South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-03-19
KILLED LEROY
LOYETT;; SIGNS
CONFESSION
Warsaw L a d Tells Sheriff
Moon That the Devil
Drove Me to It,.
DENIES HAVING AID
Confession of Decker Solves
Mystery Insurance
Not Mentioned.

4 by Associated Press
WARSAW, Ind. March 1s.-Nir-
gil Decker. held here in connection
with the death of Leroy Lovett. OF
Elkhart, late Friday night confessed
to having committed the crime. ac-
cording TO an announcement by O..
3. Moon The sherin said Deeller
signed a statement admitting that
he killed Lovett. Decker. according
to the sheriff, committed the crime
unassisted.
The devil drove me to it" said
Decker when asked what was his
motive in killing young Lovett. IS
year-old EIkhart lad and a double
to Decker.
Decker, in his confession. made
no mention of plot to obtain IN
isurance money.
The confession clears up one of
the most perpleXing mysteries i'm the
records of Kosciusko county. Sew
Cral clues, seeming sure TO find the
murderer had been uncovered by
the authorities but each one had a
vitality weak point.
Buggy Demolished.
Lovett's body had been found last
Saturday night near a Pennsylvania
railroad crossing and the buggy
which he, ostensibly. had been rid
ing I'm was demolished At first 81
was the supposition that he had
been killed i'm the crash which
wrecked the buggy but a wound up
on his forehead which seemed "a
have been caused by a blow with a
blunt Instrument aroused suspicious
The body was at first Identified
as Lovett and then Decker's parents
claimed the body as that of their
son. The likeness between the two
is apparent and the insistence of the
Deckers in claiming il as their son
after il had been proven 90 be
LOvett aroused further suspicious
The officials then worked on the
theory that a plot had Eeen formed
10 kfl} Lovett. and then. by. idenu-
flying the body as Decker, 10 collect
/
is alleged TO have carried.
A search was instituted for the
, Decker boy and ne was found al
Marion Ind. and brought back C.
Warsaw At first ne stoutly main
tanned his innocence i'm spite of sew
eraI severe grillings, saying he knew
/ nothing OF the Warsaw lads death
Failure TO find a series Of tattoo
marks on his arm further weakened
the case against him. as II was al
legged that he had cajoled Lovett
week prior 10 the killing into hav.
ing similar marks tattooed ON his
p arm in order 20 strengthen tn, iden.
tification i'm the plot.
DcCker's younger brother was also
p Farrested, but was later released.
The statement follows
My name is James Virgil Decker
b age Is years have been residing
, with my brother. Fred Decke about
two miles from Atwood Ind. sine.
was nine years of age. and with
reference 20 statements made and
signed in Kosciusko county Jail
which were dated March is. n AND
IS. relative TO the death Of LeRo5
Lovett. I wish 10 state now that the
story in my other statement about d
man named Guy being with Leroy
I-ovett and myself I'm the automobil,
, from Elkhart. Ind, or at the cottag,
on the Tippecanoe river is untrue
I wish 10 say now iu this statement
that I myself. James Virgil Decker
killed Leroy Lovcst and no one els
assisted me. About 10 ~ M Marcel
~. 1921 I left Ferds house and
walked down 10 the cottage and or
: arriving there I found Leroy await
ing me.
We went out and got some WOOD
and put IL I'm the fireplace and theI
laid down, Leroy laying ON th,
couch and I laid on tho straw tirl
on the floor. and Leroy and ] b0tf
went to sleep. and after "a while
woke up and Leroy was 5u1 sleep
: Jog on the couch The piece ~ iron
which YOU have just SHOWN me u
, the piece of iron which 7 usrt n
strike Leroy on the head with.
don't know just exactly how go
hold Of this piece Of iron. but . d,
. know that ] had % and that struci
Leroy on the head with IT, An,
then / left the cottage shortly afte'
; thought ne was dead. J left the
cottage and went go the barn sne
got the horse and then went %
where I had left the automobile tha
We had driven from Elkhart. Ind.
! and while trying 90 starf the au'o
J mobile Lawrence Boluuger came q,
! where ] was and tried % assist me-
As ] have said on my or
statements We could not get th,
automobile started and took th'
horse and went back 20 the house
also drove 20 Atwood Bctweer
and 8 p. m / did the chore'
! and then went down 20 the cottag,
2. and on arriving there Z found -
I door open and on looking ins4
the leottage l saw Leroy Love-