Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-09-19
Signed Confession TELLS of
Following Mysterious Voice
Commanding Him to ''SIay
Utterly, "
INNOCENCE ASSERTED
IN FACE OF EVIDENCE
Attorney for Defense Wants All.
Admissions of Crime Ex-.
PEELED From Minds of Jurors,
He States,
tsY MORNING JOURNAL srrcrA. lsAsrp WIRE

lnr NoNhNu JOURNAL SPECIAL LuAstp WiNgl
Red Oak, Ia, Sept. 1S.-Prominent
among the defenses of the Rev. Lyn
George j. Kelly, charged with murder
in connection with the Vilisca axe
slayings, will be the contention that
he was mentally unbalanced when he
made various alleged confessions of
guilt with which he is now confront
ed. This was revealed today by w E.
Mitchell of his counseI, In explaining
his line of questioning after the state
had rested it's case, following the in
PRODUCTION of a signed confession said
to have been made by Kelly in Jail
at Logan, Ia, August -, 1917.
Mitchell said the issue OF the
preachers mental responsibility would
be raised as one of his defenses. r.
c. Laham, an editor of Missouri VAL
ley, Ia, testified ne believed Kelly un-
balanced when he saw him in Jail.
When Confession Was Made.
Laham and man named Bachelor
We're handcuffed and taken into Jail
in the guise of highwaymen so they
could be present when notes of the
new evidence by the state were read
to Kelly by Sheriff NJ. d. Meyers,
An agent of the attorney general also
was present during the reading. La
ham said the agent made frequent in
terruptions to say:
"That looks bad, Kelly" to which
the prisoner would respond: isn't so;
it's lie"
When the reading was about half
way through, Kelly wanted the sher
iff to promise they would send him to
an insane asylum and not hang him,
Laham said.
still Protests Innocence.
The Logan county Jail confession
was identified by Paul T.. Roadifer,
who testified he wrote il on type
writer from the prisoners voluntary
dictation. one of the counsel for kel-
ly said tonight that the defense would
seek to eliminate all his alleged con-
fessions from the iury's consideration.
Five witnesses for the defense were
examined after the state had closed
It's case unexpectedly. Kelly said:
81 would like TO go on the stand and
tell the truth. ! know am innocent"
IIo listened to the reading OF his
alleged confession with no apparent
change In his demeanor.
Same as Formerly Printed.
The text of the alleged statement Of
Kelly offered in evidence today is Of
the same general nature as the alb
stract already published, quoting
Kelly as saying that dominated by an
irresistible force and with the text
"Slay utterly ever in his life, he kill
ed the eight persons with an axe.
In the statement Kelly Is quoted
as detailing his arrival in Villisci and
incidents up to the time he was snowy
to his room and the family OF Rev.
w. J. Ewing had retired to their tents
for the night.
IT went to bed, but was restless
the statement quotes as Kelly's words
II heard noise outside like a wind
mill and opened the door Of the bal
cony-but found nothing.
II began to feel sick and wanted TO
take a walk so I dressed and went
outside. I walked across to
the Presbyterian church. did not
intend to go further but my mind was
working on a sermon on the text,
"Slay utterly"
Obcyed Mysterious Voice.
ct had been hearing and reading
sermons on. that text and voice said
go on and I went on because was
In the grip of something that did not
understand.
II felt God wanted me to slay ut
terly and I did not know where was
going or where I was.
II got down near the end Of the
street and saw a shadow on the side
of house going from the back to the
front and God told me to follow that
shadow.
IT went hunting the shadow to the
back of the house. did not know
who lived there, but ! kept on hear
ing that voice, 'slay utterly. l said
Yes, Lord, ! will
Finds Axe Accidentally.
II was walking around In the dark
ness around the house trying to find
sthot .ta1nu, and arpidautalIv fnyfud