The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-08
HOLD ALBANIAN
FOR MURDER ON
C. AND 0. TRAIN
Criminal Confesses Here to
Shooting Seatmate = TAX
en- to Franklin County.

City, Ala, shot and killed w. OKit-
finger, of Bridgeport, Conn, on
northbound Chesapeake and Ohio rail-
train at Peoria, 10 miles west of the
Ohio-Indiana state line Friday eve
ming.
West was taken into custody by
trainmen, and was taken off the train
when it arrived at Richmond at s. so.
He made full confession upon his ar
rival at the Richmond police station.
West was turned over to the author
ities from Franklin county Saturday,
as the killing occurred in Franklin
county and his hearing will be held
there.
Shot Four Times.
Kittinger died twenty minutes after
the shooting and his body was re-
moved here and taken to local I'M
dertaker.
He was shot four times, twice in the
arm, once in the right side of the
chest and once in the center of the
chest. Coroner S. Edgar Bond held
the autopsy Saturday. -
West, man Of about As years old,
said he had four children in Alabama
City, the oldest about sixteen years
old, and that his wife died in 1912.
He said he was on his way to Mum
Gle to work in the Broderick boiler
shop there, and exhibited a letter
from Tom Broderick of Muncie, tell
ing him to come to work.
Pocketbook Found.
The dead man was about 25 years
old, and was apparently on his way
to Boston, Ind, to work in a restau-
rant His home address is IS Court
land street, Bridgeport, Conn, and
his next best friend is given on his
identification card as B. Knapp, of
Elwood, Ind.
Vests pocketbook and his money
were found in breast pocket when
he was searched at the police station.
Forty dollars, which was about the
amount he said he had, was the
amount found. It is evident that the
money was transferred to one pocket
from another and that he thought he
had lost it.
He made a full confession to Chief
of Police Gormon and Prosecutor Gath
Freeman. He was confused and doubt
full in his statements and repeatedly
said he did not know what happened
during the minute or so of the shoot
ing, but supposed he must have" shot
kittinger.
He had half-pint bottle of whiskey,
partly empty, and said that what was
drunk from the bottle was all he had
had to drink, although he was plainly
intoxicated while being questioned.
He said that somebody hit him, knock
ing him to his knees, and apparently
was confused from that point. THAT
is all | know" he said repeatedly, Il
can't remember what did happen
then" However, he admitted that.
Whoever it was hit me l shot him.
Signs Confession.
Before the shooting, he said, he had
gone to get a drink of water. and on
coming back to his seat, had felt in
his pocket for his money, intending
to get some chewing gun. He found
it gone from my left pants pocket,
where / always keep it, and / says to
this fellow, I believe you have my
pocketbook.'
He went away and came back
again, and offered me drink Of some
stuff, l don't know what it was.
took a drink and somebody hit me
and knocked me down. ] got up and
asked him again about 1t and he didn't
give me no satisfaction l don't know
what happened tnen.
To direct questions as to whether he
had not shot Kittinger then, he said
impatiently again, 81 don't know what
happened then, l told you," but said
he probably shot Kittinger, and con-
sented to sign the confession saying
he had done so.
Trainmen say that instead Of West
being struck by anyone, when he &C
- &C.
book, the latter threw up his hands
and said half-jokingly, Search mel"
and that West then pulled his gun and
shot
Guarded by Trainman.
The revolver, a thirty-two caliber
pearlhandled Smith and Wesson, was
taken from West by a trainman who
guarded him until the train reached
Richmond.
The confession which he made be-
fore the Richmond police follows:
/, James West, of Alabama City.
Alabama, make the following state
ment and confession in connection
with the shooting and killing OF w. o.
Kittinger on the c. & o. train this
evening:
| got on the C. & o. train at Gin
cinnati, Ohio, which left there about
so o'clock this afternoon. ] did not
know anybody on the train. I do not
know where the train was when the
trouble occurred. Kittinger had come
to my seat and sat down with me.
Soon after | said:
I'm going to get some chewing
gum"
1 reached into my pocket for my
money and could not find it. / said
to Kittinger:
did you get my money!"
He said something to me that I did
not understand. | said:
you have got my pocketbook.'
Somebody hit me. but I do not
know who IL was. He knocked me to
my knees. l then pulled out my re-
volver and shot Kittinger. The revol-
yer was a 80 Smith & Wesson with
pearl handle and number B6S42 on the
butt
Somebody l did not know told me
to throw up my hands, which I did.
and took my revolver and ordered me
to sit down, which I did. This man
then took charge of me until we reach
ed Richmond, Indiana. think 1t was
the man that hit me that ! shot
never saw Kittinger before and did not
know his name then.