Imperial Valley press., 1923-10-13
DIRECTS NEPHEW
AS MURDERER OF
RELATIVE, CLAIM
Dozen Chastity Crimes
Planned for This
Year, Belief
"Stars .PrOpitiOus for
Such Work Just at
Present
by United Press Leased Wire

MARSHFIELD, Ore, Oct. 49,
Anton Covell, Is, confessed slayer
of his step-mother, and Arthur Gov
ell, his uncle, q crippled astrologer
and student, whom the boy charges
with plotting the crime, were to be
arraigned in circuit court here to-
day.
Both the youth and his uncle were
indicted by the grand jury on first
degree murder charges and spent
last night in the county Jail.
Young Covell has made COM
plete confession. authorities said,
admitting that he killed Mrs. Fred
Covell, his step-mother, by forcing
her to inhale ammonia. He acted
under the direction Of his UNCLE, who
has controlled him for years through
, u hypnotic influence, the lad said.
| Arthur Covell, the nationally
known astrologer and savant, has
admitted his part as instigator OF
| the crime, officers state. Jupiter,
his star, talking to him from the
| shltS dDONc, ulICCtCu HIAA " RiaM
the woman's death.
Dozen Victims, Plan
e Murder messages from the stars
are alleged to have directed the
death of at least dozen Marsh-
field and Coos Bay residents, had
been received by Covell, Luke 8.
May, Seattle criminologist, who was
responsible for the man. s arrest,
disclosed. They had not been ear
ried out.
Each plot of. death had been care.
fully worked out, the plan written
on n typewriter, the keys of which
were astrological symbols in code
script invented by Covell. Each
death was to bring the astrologer
money, and each was plotted to the
minutest detail, even, showing how
! much the crime would cost and how
much SHOULD be realized from it, the
| officers said.
Covell, the twisted, bedridden
man, was not to commit the crimes
personally. Young Alton Covell and
Byron Enoeh, another nephew, act
ing under the hypnotic direction Of
their uncle were to do the Staying.
| All was to be done without cast
ing suspicion upon the perpetrators.
One man was to ostensibly break
his neck i'll fall down flight or
stairs. In his pocket was to be
found a will giving Covell half his
property.
Another family of four was to
have the house burned, consuming
them in the flames, after they had
been first drugged and the resi-
dence looted. Five members of an
other family were to be killed by
blows on the head, presumably by
a relative.
place during the coming year, when
the stars were propitious. had CO.,
veil planned, officers said.
Noted Over U. s.
The astrologer was taken to the
county Jail last night. He had to
be carried, as his back was broken
two years ago in an automobile ac-
cldent. He can walk only few
feet at time with the aid of
crutches and then only backward.
Covel has two piercing eyes which
fairly seem to burn. Those who
have talked with him say his influ-
enee and strong mentality are forces
which impress themselves upon any
one with whom he converses while
his knowledge, particularly of scien.
tifle subjects, is complete.
| lie has written seyeral hooks an
astrology and for years has made
an ever increasing income through
horoscope readings, orders for
which he has received from all parts
of the country.