The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-03-24
Murder Mystery
is Still Unsolved

y
Powell and Jesse Pitts last Friday
and Saturday. on the charge Of hav-
ing murdered James Burchall near
Frankclay on the 10th Of last De-
cember, was continued over until to-
day, owing to number of witnesses
being down with the flu. The evi-
dence brought out at the hearing last
week failed to throw much light on
the killing, which still continues to
be an unfathomed mystery, insofar as
the law is concerned. 1t is to be
hoped, however, that illuminating ev-
idence will be secured before the con-
tinuation of the hearing set for to-
day is finished.
Walter Boatright, whose confession
in regard to the murder of Birchall is
the cause for the present hearing,
was the first witness examined. He
again went over, even with additional
detail, the grounds covered by his
confession, but a careful comparison
shows that it disagrees in some inn
portant details with his original state
ment. His evidence made it appear
that Powell and Pitts are the guilty
parties, which was of course expect
ed, as that was in accord with his
confession.
Boatright was followed by Chas.
Meadows, another material witness.
But he proved to be not nearly so
free with his evidence. In fact, near
ly everything secured from him had
to be practically dragged from him.
Even then he was compelled often to
supply evidence on the second time
over the same ground that he had
failed to divulge on the first round.
He failed to make a favorable i'm
preston, and left doubt in the
minds of most of those who heard
him whether or not he was telling all
he knew, or was manufacturing some
Of his evidence" as he went along.
Frank Powell and Jesse Pitts then
followed each other on the stand, and
both stated that Boatright's entire
statement, Insofar as IL related to
them, was fssse in IS entirety Each
stated chat tis25 had never been in
company in his their lives; indeed
that they were hardly acquainted,
certainly had never been friendly, and
Pitts swore he never was in Boat
rights car. The manner in which the
testimony of both the accused was
given was inclined to create an i'm
preston in their favor.
Several unimportant witnesses were
then heard, before Alva Mullins, a
girl who had recently been brought
from St. Louis, was placed on the
stand. For some time she had lived
with and kept house for Frank Powell,
and her testimony was the most i'm
portant that has thus far been Sc
cured, as it tended strongly to indi-
cate "frame-up' against Powell and
Pitts. The Mullins girl swore that
statements previously coming from
her were secured through threats
from Boatright and Meadows. While
her testimony did little toward she'd
ding light on who the perpetrators of
the crime really are, it caused more
or less shifting of suspicion as to who
may be the guilty parties.
1t has been suggested that as Wal
ter Boatright is the one person who
thus far admits he was in the vicinity
of the killing, that he be placed on
trial for the crime. Then, if he is
really innocent, >he will be compelled
to "snitch" on the guilty ones in or
der to save himself. This he can no.
doubt do, unless his entire alleged
confession" is a myth. He is
thought to be already too deep In the
mire for one who is entirely innocent.
1t is the sincere wish of all law
abiding citizens that, something more
definite in regard to that cold-blooded
murder will be developed when the
hearing is resumed to-day This
would oe splendid opportunity to-
give that truth-telling gas, which has
been reported to be success, a "try-
out", which would evidently clear up
this mystery forthwith.