The New York herald., 1922-12-29
NEGRO, 10, C0NFESSES
S7RANCL|NG WOMAN
Played at Christmas Tree With
Victims Four Children
After Murder.
INDICTED IN IL MINUTES
Swift Jersey Justice Sets Trial
for Thursday as Criminal
Record Is Shown.

1t was the patent fastener of a gray
kid glove. and the story told by a
little girl, that drew from William
Z. Battles, ninetten-y year-old negro,
confession that he had strangled
Mrs. Charles r. Brigham Wednesday
afternoon and hidden her body in a
closet in the cellar Of her home at
266 Fuller terrace, Orange, n. J. He
denied, however, that he had attacked
! her.
John o. Bigelow County Prosecutor
of Essex county, had already arranged
with Judge Fred c. Stickel to present
the case TO the Grand Jury as soon
as the case had been completed against
the negro. One hour after the con-
fession had been signed in the head
quarters OF the Orange police the
grand jurors had the case, and after
eleven minutes handed down an in
dictmept charging the negro with first
degree murder. Judge Stickel an
nounced that Battles would be ar
rAigned in Newark this morning at 10
o'clock to plead, and next Thursday
has been set for the trial.
Eattles's father James II. Battles.
who livedvwita his -son at 500 Madison
street, Orange, is still under arrest as
material Witness. although 1t Is be-
lieved the police have no evidence
against him or his case would have also
been presented to the Grand Jury. Both
the father and the son have criminal
records. according to the New Jersey
authorities, the elder negro having been
arrested in Morristown in 1907 for
beating and trying TO attack woman.
He was sent to, prison for twenty years,
but was pardoned about year ago. His
victim was insane for a long time, but
eventually recovered. The son has been
arrested three times since 1918 for rob-
berry and attempted robbery.
The police arrested the younger Bat
ties because Virginia, the seven-year-old
daughter, told them that he had been
working about the house II missed my
mother and asked the man where she
was" said Virginia. "He told me she
had gone to store TO buy some bread,
but, when she did not come back for "a
long time, I telephoned my papa and
told him my mother was gone and that
me and Robert and Margaret wanted
her to come home"
The body Of the little girls mother
lay jammed in the closet during the time
she was talking to the young negro.
And she not only talked TO him. she sat
on the floor and showed him her Christ
mas presents. and had him light one OF
the Christmas trees that each OF the
three children. III with measles, had by
his and her bed.
The fastener on the gray gloves was
found by the detectives not far from
the body OF the dead woman, about the
same time that they found finger prints
on the door of the closet. For hour
after hour Captain Godfrey and Detec-
tives Burns and Cronen questioned the
young negro and finally Burns casually
asked:
what became of those gray gloves
you had?'
II loaned them to man last week."
/ Ijp to this time the negro had not
been searched. but now the detectives
seized him and turned his pockets in
side out.
And in one pocket they found the
gloves, with one fastener gone. Then
Burns drew from his pocket the fast
oner that had been found in the cellar.
He fitted Il into the glove found on
Battles.
II did lt, I killed her. killed her
and put her body into the closet!' the
negro said instantly.
Tho negro said he began to quarrel
with Mrs. Brigham because when
money order had vanished while he was
in the house she insinuated he was dis
honest. He atruck her. he admitted, and
forced her TO her knees, choking her as
she went down After Mrs. Brigham
stopped struggling he tied ciotheslino
around her neck and dragged her body
across the cellar floor and propped II
against the wall. Then he started UP
the stairs. but noticed that the body
looked very prominent sitting where nc
had left IT, so he went back and showed
IL into the preserve closet. Then he
locked the door and went up the stairs
and into the room where Virginia sat
playing with her presents.
The police learned from Mr.. Brigham
that both Battles and his father had
been employed at the Brigham house.
the elder as furnace man and the son
as general laborer They had been
working there for several months and
the Brighams trusted them. None of
the Brighnms knew that no was on
PROBATION LOT TODpeTy auu tDey uld not
know that the elder negro had been
arrested and convicted OF a crime SINH
lar to the one OF Wednesday
The Brighams came TO Orange about
six months ago from OIL City. Pa. Mr.
Brigham Is general sales manager OF
the Charles r. Debevoise Brassiere
Manufacturing Company of New York
Financial Review OF 1922 IN The New York
Herald Wednesday. January 8. VIII contain
nxcnfiont MATERIAL for forcc. atfn~ frado and