Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1921-09-28

prisoner the details of the murder
and Chief Sullivan and Detective
Brandenburg had amplified that into
a sort of confession. Yesterday
afternoon Cole decided that he would
tell it all Prosecuting Attorney
,Hoskins heard the confession, which
Court Stenographer Bruce Gotham
recorded in shorthand Newspaper
men were present.
It was a sordid story of the
cbcapness of human life, as related
by young Cole He and the preacher
barely knew each other. Cole told
the officers that on the morning of
the murder, his visit to the house
where the preacher was staying
was casual. He said the preacher
discussed with him his enmity for
Mrs. McKennon, who lived alone
in cabin home, and on whose place
the preacher had been prospecting
for silver.
Cole said that at the noon hour
Hughes proposed that Cole kill her,
and offered to pay him $3.50 for
the murder The Rev. Mr.. Hughes
furnished the rifle, a "A calibcr
Winchester. Cole said that he had
been furnished lot of moonshine
liquor incidental to the proposal
He said that he took the rifle, went
by a circuitous route to the home of
1.-THE woman, and fired one shot as
she was near the door of her home
"She sprawled out on the ground, "
Cole said. land | went a little closer
and fired three or four more shots.
Then | went on back to where l
was to meet the reverand. On the
way back to that house | was walk
ling along the side of the road, with
the rifle in my hand. A shot was
fired at me, striking the ground
close to my feet Another was fired
almost at the same time. I spraug
back and got behind tree and was
lgoing to return the fire when the
man who had shot at me was run
ming off through the thick under
brush That man who shot at me
was Preacher Hughes. "
Cole told of then going to the
home of Minnie Rowland. where the
preacher was living at the time, OF
leaving the rifle on the porch, and
of leaving. and later OF going to
Kansas. He never saw Hughes again
until yesterday afternoon, he said.
When the body of Mrs. McKennon
was found, it had been thrown back
on bed in her cabin. a pony that
she owned and which Cole said was
hitchcd to a buggy and tied to a
tree near the home at the time
has never been accounted for Meth
err has the final disposal of the rifle
ever been explained.
Since the confession of Cole, the
was Hughes who later visited the
home of the murdered woman and
placed her dead body within the
cabin. The state will contend that
i Hughes made safe disposal Of his
rifle soon after the tragedy.
1t was after Coles confession that
the Rev. Mr.. Hughes was brought
into his presence.
Hello, preacher, how are you?"
. Cole asked Hughes.
The preacher recognized Cole, ad-
hitting he knew him.
q have told them everything,
Cole informed the preacher. referring
to the prosecuting attorney, court
. stcnographer. officers and newspa-
per men. II have fully relieved
my mind"
The minister made no answer.
II told them about You getting
mo to do it," Cole told Hughes. II
told them about you furnishing me
the rifle and the whiskcy."
The minister still made no answer,
He was very nervous. Everyone
= waited for him to say something.
He didn't speak. Finally, II have
nothing to say here" he said, look
ing around.
II also told them about the $3.50
which YOU were to pay me for the
murder" Cole informed Hughes.
1T is all lie as black as the
depths OF he'll" the preacher said,
II also told them about you fir
ling two shots mt me when was
coming back up the road" added
Cole
The young man was steady. The
minister was very excited, but re-
Trained from talking.
Coles confession is considered by
the state as final assurance that the
first murder in the remote section
of the upper Ouachita country in
years will be punished, The web
has been SO woven that it seems i'm
possible for its fabric to loosen. The
trials of Cole and Hughes are
scheduled to take place at Mount
Ida on October II. 1t is likely
that in view of the confession of
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