, 1935-07-02
Three WOMEN
HAD HAND IN
RIDE MURDER
Girls Break II n d e
Questioning A d
Confess Slaying
Was Planned

DETROIT. July 2.zP=Howard
Carter Dickinson, slain New York
attorney, dined and drank with
killers and paid their dinner check
q few hours before they shot him
70 death In a robbery, 1t was dis
closed Tuesday in the last OF a
series of confessions made by VIII
lam Lee Ferris and his three
party girls" companions.
Early Tuesday Prosecutor Dun
can G. McCrea reported that ne
had fitted together the last pieces
OF the puzzle picture Of D~ickinson's
murder, drawing from the three
screaming, half hySterical girls the
admission that I'VE decided TO kill
him" because dead men tell no
tales"
Made without Feeling
The complete absence Of feeling.
which police q~ueStioners reported
as stunning. earmarked each con-
feSsion they said as it came forth
in greater detail during the night
from Ferris and his companions,
Loretta and Florence Jackson,
~bCrleSque dancers, and Jean Miller.
The story that Dickinson, well
groomed. wealthy appearing coun-
Sellor. was taken for a ride" and
killed for his money, came first
from the Miller girl. Fighting off
hysteria through hours Of ques-
tloning, Prosecutor McCrea said
Shs finally blurted out that Ferris
killed their victim and that the
girls rifled the pockets Of clothing
for money.
Confronted with her admission,
McCrea said Ferris broke down.
and told what the prosecutor said
he thought was the whole story"
But II was from Florence Jack
son. that McCrea reported obtain
iEg the details Of the entrigue
which he said linked the quartet
in the murder.
Loretta. Bill and myself talked
about taking Dickinson out when
we were in Bills room Tuesday
night" McCrea quoted her as say
ing in her statement.
we all agreed that Dickinson
had 2 lot OF money and that we
ought TO get a lot from him. Bobbie
Ooretta) and I suggested rolling
rim, but Bill said 1t might be a
hard thing TO do. He was against
II because he was afraid that Dick
inSon might talk. We then suggest
ed knocking him out, but Bill said
that was too dangerous because he
would be able TO talk when he
came to. and would be able TO
identify us.
Decide on Death
HE thought the only thing for
US TO do would be TO kill him. There
%aS some argument about that, but
we finally decided TO let Bill get
his gun and we'd take him out.
We decided TO kill him"
In describing the plot Florence
said they arranged to signal Ferris
when trey thought the time was
ripe for the robbery. we laid plans
for the signals" McCrea quoted
her as saying. with Jean included
In the plans. Then We didn't talk
UGH more about them Wednesday,
because Dickinson came up and we
had dinner with him"
The prosecutor said Ferris de-
scribed how he and the Jackson
sisters struck up an acquaintance
with Dickinson in the dining room
Of a hotel Book Cadillac) last
Tuesday night. decided he had
money. and made a date with him
for Wednesday night. The Miller
girl joined the party that night.
Riding through Rouge park We'd
nesday night after the four had
consumed a quart OF whiSkey and
played nickel poker In Ferris hotel
room. McCrea quoted Ferris as
saying the girls asked TO get out
Of the ri
Won't Talk Any More
Then I put the gun on Dickin-
SON." said Ferris according to Nc
Crea. HE wouldn't put his hands
uu so I let him have II. The gun
went off a second time a I was
pulling DickinSon's coat and vest
off" 4
The girls told the prosecutor that
before Dickinson died. he said:
you're a damn fool. You kids are
making a mistake"
McCrea said that Florence told
him in her confession that she and
Jean grabbed for the coat and
vest"
I'VE didn't find any money in
the vest But Jean took the wallet
out OF the coat pocket and / took
out n small book. There was Sl4
in the book. Jean counted out sl20
she took from the wallet.
BILL said: That's a hell OF
small amount TO kill a man for. I
thought there'd be some fifties
IN there. But he won't talk any