Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1917-05-25
PRELIMINARY HEARING
WILLIAM VII son C0NFESSES OF CRIME
FACk AND LEONARD WANPIER
ARRESTED FOR NEN ION
COUNTY AUTHORITIES.
OTHERS FREE

Wampler, William Wilson, Mrs
Fack Walnpier and Mrs. Leonard
Wampler, charged with stealing
tires and other auto accessioEie,
from } 5 Starrett, was held IN the
city council room here last Monday
afternoon. before s. T Pollard
Wi.liam Wilson entered Il plea of
anilty to the charge, but the OTHERS
ente!cd pleas Of not guilty HIl:cn
was LelI over for trial Ill the June
term Of court. while the other
were al dlSc haiced. Faca and
Leonard Wamp!er we're immediate
" arrested by Constable II A
Graves on j telegram from tie
Sheriff of Newton County, sayine
that the Wampler Brothers were
wanted there on the charge Of Grand
Larcency
The trial was held in the city
council room before a large crowd
of interested Listeners. The defen
dants were well represented by
". B. Fahy. of this city, and J W.
Hays Of Hannibal Attorney Roy
B Meriwether represented the site.
The confession as made By
William Wilson was something like
this: about 1880 O'Clock on the
evening of Monday, May II, the
defendants, who were driving across
the state IN Fach WdmplerS Ford,
had Il blowout Of one OF the front
tires, just about na!I d NILE south
OF MUurUe. A. they Dad no extra
tires. they could proceed nu further
without another tire. Wilson vol
uIteered TO walk to town and buy
another one. He came to town, but
found the garages all closed 50 he
began a search iOr a private garage
He happened onto J. S. StarrettS
garage and proceeded to connect
up.with Two front castings, five inner
tubes. three mats, and other things
He then carried his stuff to where
his companions were stranded and
Immediately informed them that
he had bought this stuff at d bargain.
They fixed up their front wheel and
proceeded on their way to Hannibal,
not going through Monsoe City at
all, but going by the place to the
south. They spent Tuesday fishing
on lake near Hannibal. WedneS-
day, they drove into HInniOal AMI
tried TO sell tire to the Ellis Vul-
canning Co. From there they
.started TO | linOiS. They were stop
ped on the bridge by soldiers. Viii
soE and ack and Leonard Wampler
commenced walking away from the
car when they were fired on by the
soldiers. Then they ran for the
brush. They were later surrounded
aud captured.
Wilson stated that none Of his
comuanions knew that re had
stolen the tires, etc, until he made
his confession 10 Hannibal police.
The Wampler Brothers stated that
they thought that they were being
arrested because they had run on
the streets Of Hannibal the night
before without lights.
The chief witnesses were J. S
Starrett and Herbert Ellis Others
were DIR. wilson ana W. X. Noel OF
Stoutsyille, Henry Harris. chief OF
police Hannibal, and Theodore Lax
policeman, Hannibal.
The prosecution made no fight on
the two women and the boy, Luther
Wampler, but fought hard 10 hold
Fack and Leonard Wampler and
William Wilson. Wilson was held
but the evidence against the other
two was insufficient to hold them.
They were arrested, Immediately
after being discharged, at the re-
quest of Newton County authorities