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Show ' , 1 : : ; 1 Wealthy Church Elder Admits Betraying Girl Found Dead in Cellar States, Under Accusations of Victim's Relatives, He Did Not Kill Young Woman About to Become Mother By CARL VICTOR LITTLE Unites! Preea Staff Correspondent. HOOPESTON, Ml, Aprtl J!!. John j O. Wyman, wealthy retired farmer and church alder, confessed today he betrayed Gertrude Hanna. who waa found murdered In the basement of the United Presbyterian parsonage j here, i "Bu' I didn't kill her," shouted r Wyman. "Before God, I aay, I didn't." L" Wyman, ti years of age, and hag- jy gard after two days of constant qulinng, atuck to that story until dawn, when he waa let go In custody of police. No charges have been lodged against the man. "We turned him loose with houndn on his track." waa tho explanation of Charlea N. Knoa. aherlft of Vermillion Ver-million county. "I don't want to be turned looae." late afternoon from tha funeral of Gertrude. The murder, ao the death of Gertrude Ger-trude Is called by the sheriff and state' attorney, rivals the mystery plots wlerdly woven by Edgar Allen Poe. These are the facts: Gertrude donned rubbera and sweater on the night of March l. saying she was going for a stroll to her sister's home', a distance of seven miles. ' Her body was discovered two days ago In the basement of the parsonage. She wore the same clothes which she had on when she left home. Her hands were folded as she lay on the cement ledge. No marks of violence were discovered on her body. Some physiclana aald she had been deed for a month, others for three weeks and another for only two weeks. It haa Wa established that she waa not on the cement slab In the parsonage par-sonage on April It. The house waa searched from baacment to garret on that day for a lawn mower. Vital organs were shipped to Dan- rllle. the county seat, after It was discovered she was to become a mother In three months. The organs were shipped to TTrhana. 111., for examination by authorities at the University of Illinois today. Traces of arsenio and other poisoning will oe i ought. Lewmnn, whoTert here ror jjafT Tille with "Sheriff Knox after the early morning Inquisition, said he would present tho facts to the grand Jury which meets in two weeks. Meanwhile, vengeful Hoopeston wonders. wyman begged. "I wouldn't think of going anywhere In Hoopeston without a policeman." The "third degree" was given Wyman throughout the night by Sheriff Knox and John H. Lew-man. state's attorney. The United Press correspondent waa allowed to be pres-ent pres-ent atthls examination. which waa neld" In a dingy, aluffy room above the fire eta t Ion. "t met Oertrude." Wyman began, "when wa attended church together vesrs ago. We were friends even than. But she went to Chicago to live: after which I met another woman, who T afterwards married. That was two years ago. "Mrs Wyman died since." Wyman aat erect In his chair aa told his story, leaning slightly for-i for-i wsrd. and gave the appearance of being eager to answer whatever quea-jf- tlons might be put to him. "One Sunday Gertrude came back . to Hoopeston. I met her at the church and wa took a long stroll In the country. TOLD TO FORGET LOVE. "I confeesed my lov to her. but aha told me to forget it. " 'I am no longer worthy of you.' she ssld. and atarted to tell ma of her mlsdesds In Chicago that she had been tempted and had fallen. "I stopped her. I aald, Oertrude. it mattera not what you have done. No matter how bad you have been, I have been many times worse. "It waa shortly after thla that I went to live with her folks. I was tempted and ao waa aha. Last October Octo-ber we fell. "I wasted to marry her, but aha refused. "We severed relations. "That's all I know. Before Ood, I repest. I didn't Jclll tha girl." "You remind ma of Tom Tucker, who got kicked out of hell for lying,' shouted the state's attorney. Questioned as to hla whereabouts Since April 1, many minor discrepancies dis-crepancies appeared In Wyman's Story. Wyman mentioned many nearby towns where he aald ha had been. "Tou said you were In Danville last Frldsy and Saturday," Lewman said. "Tour friends there didn't see you." "Well. I waa there all rlrht." waa Wyman'a response. Pherlff Knox Interrupted: "Orace, sister of Gertrude, told mo that the dead girl pleaded with you j to marry her when aha found out r -Hunt hap condition." ej "It Isn't true," Wyman responded, i Knox Jumped up and shouted: "Well, we ll find out-" Wyman rocked back and forth against tha wall In hla straight back chair. The sheriff entered with Orace and W. T. Hanna, tha girl's father. During Dur-ing the .Inteneely dramatlo scene which followed Wyman kept hla eyes glued .on the floor SISTER ACCUSES WYMAN. "Grace, a year or two younger than her dead sister, a achool teacher, and ' quite attractive, pointed an accusing finger at Wyman. "You did It." aha screeched. "After Oertrude pleaded and begged with you to marry her, you. a pillar of the church, refused." The young school teacher raised her two clenched flats blgh above her bead and cried for tho truth. "Please, If you killed my eleter. tell lis," she begged. "My mother is dying 5 at home." 1 Wvman repeated In a droning voice: "Before Ood. I didn't; before Ood. I dldn'L" "Didn't Oertrude plead with you for an engagement ring, and didn't aha threaten to bring you Into court to I force you to acknowledge tha child?" j Grace demanded. ' "I wanted to marry her," ha con- "i tradlcted. "Didn't she play tha game aquare -1 with your aaked Lawman. 1 "Tes." I j "Did you think you wera better I thsn she?" I I "Well, she waa aa good aa I," waa I (f the man's reply. Ti "What!" shot tha attorney. "Oood II tj as you. after all of the things you 1 J". have told ua about your personal I i life?" B 1 "No." answer Wyman, "I guess she I 1 waa better." I . "You're damn right aha waa bet- I ter." menaced tha father. Sheriff Knoa held Hanna la hla ehalr. "Why don't you tell the truth?" I pleaded the sheriff. "Tou know you wronged thla family. Tou brought on this misfortune." 1 am tailing tha truth. I didn't kill her." "But you wera responsible for her ' condition?" asked Lewman. "Tea." and Wyman bung hla head. "Come on. aplt It out," commanded the sheriff. -Get right with Ood." aald tha ! father, who la tf deeply rellgloua con-1 con-1 . Tletlona. ! "I am." waa tha low reply. DEATH METHOD MYSTERY. Then those questions wera shot at Wyman: "Where did you kill hert" -Who laid her on the slsb In the (basement of the parsonage?" T)ld you choke her, smother her with a blanket, or use chloroform?" r know nothing about It," waa tha answer. e" . Grace and Hanna had been roused T out of bed for tha early morning In- sjuialUom. They bad returned la the |