA MINISTER
Lynn G. Kelly Signs and Swears to Statement With out Resort to Third Degree Has Weak Alibi for the Crime

JULIAN, iowa, sept. 1.-On the eve of his trial for complcity in the fam ous Villisca axe murders of 1912, he,. Lynn G. J. Kelly, itineIant preacher, it was announced today by J. E. bus- don, sta te agent, signed an unqualified confession that he had slain elght per sons with an axe and then through hls counsel made complete repudlation.
 Confession Made Frioay.
 Kelly's confession was made early Friday morning in. the presence of At torney-General H. M. Havner, Sheriff M D. Meyers of Harrison county, Dep uty Charles Atkins, J. E. Risdon, state agent, and J. J. Hess, Council Biutfs attorney. In his statement Kelly said a sermon on the text -Slay utterly, caused him to kill. A voice, which he believed to be that of God, lead him and guided him in his crime, the min ister declared in his confession.
 Third Degree Charged.
 Later in the day, Friday, J. A. Me Kenzie of the Logan firm represnt- ing Kelly, went to Logan and visited the preached in his cell. Mckenzie then said Kelly completly rpudiated the confession. Judge A. l. Sutton of Omaha, of Kelly's counsel, says the confession is not worth the paper it is written on. Drastic third degree meth ods were used by state authorities to get the signed statement from Kelly, Judge Sutton declares. On the other hand, those present when the comics sion was secured, absolutely deny us ing any force or coercion on the preacher.
 DIES MONIES, Iowa, Sept. 1.-The confession signed and sworn to by the Rev. Lynn George J. Kelly, but later repudiated, was entirely voluntary and was obtained by the most pacific means, Attorney General H. M. Hay ner tonight declared in an authorized statement.
 Mir. Havner told for the first time the exact circumstances surrounding the confession. He said:
 '"I went to Harrison county last Thursday particularly to make al speaking engagement at Magnolia. l took with me a statement of additional evidence gathered in the Kelly case. and which by law, we are required to serve uJon the defendant in advance of the trial
 Evidence Shown Kelly.
 This statement of evidence was readto Kelly by Sheriff Meyers ot Harrison county, shortly after 1O:OO o'clock in the vning. I was not pres ent and had not planned to see Kelly before catching my train to Council Bluffs.
 Before the sheriff completed read ing the statement Kelly stopped him declaring that be was guilty of the murder and was ready to make statement.
 He told the sheriff that he wanted to see me, and Meyers told him that there was no use talking to me unless he was ready to make clean breast of the whole affair.
 Wished to Confess.
 Kelly then said that he wished to confess and Meyers sent word to me net to take my train.
 Kelly was then brought to the court house and in the presence of number of witnesses, made a detailed statement of the crime. J. J. Hess, an attorney from Council Bluffs; Sher- if Meyers. J. J. Risdon and two other whose names do not know, were pre- sent. as well as two court reporters whom we called in.
 No Intimidation.
 "So far as there being any intimida- ton is concerned, Kelly was anxious to make the statement and talked at length upon the crime. He was ln- formed by myself and others present that anything he said would be used against him and that he need expect no reward in the way of clemency or otherwise.
 He was told this at least twenty times during the night. He began to make his statement at about 12:30 o'clock and finished it about 3:3O o'clock.
 "Three or four hours after he had returned to the jail he again called the sheriff, this being shortly after o'clock Friday morning.
 Gives Details of Crime.
 'I had left the city and was in Council Bluffs. Kelly told the sheriff that he desired to dictate an account of the crime. This he did, in the presence of the sheriff. county attor- ney and clerk of court. making his statement while it was written down directly upon a typewriter
 No Pressure Used.
 This statement, he read over, sign ed and swore to. entirely of his own free will, and without the slightest pressure being used"
 RAILROAD OFFICIAL DIES.