Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-28
MORON ADMITS He
SLEW CHICAGO GIRL;
BODY IN COAL PILE.
THOMAS FITZGERALD, DEGENeH
ATE or LOWEST TYPE, CON
FESSES KILLING LITTLE JANE
WILL kJNsoN AND THEN RE
MAINS IN BASEMENT OF FLAT
BUILDING.

Chicago, July 2S-Thomas fltzeer'
aid murdered G-year-old Janet Wllkln'
son. He enticed her into his tiat with
candy He made advances. she
screamed. He chOked her TO death
Then he buried her body in the coal
nile In the basement Of the building
He confessed the crime shortly after
s o'clock yesterday morning to Acting
Lieutenant "Billy" Howe at the chi
cago avenue station, where he had
been held since / a. m "Wednesday,
twelve hours after Janet vanished
Then he helped the police find the
corpse
HIS confession came abruptly at the
end Of the most remarkable srilline IN
the history of crime. II lasted through
ont the entire night. 1t was VERT
able fourth degree, in which psy
chology played leading part.
A detective dressed as priest had
tried to induce Fitzgerald to confess
The man said he had nothing to tell.
Tiny hands, taken form dolls, were
laid before him on table in the
dimly lghtened basement of the police
station as an appeal to his feelings.
They failed.
TIE police even took off his glasses, |
because he seemed 10 lose his com
posure without them. But he bowed
his head and refused to talk.
He was not physically abused, but
The manhunters. feeling the end was
near. pounded his muddled and sleep
less brain with every mental shock
they could devise,
Kind words. threats. thousands Of
Questions and suggestions We're fired
al him with machine gun regularity,
The ordeal had endured eight hours
when he called for Acting Lieutenant
Howe.
Send Mr. Howe down here" ne
said simply. Then he confessed every.
thing.
y was sitting In the window at ten
minutes after - Tuesday when | saw
Janet coming toward the building" he
.eld the lieutenant When she came
mp the steps to the landing at my
doorway I said to her, 'Dollie, would
You like some candy?'
She hesttated Then picked her
up in my arms and carried her into
my apartment.
She started to scream. Before I
knew ii or realized what was doing,
grabbed her by the throat and chok-
cd her to death.
Having realized what I had done
! then dressed, as at the time I was
in my bathrobe. then took Janet'e
body in my arms. going down the
buried the body under pile of coal"
After signing formal confession he
led the police officials, under direc-
ton of Acting Chief Alcock. to the |
basement of the fat building at 112t
and ia East Superior street, whore
he lives, and there pointed out the
srct where Janet's body was con.
cealed,
The body, discolored and decom-
posed. was wedged between the east
wall OF the basement ana rusty
iron fine and had been covered by a |
we foot layer OF coal. There were
no signs OF abuse. II was fully clothed
and still bore the metal Identification
tag Janet had worn from the play
ground.
He showed no emotion as the po-
lice chief lifted big Jumps Of coal from
the corpse Only once he betrayed
weakness This was when several
men in the throng gathered outside
the building shouted: "Hang him,
Hang him"
On the third floor above Mr.. and
Mra. John S. Wilkinson. parents of the
dead girl, waited in awful suspense.
They did not know of his confession
But the crowd below presaeed impor-
tan; developments.
After the body had been removed
from the basement the police broke
the news to them Mrs. Wilkinson
fell 10 the floor In a faint Wilkinson
fhptiered a prayer that the slayer
would meet death for the murder.