Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-09-14
OFFICERS THINK
CONVICT GUILTY
James Robinson Is Being Crilled
About Murder of Miss Par
sons-Stories Conflict


of James Robinson, negro convic
water carrier, as to his move
ments at the time Miss Lura Par,
sons was murdered last Tuesday
and discrepancy in his story anc
that OF fellow convict, strength
ed the conviction of Sheriff How.
ard today that the negro commit.
ted the crime.
The negro admitted to officials
today that he was at the inter
section of the path taken by the
Settlement School teacher and the
mountain pike at noon on his way
from the branch to a road crew
half a mile away.
The negro contended that he
arrived at the spot where the con-
victs were working not long af-
terward The other convicts,
however, declared today that he
did not arrive until 2 o'clock,
Sheriff Howard said. The woman
was killed shortly after IL o'clock
it is believed.
Despite the growing belief of
Sheriff Howard and other Harlan
county officials that they will be
able to unearth conclusive evil
dence against Robinson, they are
not overlooking the fact that they
may be wrong. They also are
having three other negroes kept
under guard at the convict camp.
One is Sam Ellory, Louisville
convict, serving a 15-year sem
tence for attempted assault. FL
lory drove the dinner wagon and
was on the road at noon.
While the Sheriff and County
Judge Bailey were at the convict
camp grilling the four suspects,
Deputy Sheriff holland was on his
way to Frankfort to identify the
the reformatory guard who told
him at the train Saturday that one
of the returned negro convicts
knew who committed the murder.
DIR. Fl. c. Winnes, state veter-
marian, is still being held under
special guard here and teachers
at the Settlement School have b.
jected to his release until the
mystery has been unraveled, ac-
coridng to Sheriff Howard.
A second search was made to-
day for the pocketbook of Miss
Pasons. A small purse was found
Sunday, but this was one which
had been contained in large bag
she carried.
81 believe that the place where
we find this pocketbook will
throw much light on who is the
guilty man." Sheriff Howard de
clared.
Arrival of two Cincinnati de
tectives employed by the Settle
ment School, here this afternoon
was gratifying to the sheriff "We
need every bit of help we can
get" he said. 1--WE feel sure that
Robinson killed Miss Parsons but
what we want and hope to get is
positive proof"
The blood-Stained coat found.
which had been kept here until
the detectives arrived, was placed
in their hands for examination,
by Harlan county authorities Sat-
urday, was lifted yesterday and
the prisoners, with the exception
of the four suspected, were put to
work on the road.
A reward of $500 was offered on
Monday by Governor Morrow.
Frankfort, KY, Sept. ii. - All
guards at the reformatory will be
lined up today to enable Deputy
Sheriff Nolan to identify the one
who told him a negro who had
been returned from the convict
camp knew who committed the
crime. The Harlan deputy sher-
iff arrived Sunday night. So far
the investigation by Warden Mo-
yer has proved fruitless.
CDR. Winnis' innocence is abso-
lutely established and believe we
soon will have the evidence to
convict James Robinson, convict
water carrier" Deputy Sheriff
Nolan said.
The ban against any of the con-
victs leaving the camp, instituted
Lexington 70 ra laboratory exam
nation.