Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-20
TOMPKINSCALM
IN TELLING HOW
HEKILLED THREE
Murderer of Entire Family
Will Go on Trial in
September


c. Tompkins, of Philadelphia, has
confessed to one of the most shock
ing crimes in the history of Cam
bria county-the triple murder on
Sunday of Mr.. and Mrs. Edmund
l. Humphries and their 15-year-old
son.
The confession was made in the
county Jail here in the presence of
Warden Ed Knee and Attorney
John Evans, of the law firm of
Evans & Evans, counsel for the ac-
cpsed man.
Tompkins made a clean breast of
everything, confessing willingly and
without pressure by county authori-
| ties. His confession electrified coun-
ty authorities, especially the District
Attorney, who believed Tompkins a
man of master mind and too calm to
be furried by questioning of third
degree" methods.
Stops Conversation to Confess
There was no written confession
made by Tompkins. He, with his
wife and father by his side in con-
versation with him, was sitting in
the Jail Office. Warden Knee was
sitting behind his desk and was not
taking part in the conversation.
warden and said:
Mr.. Knee, / killed those three
persons killed them all. l killed
Humphries in the cornfield.
bought the gun in Johnstown."
Mrs. Tompkins literally flung
herself on her husbands neck.
screaming and crying. She was
hysterical, and the scene, according
to the warden, was one of the most
Tompkins aged father, affected, but
apparently calm, stood by and said
nothing.
Knee was speechless, he said, the
| confession having come like a bolt
of lightning. He asked no questions
and Tompkins volunteered no in
formation. Turning on his heel,
Tompkins said goodby and walked
back to his cell with a firm step.
The Rev. B. F. Heany called later
and Tompkins told the story to him.
He gave no motive for the crime to
the warden, but it is not known
whether he gave further details to
the minister.
Purchased Gun
1t is said at the Jail that Tomp-
kins admitted to the purchase of the
gun with which the murder was
committed. He said that he was
in Johnstown Tuesday, July To-, and
bought the weapon from the Swank
Hardware Company 1t was at 32-
caliber automatic. a'
Warden Knee stated that he had
information early to-day that Tomp-
kins had admitted the murder, of
Humphries' boy. The warden placed
John Lacie, a negro prisoner, con-
victed of murder of a foreigner in
St. Michael last year, in a cell ad-
joining Tompkins' cell and instruct
ed the negro to get what informa-
ton he could from the accused man.
Warden Knee said that the negro
called Jail officers this morning and
told them that, after he had de-
nounced Tompkins for killing the
boy, the latter admitted that he had
killed the boy, but refused to say
who killed the boys parents War
den Knee says that he did not take
the report of the supposed confess
sion seriously, as the negro was un-
der sentence of death.
Sequel to Business Clash
The confession of Tompkins, who
was Humphrfes' business partner,
came aLter he naQ insisted Tor TOUR
| days he was innocent. Authorities
| found that Mrs. HUMPHREYS held a
note against Tompkins for $1,000.
They then believed Tompkins killed
| Humphries as the result of busi-
ness quarrel and murdered the wife
and son to eliminate all witnesses to
the crime.
From the moment of his arrest
Tompkins told story of highway
men having held up the automobile
in which he was riding with Hum
| phries' hand and there were indica-
was found who saw a man resemb-
ling Tompkins coming from the field
where Humphries body was found
A wisp of hair, resembling Tomp-
kins', was found clutched in Hum
phries' mand and there were indicaz
tions of a fierce struggle.
1t was stated that Tompkins will
be arraigned at the September term
of court and will plead to homicide.
The district attorney will then pre-
sent the evidence in the case, in or
der that the court may decide the
degree of the crime.