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MgM Edison The Ateanta Georgian. £# «*. VOL. 1. NO. 192. ATLANTA. OA., THURSDAY, DECEMBER (i, PRICE: “YES, I KILLED HER,” DECLARES GILLETTE TOMIS ATTORNEY Prosecuting Attorney Knew of Prison er’s Confession. YOUTH EXPLAINS WHY HE KILLED Says That Girl Caine Prom Her End of Boat To ward Him. • Herkimer. N. Y., Dec. Chenter Gillette hae confessed that he murdered Grace Brown on Big: Mooee lake. To his counsel he admitted: "Yes; I did kill Grace Brown, "She stood up and came from her end of the boat toward me and was crying, and said she was discouraged. To end It all I took my tennis racquet out of the straps of my dress suitcase and struck her twice. “Dumped Her Overboard.” "She fell full length backward, her head striking the seat. Then I dumped her overboard.” When Gillette, on the witness stand, told his story of how his sweetheart had jumped Into Big Moose lake and committed suicide, at least six persons knew he was lying. These were: Gil lette's two lawyers, the prosecuting at torney and Sheriff Richard and Turn key Evans. Knew of the Confsssion. During the cross-examination of Gil- lette District Attorney Ward said to him: "Did you not confess the night before last that you struck Grace Brown when she came up beside the boat?” Gillette made a denial. Later, in the dramatic events of the trial, the pur port of this question was forgotten. The district attorney, however, knew at the time that Gillette had confessed, ami he had witnesses to prove It. To Fight for Family. It is understood that had the ver.llct been guilty of murder In the second degree Gillette's lawyer would have made no tnoy* to save him from life Imprisonment. Because of the urging nf the doomed man's parents, however, the lawyers will fight to save the fam ily from the ataln of having one mem ber put to death In the electric chair. A dispatch from Denver tells of the Kilef with which the parents of Gil lette learned of his confession, Mrs. Frank Gillette, the mother, who wns a burner Salvation Army officer, still de clares her belief that her son Is Inno cent of the crime of murder. Parents Want An Appsal. The parents wired to Chester's m- torneys as follows: "We wish ycu to appeal the case at ■nee, nnd please let us know when the new trlid Is likely to come, as we are both coming to attend It. How much money will wo need lo raise for an ap peal? Thank you for the hard tight made for our boy. We believe politics Influenced tho Jury in Its decision, nnd that a higher court will reverse It." Sheriff Overheard Story, lie feared, however, to put the con fession In evidence, aa It had been made to the prisoner's lawyers and might muse the granting of a new tdsl. Gillette had told former Senator Al bert M. Mills, his Junior counsel, how lie had slain Grace Brown. His state ments were overheard by Sheriff Rich ards and Turnkey Kvans, who at once Informed the district attorney. Lawyer Mills had been wrestling with i be problem whether he should permit Gillette to go on the stand and tell his elory. He finally decided atllette's ■tory could not make his case any worse, and went to Gillette’s cell to have him again go over the details of Ids story of the girl's death. Gillette Told All Details. Gillette went over the events of the fateful day as he had related them before, until he came to the point where be had said the girl leaped out of tho boat to drown hernelf. Then, In deliberate manner, he told 'bat, as the girl rose In the water be side the boat, he struck her a terrible blow over the head and tho girl sank to her death. "You little wretch," cried the horri fied lawyer, "why did not you ever tell me this before?*' Gillette was silent and the angry lawyer left the cell. The next day c lien the trial was resumed It was ob served that there was a coolness be- '“'een Gillette and his lawyers. Mills and < 'hase D. Thomas, his other lawyer, old not alt near him, and until the end °f the trial they seldom spoke to him. Rawlins Sent Letter to Old Mother at the Last. Two hours before he died on th. gal lows In Valdosta last Tuesday, old man J. G. Rawlins borrowed a bit qf pencil gnd wrote a letter to his old mother, who had come a long way to see him, asking that It be given her after hla death. The letter was given by Sheriff Pass- more to the widow, to be delivered to the mother of Rawlins. It was guard ed carefully by Mrs. Rawlins and was shown .only to a friend of The Geor- S an, at Fltsgerald. to whom Mrs. iwllns expressed her gratitude for the spirit of this paper toward her family. When opened lF.vns found that Raw lins had written his own epitaph—a brief, relentless epitome of his wrecked life, such as only a man of his stern type could wish to carve In marble to tell the world the hard facts without the gloss of the usual obituary. Here Is the letter from Mr. Parrish, at Fltx- gerald, with a copy of Rawlins' letter to his mother and the epitaph which was written during hie last hours: Bearing Body Home. Fltsgerald, Ga„ Dec. 5, 1906. Hon. John Temple Graves, Editor Atlanta Georgian, Atlanta. Ga. Dear Sir: Mrs. J. G. Rawlins psssed through here today with the body of J. G. Rawlins en route to Jacksonville, Ga.. for burial. The attached Is a copy of a letter I saw In theli) possession here today that the old man asked them to deliver to his mother. Aa The Oeorctgnmnr'been kb W#TT spoken of by him, I send you the letter which he wrote on the morning of his execution. This was written In his cell o'clock, two hours before his death. Yours (ruly, J'. M. PARRISH. Letter to His Mother. Valdosta, Ga.. Dec. 4, 190«. Dear Mother: I am sorry 1 brougnt all this trouble on you and the rest of my people and friends, but I don’t want any of you to grieve after me, one bit. I would have been glad to see some of my people If I could. 1 am not guilty of what I am accused of: my boys ere Innocent of that Clime; they did not do It. or have anything to do with It in any way. I believe the negro will own the crime when we go on the gallows. I want Lae to get me a cheap tomb stone and put It to my grave. Ange- line will give him the money to pay for It. On the other side of this sheet you will see the words I want put on It. Your wayward boy, J..R. RAWLINS. This Is the epitaph written on tho reverse of the letter: J. o. Rawlins, born June 19th, 1105. Hung at Valdosta, Ga., Dec. 4th, 190*. This bark was well built, but. mis guided, ran hard on the rocks of de •tructlon. u RAWLINS BOVS TO ESCAPE HALLOWS SENTENCES ARE COMMOTED TO LIRE; PRISON COMMISSIONERS MERCIFUL Defense Claims He Was Cruel to His Wife. It Is stated Thursday that the prose cution In the case of Albert L. Thomas, the young railroad man who Tuesday afternoon shot and wounded Dr. Wil liam Cawhern, Will spring a sensation at the trial in contradiction of the charge of Thomas that the physician had wrecked his home. Attorneys Eugene D. Thomas and David R. Quarles, counsel for Dr. Caw hern, assert they will be able to show that Thomas by the commission of certain acts, mistreated his wife, and that it was this alleged cruelty that prompted her to leave him last Mon day. It will be further shown. It Is stated, that advice given by Dr. Caw hern as the family physician. In the interest of the health of Mrs. Thomas, was disregarded by the husband. Mrs. Thomas. It is understood, has expressed a willingness to go on the witness stand, If permitted, apd brand the charges of her husband ns utterly untrue. Mrs. Thomas Is still at the home of her sister, Mrs. Cook, 23 Or chard street, where she went after leaving her home Monday. “Reason Wlfs Left Homs.” Another new feature in connection with the affair has been developed In the declaration of Mrs. Thomas to friends that her husband had not spoken to her for a period of two weeks before she left hi in and that this prompted her to leave. Mrs. Thomas, It Is said, stated that this conduct on the part of her hus band greatly annoyed her and that she remonstrated with him, but to no avail. Finally, Sunday afternoon she Is said to have threatened to leave him Mon day if he did not become more socia ble. According to Mrs. Thomas, the hus band is said to have replied: ‘All right, Just leave the keys where Continued on Page Fifteen. Men and Women Vic tims of the Blast. Lynn, Mass., Dec. 6.—Several factory workers, among whom are said to be some women, are reported killed In boiler explosion which wrecked the big Harney Brothers’ shoe factory at We *t J Lynn shortly after 7 o’clock today. The J big boiler blew up Just after the power had started and the help were assem- I bled for work.' To add to the terror of hundreds of j men and women rushing from the fac- j tory a fire sprang out In the vicinity of 1 the power house. At first two alarm* were sent In, but, inside of ten min- j utes It was found necessary to bring * out the whole fire fighting apparatus! of the city. Dozen Men Are Hurt. It Is feared the fire will spread and > arrangements are being made to get fire fighting apparatus here from Boston and other cities by train, should a call ; be necessary; The force of the explosion demollsh- ed the entire front of the building and flaming debris was thrown through the floors of the building, injuring at least twelve man In the lakters department. The fire caught Immediately and th* long wooden structure was a mass of flames Instantly. The workmen had to flee for their lives, and It was with great difficulty that the Injured ]w< o taken from the building. Ten men were taken at once to the Lynn hos pital. Floe in Night Clothes. 'E In half an hour the factory was de stroyed. The fire spread to the W# t Lynn station of the Boston and .Maine railroad, and from there was communi cated to the shoe factory of Tuft A: Friedman, a three-story building. S* \ - eral cottages surrounding the Harn**y factory were burned to the ground u the Jewish occupants *yere forced the street, some. In their night cloth* Milton arid Jesse Raw-, lins Were to Die Friday. OOOOOOOODOOOO0OODOOOOOOOOO O o 2 CHURCH PERSECUTED O 2 IN FRANCE, 8AY8 POPE. O 2 — o ° Rome, Italy, Deo. At the O 2 ' onsl.tory today eighty-four new 0 2 bishop. were appointed. The pope O 2 “Poke feelingly of what he con- O 2 «ldered the pereecutlon of Catho- O 2 1,c * In France under the law aep- O 2 orating the church and mate. O 0 O coooqooooooooooooooooooodo TO SEEK PARDON New York, Dec. 6.—It Is reported here that Albert Patrick, who I, In Sing Sing prison, having been con demned to the electric chair following hi* conviction on a charge of murder ing Millionaire Rice, haa secretly pre pared a petition asking Governor Hig gins for pardon. SALARY INCREASE NOT DEFEATED All effort* to defeat the proposed In crease In salaries of a number of city officials failed In the city council at the special meeting Thursday after noon. The ordinance will be adopted. STORM IN NORTHEAST CAUSE8 WIRE TROUBLE Many wires are down because of the severe storm which has been prevail ing over New York and northeastern state*. No race results were accepted for Immediate dispatch. RA IVLINS WRITES EPITAPH POR HIS OWN TOMBSTONE This Is the epitaph written by J. O. Rawlins for hi* own tombstone. It le typical of the stem old man. once a preacher, well versed In religion, who went to his death believing that he had no hope of salvation. J. a. RAWLINS. Born June 19. 1M6- . This berk wuurejl built,“but"ml .guided, ran hard on the rocks of de ft ruction. Life for Milton and Jesse Rawlins! With the gallows on which their fa ther perished Tuesday standing within the Jail Incloeure at Valdosta, ready to send them to eternity Friday, mercy was shown them Thursday morning by the prison commission and Govern or Joseph M. Terrell. Chairman J. 8. Turner und General Clement A. Kvans signed the recom mendation which meant life to the boys. Colonel Tom Eason, the other member of the commleslon, was not present. Contrary to general expectation, the commission made short shift of their hard task. The opinion had been ex pressed that the decision would not be made before late Thursday afternoon. Before 10 o'clock Attorney John H Cooper was on hand. HI* every move ment gave expression to Ills Intense anxiety and nervousnese. They waited until near 11 o’clock to give Colonel Eason an opportunity to come In, but as he did not. Chairman Turner finally sent for Mr. Cooper. Face Told Story, He was not in the private office of the commission more than ten minutes when he came out. his face wreathed In happy smiles. He fairly exuded Ills good news.' "What Is the decision, Mr. Cooper?” asked a newspaper man. "Sorry I can't tell you," was the smil ing reply. "But you know the matter cannot be given out until It has gone to the governor.” Maybe Mr. Cooper did not reallae It, but he might as well have shouted the news of the commutation from the house tops. No man could have smiled as happily as hs did with any but good news. And he has been terribly In earnest In this case. He believed with all his being that Milton and Jesse Rawlins ought to be commuted to life Imprison ment. Now that It Is all over, he con fessed that he gave up hope absolutely for old man Rawlins months ago, but hs did not for the boys. "I guess I'm about as happy os those two boys." he said. "And tnlnk of the |oy In that old mother’s heart! She Ja In ColTee county today burying her husband, but this news will lift the un utterable weight of sorrow from her." Mr. Cooper was profuse in his praise of Governor Terrell. 'He’s a man with a heart In him," he said. Send, News to Mother. “But let me get the news to the boys and that old mother,” and the fighting lawyer fairly ran from the capitol for the telegraph office. He sent the fol lowing message of hope and life: 'Jesse and Milton Rnmllnr, Valdosta, Ga.: "Governor Terrell saves you both from the gallows. "JOHN R. COOPER." Mrs. Angelina Rawlins, Ambrose, Ga.: "Your boys saved from the gallows by Governor Terrell. JOHN' R. COOPER.' WILL WORK FOR PARDON; COOPER WILL NOT GIVE UP UNTIL BOYS ARE SET FREE FLED FROM CONVENT TO WED HER LOVER BUT POLICE CAME TOO SOON "We have won. I have accomplished what I have b«*en striving for during eighteen months and the lives of your boyit have been saved. I sympathise with you In the loss of your husband dnd I rejoice with you In the saving of your two boys.” This Is what Attorney John R. Coop er, of Macon,‘wrote to Mrs. Angelina Rawlins, wife of J. G. Rawlins, and mother of Milton und Jesse Rawlins, who were snatched from the scaffold Thursday morning. His strenuous fight against big odds for eighteen months to save these boys from the gallows has been won and after sending telegrams to Mrs. Raw lins and the boys, Attorney Cooper dic tated letters to them at the Piedmont hotel. But even* with this great victory to his credit he Is not yet done fighting. He Is for tho present—-for a few years —but he declares that he will go to hls grave believing Milton, Jesse and Leon- Continued on Page Fifteen. JOHN R. COOPER. The Mocon Attorney who H fought eo hard to savo his clients. LETTER TO OLD MOTHER IS TOUCHING MESS A GE This Is the last letter written by J. G. Rawlins. It is addressed to his old mother, who visited her son Monday, but who cuuld not witness hls death: Valdosta, Ga., Dec. 4, 1906. Dear Mother: I am sorry 1 brought all this trouble on you anil the rest of my people and friends, but I don't want any of you to grieve after me, one bit. I would have been glad to see some of my people If I could; I am not guilty of what I am accused of; my boys sre Innocent of that crime; they did not do It, or have anything to do with It In uny way. I believe the negro will own the crime when we go on the gallows. I Want Lee to get me a cheap tombstone and put It to my grave. An- gellne will give him the money to pay for It. On the other side of this sheet you will see the words I wuut put on It. Your wayward boy, J. G. RAWLINS. became known quickly about the capi tal, the official order was not drawn by Chairman Turner and sent to the gov ernor until about 1 o'clock Thursday afternoon. Governor Terrell hud been busied all the morning with the meet ing of the agricultural school trustees, but he Immediately signed the order that gave the boys life. Rtasons for Commutation. The order drawn by the commission recommends Milton and Jesse Rawlins for commutation and that they be Im prisoned for life. After stating that J. Rawlins and Alt Moore had been hanged for the crime, the commission says: "These defendants (Jesse and Milton) at the time the crime was committed, were aged,respectively 18 and IS. and Were doubtless completely dominated by their father, who would brook no opposition from anyone, much less hls atrocious crime must have been at hls Instance und command. "Since the execution of the father and Moore, public sentiment seems al most universal that the ends of Justice w ill be completely met by the clemency recommended, w hich Is urged by more than 2.000 citizens of the state, from every portion thereof and In every stu- tton of life. This Is represented by more than 200 letters and telegrams besides petitions. More than 500 Lowndes county people have asked us to commute them and the list includes lawyers, bankers, newspaper men, min isters, city and county officials and members of both the house and senate.” Long after the commission had reached a decision telegrams from all parts of the state kept pouring In pleading for the lives of the boys. Sheriff Passmore has been wired that Following a highly romantic elope ment from Marlon, Ind., Walter B. Neal, 22 years of age. son of a well- know retired Methodist minister of thut place, and Miss Irene Keck, 17 years of age, pretty and vivacious, who lied from the confines of a Catholic con vent In an effort to marry the man she loves, were arrested late Wednesday afternoon by Policeman Rosser, after a clever bit of detective work. The two young lovers are now held In the police station, ti)e arrests hav ing frustrated the proposed marriage, temporarily at least. The young people were taken Into custody on a telegram frpm the chief of police of Marlon, who wired tor their arrest ut the Instigation of Mrs. Mary Keek, mother of the runaway girl. Mrs. Keck, It Is understood, objects to the marriage on account of the tender age of her daughter. “Polios Were Too Quick.” The authorities of the Indiana city have beet) notified nnd the lovers will be held pending Instructions. Both declare, however, their Inten tion of yet taking a voyage on the sea of matrimony. ”1 love Walter and I want to marry him," said Miss Keck at the police station. "That Is why I left school and came all the way to Atlanta. I don’t see why they want to Interfere with us In this way.” “I certainly. Intend to have Miss Keck Though nows of the commutations minor sons. Their participation la this the boys are not to hang. McRae, G«.. Dec. 6?—The body of J, G. Rawlins, hanged ut Valdosta Tues day. was burled In the family builal ground near Rockhouse church Thurs day morning. Rawlins’ old mother, hls wife and two duughters were umong the few who witnessed the burial. No preacher participated. A slowly fulling ruin and hovering louds made the occasion a gloomy one. Henry Fusselle conducted the cere monies In the absence of a minister. The mother of Rawlins showed more grief than the others. She believed In her son to the last und thought him In nocent. WILL HOLD PRIMARY FOR CITY OFFICERS gpeWnl to The Georgian. Waycross, Ga., Dec. 8,—The primary for the selection of three aldermen and three members of the board of educa tion will be held Saturday, Decem ber 8. The terms of Aldermen J. A. Lott, 1L If. H&llan) and A. «. Morton expire In January, as do also the terms of W. J. Carswell, J. C. Humphreys and A. M. Knight, members of the board of edu cation. All three of the. members of the board of education will probably be elected without opposition, and Mr. I«ott and Mr. Morton will no doubt be returned as aldermen. for my wife,” asserted Neal. "If the police had waited Just a little bit lomr- er. It would have been all over and slit would be my bride.” Young Neal camo to Atlanta about two weeks ago und Miss Keck arrived here a day or two ago, engaging a room In u boarding house In East nuntcr street until Neal could complete the ar rangements for the marriage Rossir Shadowed Girl. J When tho disappearance of the girl became known. th»* police of Marlon were at once notified end a telegram whs sent to t'hlcf Jennings, it beln< thought she had come here' to meet Neal, officer Rosser was detailed on the case and Wedne#1ay afternoon found Neal at work In the plant of the Foote & Davies Compuny, where he wns taken Into custody. The officer could get no information from the young man concerning the , whereabouts of the missing girl, but i close search was soon rewarded. While walking along one of the down town streets Rosser’s attention was attracted to a pretty maiden who was strolling along through the crowd. On taking a closer look the officer at once realised thut she fit the description of Miss j Keck. Satisfied he was on the right j truck, he shadowed the girl for sonia j tUnc, she finally entering the hour* In Hunter street. Going into the house himself, ti:o officer began to question the girl. and she finally admitted she was MUs Keck. She was then taken to the j >- lice station and placed in the care of the matron. I SOUTHERN SIDESTEPS FIST MAIL CONTRACT Washington. Dee. 6.—In petitioning the postoffice department to relieve It from continuing the fast mall service to Atlunta and the southwest. It Is un- • derstood that the officials of the road merely wanted to have the contract unnulled. In doing this the road seeks to avoid the heavy penalties that have been forced on It because of delayed mall*. The officials of the company have since announced that the train will continue ; to run, but the schedule will be s > lengthened that the penalties will t i Is* felt so heavily by the company. MR. GARRETT 18 TO SELECT A NEW TRAFFIC MANAGER Norfolk. Va., Dec. While th ■ f- fiee of necoml vice preuldent of the .«- board Air Line railway, which Tr.itn-: Manager E. F. t’ost, of thgt system, re linquishes In hls retirement to accept a new position with the Kansas <’lty Southern railway. Is an elective off*, .i and can not be filled until the S< i - board directorate meets the latter part of December, it Is declared that First Vice President and General Manager.. A. Garrett, of the Seaboard, mill have the selection of a new traffic man - ager and that some Queen and Crescent man formerly employed under Ga. • it ut (’Ineinnati will get this plum.