The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-07-31
JANET WILKINSON
WAS MURDERED
Thomas Fitzgerald, Virginia Hotel
Night Waterman, Confessed
to Crime.
BODY PUT UNDER COAL PILE
Confesses to Choking Child to Death
in His Room-confession Comes
After Five Days GriIling-
Helps Police Find Corpse.


Chicago, July 29.-ThOmas Fitzger-
Md murdered six-year-old Janet WI
kinson.
He enticed her into his fiat with
candy. He made advances. She
screamed He choked her to death.
Then he buried her body in the coal
pile in the basement Of the build
ing.
He confessed the crime to Acting
Lieut. Fred Howe at the Chicago ave-
nue. station. where he had been held
since It. m. Wednesday, II hours af-
ter Janet vanished. Then he helped
the police TO find the corpse.
His confession came abruptly at the
end Of the most remarkable grilllng In
the history Of crime II lasted through
out the entire night. 1t was verita-
BILE fourth degree" in which psychol-
oey played leading part.
a detective dressed as a priest had
tried to induce Fitzgerald to confess.
The man said he had nothing to
tell
Tiny hands, taken from dolls, were
laid before him on a table IN the dimly
lighted basement Of the police station
as an appeal to his feelings. This
failed
The police even took off his glasses
because ne seemed to lose his compos-
ure 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 were fred
Al him with machine gun regularity.
The ordeal had endured eight hours
when he called for Acting Lieutenant
Howe.
"Send Mr.. Howe down here" he said
simply Then he confessed every
thing
~ was sitting in the window at ten
minutes after twelve Tuesday when
saw Janet coming towards the build
ing" he told the lieutenant "When
she came up the steps to the landing at
my doorway | said to her, 'DoIlie,
would you like some caudyY
"She hesitated. Then | picked her
up in my arms and carried her into my
apartment.
she started 90 scream. Before /
knew it or realized what | was doing,
grabbed her by the throat and choked
her TO death.
Having realized what had done, l
then dressed, as at the time | was In
my bathrobe. ! then took Janets body
in my arms going down the front steps
to the basement where | buried the
body under pile Of coal
After signing formal confession he
led the police officials, under direction
OF Acting Chief Alcock, to THE base
ment Of the fiat building mt III and ia
East Superior street, where he lives
and there pointed out the spot where
Janets body was concealed.
He showed no emotion as the police
chief lifted big Jumps of coal from the
corpse. only once he betrayed weak
ness. This was when several men in
thc throng gathered outside the build
ing shouted: Hang him. Hang him !"
Ou the third floor above Mr.. and
Mrs. John S. Wilkinson, parents Of the
dead girl, waited in awful suspense.
They did not know Of his confession.
But the crowd below presaged impor-
tunt Developments.
After the body had been removed
from the basement the police broke
the news 10 them Mrs. Wilkinson fell
to the floor IN mint Wilkinson nut
tered prayer that the slayer would
meet death for the murder
A few hours later the wheels Of Cook
countys prosecuting machinery were
IN motion
Red Necktfe Jimmy OBrien, muir
der case specialist Of the states attor-
Heys office, was called In.
He had Fitzgerald removed, under n
heavy guard, To the criminal courts
building, where the murder story was
repeated in detail before official ste
nOeHphcrs,
Coroner Peter NJ Hoffman person
ally impancled a jury at CAROLS un-
dertaklng rooms and opened an in
quest over the body,
Acting chief Alcock and others de-
nundcd an immediate special session
Of the legislature to enact laws proyid-
Ing for farm colony for detectives Of
the Fitzgerald type.