Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-02-26
~ lowell WILLING
|. To DIE FOR CRIMES
BUT BALKS At CELL
Florida Prosecuting Officials
Decide to Insist on Crimi-
nal Trial. Avoiding Test Of
Boys Sanity

CLEARWATER, Fla, Feb. %
This has been a good day for Franz
Mcdowell, the nineteen-year-olc
slayer of his two sisters, by burnins
in their Decatur, Ga, home a veal
ago, and the murderer of his par
ents by shooting them as they slep
in their home at st. Petersburg
kgla. last Tuesday night.
ssA representative of the Associat
Eed Press called on Mcdowell anC
remained from II to noon today
The boy was more cheerful and sait
he had slept well and ate a goof
hrea kfast. The weather here today
il ideal, warm, bright and dheerfu'
Mcdowell was taken from the tjel
OF cells on the lower floor of the
county Jail, this morning, and place
i in a comfortable room in the north
west corner of the building on the
second floor He was pacing III
and down the floor when the Asso
ciated Press representative was al
m:tted to his cell and he continued
to pace while talking. He said ne
: had seen no one today. and there
fore was not so tired
Mcdowell was asked about a
signed statement he gave yesterday
. to a reporter for some news gain
ering agency, and he stated that ne
was so tagged he hardly recalled
anything contained in the state
ment, that the reporter wrote it and
urged him to sign it, and he liked
. to be accommodating.
Memory Is Hazy
Asked if he recalled the happen
-ings of last Monday, the day before
- he killed his parents, Mcdowell said
Ibis memory was hazy regarding
Everything that happened that day,
though he remembered sometfane
1 about meeting q Mrs. Van Dyke on
= the streets of st. Petersburg and
Differing to take her home IN ms
car. He also remembered sitting IN
the car on Central avenue, and mao
a faint recollection of having writ
ten on typewriter. He said ne
was pretty good with typewriter.
Referring to Mary Birdsey, ths
. girl he was quoted as saying he IN
Tended to kill next year by drown
Ing. Mcdowell showed some spirit
lind said: II don't know just now
hiatt woman reporter managed to
quote me us saying anything ike
that. I never had such a Thought
"However," Mcdowell said, you
know, | have been having day
dreams about seeing Mary again.
Mcdowell said he wished Dr.
Smith, the Tampa alienist who ex
Amined him late yesterday afternoon
hnd Mr.. Forsythe, who came over
with the doctor, would come back
&n the morning when he is fresh SO
they could get along faster with the
task of finding out what his trouble
lis.
Pleased by Insanity Verdict
When told that the alienist had
said that he was insane, Mcdowell
appeared pleased, and a flicker of a
smile came to his mouth.
Mcdowell was then told that his
parents were buried in one grave,
beside his sisters, yesterday. He
|said: "That is what | told them to
do"
Evidently he meant the officers at
ISt. Petersburg who arrested him aft.
err the murder.
At the reference to the burial OF
his parents, Mcdowell showed de-
'cided signs of grief, though no tears
could be detected in his eyes. He
|scowled and held the back of his
heck with his hands and said: my
|God how can | stand all this, and
Ito think l did it."
He then threw himself on his mar
ROW cot while his body was convulsed
with jerks and his lips turned blue,
but no sobs were heard.
Mcdowell then was asked if he
1oared to sign a statement which had
been prepared by the representative
Iof the Associated Press. He was
HhancSsd the following. statement
yhtdh he read carefully. and re-
Ae4dtN He then said: THAT is just
hesWay | feel. and just what l have
6eent trying to say. 1t contains the
Facts. as see them. and will sigr
lit gladly, for I want the public tC
know how / feel"
The following is the text of
the signed confession by Frank
Mcdowell, at st. Petersburg,
Florida:
]. Frank Mcdowell. nineteen
years of age, do hereby volun-
tarily, and without compulsion,
make the following statement:
/ do not know what is the
matter with me, or what has led
me to kill my two sisters by
burning them in their beds
while they slept in our home in
Decatur. Ca, year ago, or
what strange power, or in
fluence, led me to shoot my ia
Their and mother as they slept
in th.ir bed in our home in St.
Petersburg. Fla, last Tuesday
night.
1 do know that my brain does
not function as it should, and l
would appreciate any help that
science may be able to give in
determining and removing the
cause of my strange actions.
While l now realize that my
hands performed the awful
tragedies of which / am accused.
l also know that l am not re-
sponsible for them. l was di-
rected by some power over
which / have no control. and l
regret them and grieve over the
loss OF my parents ana sisters
as any normal boy would. / am
ready and willing to pay any
penals.- exacted from me by So
ciety~ -ud 1 hope the final set
tlene,.-- will not be unneces-
sarily delayed. l had much
rather be executed than be con-
demned to remain in prison the
rest of my life. l do believe.
and hope, that science can cure
me of this terrible malady,
whatever it is, If 1 receive the
proper treatment from able
alienists and surgeons. My
nerves are so shattered at pres
ent. from the horrible thoughts