Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-05
DENIAL ENTERED
BY CARTER THAT
he SHOT JELVEK
Negro on Witness Stand Repudiates
Entire Confession Made to the
States Attorney.
TRIES TO PROVE AN ALBI
Says He Was Taking Part ia ProWI-
ing Jobs With Another Negro
Near Sixteenth Street.

Proceedings In the case Of VIII Car
ter, the Negro charged with the muir
der of Peter Jelvek. were somewhat
enlivened this morning when the de-
PENDANT took the witness stand and
repudiated his entire confession made
to States Attorney Floyd z. Thomp-
son, under direct examination by his
attorney, r, G. Willis.
Carter denied lhat he shot JelYek,
denied that he was anywhere near the
Eberhart apartments at the time the
murder was committed, denied that he
knew any Of the circumstances sur
rounding the shooting, denied that he
even fred his gun and in fact denied
every statement accredited to him In
the confession which was yesterday
made q part Of the records Of the
case without any objections from the
defendants attorneys.
Now Carter tells the story Of being
with one julius Wellons, Negro por-
ter. formerly employed at the Manu-
facturers' hotel barber shop in Moline
from midnight until 4 O'Clock in the
morning OF Nov. 4. the time Jelyeh
was shot.
AS an abb he told q story OF Wei
Ions and himself being out on two
prowling Jobs in the vicinity OF Six
teenth street and Second avenue. He
accused Wellons OF carrying his gun
and fashlight and entering both
houses while he waited outside In
one place Carter said Wellons got
S350 IN cash and az the other place
$40. Continuing his story, he said
that Wellons left him at o'clock
boarding a car for Moline. After that
Carter claims he walked up Third
avenue past the police station to
Twentieth street, where he crossed the
street and continued past Twenty-sec-
ond street, where lac entered Will
liams' restaurant and ordered bowl
OF chill Hearing a Bridge line
car approaching, he said, he ran out
and then remembered that ne had left
some change on the counter In the
restaurant and returned. Then, he
said, the officers stepped in and ar
rested him.
Sticks to Story.
States Attorney Thompson cross
questioned Carter closely on many
points, and although the Negro on
several occasions came near contra
dieting himself, he answered the ques-
lions carefully and stuck to his story
closely in substance. Carter, In other
words, made an excellent witness for
himself.
Carter stated that his confession was
made under pressure of protection
from the police and that Detective
Thomas Cox had told him everything
to say in his confession, Attorney
Willis In his direct examination of
the Negro also sought to show that
Carter lived in the jail In continual
dread OF being lynched.
Before the noon recess was taken
Assistant States Attorney E. L. Eagle
opened the arguments for the state.
IL is believed that both he and States
Attorney Thompson and counsel for
the defense will have completed their
arguments so that the case will go to
the jury by this evening.
The witnesses examined yesterday
afternoon brought out facts leading
up and Immediately following the
shooting of Jelvek in the Eberhart
apartments The most damaging tes-
timony for the defense was that given
by julius Wellons, Negro porter, who
was the last person to see Carter the
Saturday night preceding the murder.
Wellons stated that he first met Car
ter on an eastbound Fourth avenue
car at midnight Saturday, but that he
did not talk to him until Fifteenth
street, Moline, was reached. Carter
went with Wellops to his room. We'll
Ions said that he had some trouble
in unlocking the door and that Carter
drew searchlight so he could see.
Once in the room he showed Wellons
a revolver, a flask Of whisky and a
roll OF money.
II told Carter he had better stay
with me as he might get arrested tot
ing gun around" said Wellons.
He said. No - - - - Is
going to take me- and he showed
gun saying, I'll put a hole through
him l asked him If IL wasn't dan