The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-12-29
BOY CONFESSES
OTHER GRIMES
TO OFFICIALS
duplicates Welby Hunt Of AL.
hambra In Drug Store Hold
up and Murder
WIDOW IDENTIFIES HIM
Newest Confession Reveals
Youth Was Leading Jekyl
and Hyde Existence

Los Angeles, Dec. 29.-R)-Con-
fession to two murders, in addition
to other crimes, today found Will
liam Edward Hickman linked with
Welby Hunt, Alhambra, Calf,
youth, in the staying of q druggist
in q holdup q year ago.
Hickman, 10 year-old "fox," who
admitted kidnapping and numbering
Marian Parker, weakened before
relentless questioning and late last
night confessed he shot and killed
Ivy Thoms, Rose Hill. Calf, drug
gist.
Hunt, implicated by Hickman in
the shooting of Thoms in December,
last, was arrested and made con-
fession which corroborated that OF
Hickman. Hunt denied, however.
that it was he who fired the shot
which killed Thoms as the youths
attempted to rob his store.
Woman Identifies Him
Taken to Hickman's cell for look
at the killer, Mrs. Thoms, wife Of
the slain druggist, glanced in his d.
rection with . cry, "That's him."
and tainted. She was able to only
partially identify Hunt.
Digging into the records OF
Hunts family, police discovered
that his grandfather, A. r. Bruick-
ell, q merchant at Alhambra,
Calf, supposedly had committed
suicide some time ago by jumping
from the Pasadena bridge.
The newest confession not only
reveals Hickman as double MUIR
derer but also as leading Jckyl and
HYDE existence. Hickman was reg
ularly employed as q messenger by
the Los Angeles First National
Trust and Savings bark, Of which
Perry NJ. Parker, father OF Marian.
is an officer. He worked at the
bank about two years, ending six
months ago, when he was discharged
after becoming involved in forgery
case. Hunt also is believed to have
been employed by the bank, and to
be still on the payroll Of the institu-
ton.
The record Of Hickman's outlawry
shows he continued work at the bank
for about six months after the drug
store killing, and, on being caught
in a forgery case, was given proba-
ton for the latter offense. He was
Is years old in December, 1926.
To Examine Suicide Note
An alleged suicide note left by
Hunts grandfather entered the new
angle Of the case when police an
nounced il would be examined in an
effort TO determine whether it was
real or forged. The elder Hunt had
been rated as q man Of some means
and lust before his death was said
to have transferred . large sum Of
money to the bank where his son
was employed.
Police declared Hicknan's latest
confession was written by him in re-
turn for kindness bestowed upon
him by Jail officials here.
Throughout yesterday Hickman
was treated the same as any other
prisoner. He was given reading
matter and was asked frequently
concerning his welfare.
Occasionally one Of the Jail Of.
ficials would ask Hickman:
Hickman. have you ever killed
anyone else?"
When he implicated Hunt, officers
were sent out to bring the youth in.
Holdup Man Also Wounded
Newspaper files revealed that
Thoms was shot when q police Of
ficer, J. w. Oliver, entered the store
during the holdup and opened fire
The holdup men answered with
their pistols. Thoms was shot in
the chest and Oliver in, the right
hand. Thoms died the day after
Christmas.
One Of the holdup men was seer
TO stagRer as the officer fired and
was assisted to the waiting automo-
bile by the other. The police de-
clared they found = scar on Hunt,
which apparently had been caused
by bullet.
After the Rose Hill robbery and
shooting, Hickman said, he and
(Contirue IN age tWo)