Evening star., 1924-02-23
SAYS FATHER KNEW
HE SLEW SISTERS
Mcdowell Declares Murdered Par.
ent Saw Him Leave Room
After Firing Bedding.

BY the Associated Press.
CLEARWATER Fla, February 90.
The intimation by Frank Mcdowell,
nineteen, confessed slayer of his
father, mother and two sisters, that
his father knew he was responsible
for the fire that caused the deaf of
his two sisters a year ago, the opinion
Of III. Mason Smith, Tampa alienist
that Mcdowell is insane, and Nc
Dowells declaration that he pos
sessed a dual personality" were over
night Developments in the case of the
youth who shot to death his mother
and father, Mr.. and Mrs. J. NJ. Me-
Dowell. at st. Petersburg last Tues
day night.
In new confession, made and
signed by Mcdowell last night. he
said he did not know what caused
him to murder the members of his
family, but that he had had a brain
storm during several days preced-
ing the shooting Of his mother and
father while they slept.
BIamcs Dual Personality.
He said he believed he had been an
agnostic for five years. But these
dual personalities in me work queer
tricks. When j have control Of my
self ! am above rcligion-rm an
atheist; but when my subconscious
nature is in control of me believe
III Christ and living God. My sub
conscious self seems to command
something that my conscious mind
is powerles to ignore and my body
obeys. Just before my crimes am
a Christian; then | become Mortified
at the enormity of my sins and re-
turn 10 my atheism
Relating incidents in connection
with the burning To death of his sis
ters at Decatur. Ga. year ago. he
said his father found him in the hall
outside his sisters room as he es-
capped from the room following the
application of torch to the gaso-
ne-soaked bedding. He said his
father never talked of the tragedy
afterward.
"Brainstorm,' it was pointed out.
was a type of insanity mentioned
two decades ago during the trial of
Harry T. Thaw for the murder of
Stanford White in New York.
Will Face Final.
Deputy Sheriff Hort<n Belcher told
reporters today that ii had been de-
clded not to have the prisoner cx-
amlned by an ordinary insanity
commission" but to submit him 70
the usual procedure of trial for a
capital crime.
The boy killer. he said. would be
given preliminary hearing before
county Judge Bird. and will be held
for trial and tried in circuit court
mere at the next term, in May.
me date for the hearing has not
been Set. The state attorney, II. 4.
Wilson. of Dade City, is in Memphis,
Tenn, and Belcher was unable to
say when he would return.
If Mcdowell were adjudged insane
by lunacy commission said Bel
cher, he would be sent to an asyluin
as an ordinary Crazed man. But il
the boy is tried for murder the Jury.
would probably return a verdict that
he is criminally insane or that he
committed murder. In the event of
the former verdict he would be
locked up under close guard, and if
found guilty on the murder charge
would be electrocuted, Belcher said.
Belcher laughed at reports of a
movement to lynch the boy. People
have too much sense for that" he
said.
There was a noticeable change in
the lad this morning. His glibness
is gone. he fumbled for words and
ideas. his memory was not sure his
head ached, he said, and he was tired