Show A confession L A sars ho murdered john edwards 1 on juno 1884 the HERALD contained the following item headed shot dead information lias been that john edwards ft brakeman on the utah northern R it was cliot last night he was on the circus train and was found on top of a car between garrison and butte life being extinct when hewak discovered the bullet bavius pained through ins present there is no clue as to who committed the dastardly act the mother of the unfortunate victim of a dark deed lives on wall street between second and third this city the deceased also has a brother in the of the V P co at evanston the murder of mr edwards has always been shrouded in mystery but the indianapolis tribune of august of this year contains the following yesterday morning a man appeared at the lockup and approaching the jailor A B need ham said ho wanted to give for what asked the jailor far a murder which I 1 committed in a year ago the roan was locked up and alie story told by himself is about as follows at ogden ulah a little more than a year ago I 1 dont remember the date I 1 hired out to coles circus and assis loading and unloading circus wagons I 1 well ac quainter quain ted with the trainmen and about the third night after I 1 hired out wo were running along between deer lodge and garrison in montana A brakeman came on the car where I 1 was among the wagons and seeing me he ordered me to pay or jump off I 1 told him that I 1 belonged to the show and pay he believe me and called me a liar and pushed me two or three times I 1 struck him and we passed several blows then I 1 backed down at the end of the end of the car and he said you son of a b if you dont get off I 1 hear any more but told him if he came near me I 1 would shoot ue came anand I 1 shot him I 1 did not look to see him after he fell or where I 1 bad shot him but crawled up on one of the wagons and stayed there until we came to Boz einan where we showed that day that morning I 1 saw the body of the man I 1 bad shot brought into the laitine room of the depot I 1 went around to the pay agent got my pay and quit A watchman saw me shoot the brakeman but had not said anything about it and I 1 got away without any trouble the murderer saya he was known by the name of william murphy but bis real name is WilIiam Wanton he is 31 years old about five feet eight inches of stout build black hair and eyes and a short full beard lie is a virginian by birth and went west in 1863 he was mainly employed on railways in oregon until before joining the circus After ing the brakeman murphy or wanton went to dakota and worked the remainder of the summer near grand forks at the beginning of winter he went to dodge county wisconsin ant get work and went back to dakota he came to this city about six ago since coming here he has bad several jobs of wood chopping but has been too sick to do much work since shooting the man wanton says he has seen two men who told him that officers were looking after him constant running about and anxiety has injured his health and he is novy sick with rheumatism not being able to work hunger drove him him to confession some at the lockup who have bieard the story are inclined to doubt it but the majority give it credence such is the story of a man who for over a year has been to all apo pen rances fleeing when no man was pursuing life at last became unbearable and as an outlet for his pent up feelings he confesses to a crime which up to now has been surrounded with almost inpeng arable darkness |