Show ST LOUIS SSNSATION I 1 1 The Hoirible Confessionof a d rI j MXirdeiiS I i KILLING OF MAYOE J30WMAN r I r 1 r i r Chips From > the Capital Of Great Importance Im-portance ThevAni rlcau Forflstry Congress General News j A Murderer Confesses I I ST j LOUIS September 14 = Arthur U K f Arthbuthnot alias Al Pitman alias Charles Walker alias Parsons recently recently arrested at Covington Tenn has confessed to the sheriff of that county of having murdered the late Mayor Bowman of East St Louis on the 20th of last November The sheriff has sent the confe sion to the East St Louis authorities During the early part of November Novem-ber 1886 I was visiting in East St Louis and while walking in the outskirts out-skirts of the town about dusk of the evening I was approached by a well dressed man of pleasing manners who stopped and conversed with me After a while he asked me if I wanted to make collie money I told him yes I was pretty hard up sfl I was ready todo most anything He said there was a man in East St Louis whom he wanted put out of the way 1 told him I was his man and could make arrangements to kidnap his victim He said he didnt want him kidnapped but put out of the way I said I would murder the man for 3000 if 1 was going to be hanged an all 1 wanted to sell myself for a decent amount I didnt intend to commit murder however I meant to kidnap and keep him in an asylum By this means I 1 could extort money from my captive and my principal nn the same time I wad au appointment ti meet him again and at tins second interview I learned that my employer was a vice presidSntof a railroud company and are a-re ident of St Louis Final arrangements arrange-ments were then made and 1 then agreed to do 1 the job for 2500 I started immediately for New York and while there made arrangements with Dandy Jim and Striped Cnarlev Blake to assist me On the 19th of November I went back to East St Louis and there completed the details of ray scheme I bought a bu 1 dog revolver t a five shooter of 44 cahbre and two long hunting knives I didnt intend I want it understood to murder Bowman but only bought the weapons to defend myself he should reist my attempt to kidnap him That evening I met the railroad vicepresident by appointment and while we were talking together Mr Bowman passed by There is the man said my companion l that I want you to put out of the way He gave me his photograph photo-graph so tnat 1 could make no mistake On the next night my plans were complete Except that my accomplices had not arrived I stationed sta-tioned a hack near Bowmans house in which it was my intention to drure him to an asylum where 1 had made arrangements ar-rangements fur his confinement I then concealed myself in a lumber pile in front of Mr Bowmans house and waited I soon perqeivi d a gentleman walking in my direction and when he came opposite I prang out in front of him and presented my pstol before his face and commanded him to halt He siezed my hand and I told him to let go that I was not going to kill him nor take his money He dropped my hand and stepped away foot or two and called for tho police In order to quiet him I raised my revolver and fired He fell face downward and I then know that I had hurt him worse than 1 intended I did not even then comprehend that I had killed h mI only intended toll to-ll sable him place him in a carriage and take him to the asylum I walked up to his body and fOund that he WaS dead I then started to escape and had gone but a short distance when I me my employer He then paid me my money and we went to his house in St Louis and spent Ihe remainder of the night Early in the morning disguised dis-guised as a woman I took first the train for Springfield Illinois The confession then details his travels through the south and his final arrival at Covington Tenn and his subsequent subse-quent arrest He states that he makes the confession voluntari simplbe cause of a guiltyconscience Ife jnows his employers name his plaqe pf residence resi-dence andcould easily identify him if he should ever see hXmsagam He reuses re-uses to declare viceprfisidents name but promises to do eo > wheti the proper time shall arrive iVv I r t f I a 10 J w i |