WAUPACA REPUBLICAN

March 21, 1884

 

CONFESSION !

 

“Murder will out”.  Pretty Quick this Time. Harris makes a Confession.

 

But gives no motive for doing the Horrible, Bloody deed.

 

            Shortly after the REPUBLICAN was off the press Friday afternoon, Mr. Wm. Masters, of Weyauwega, called at our sanctum and gave the information that Harris had made a complete confession to constable Bellinger, the officer who made the arrest, that he killed Frederick Viereke, substantially as the coroner’s jury had found, but assigned no motive for the act.

            In the evening a representative of the REPUBLICAN called at the jail but was informed that visitors were not admitted.  As District Attorney Dufur was having an official visit in that direction, we waited until he came out, and asked him how it was about the confession?  Mr. Dufur said:  “Yes, he confessed to me this forenoon, but as he has since told substantially the same to another, and it has been made public, I suppose I might explain.”  And Dufur resumed:  “I labored for a long time with the young man this forenoon, and tried to get his eye, but he would continually keep gazing on the wall, down on the floor, crack and twist his fingers, was very uneasy, and showed every indication of guilt.  I then told him he had been reading the Police Gazette, dime novels, Wild Bill and kindred literature.  He said, “How do you know?” to which I stated:  “By your actions, talk, and what you have done.”  He then admitted those were his favorite authors.  I then said:  “Look right square in my eye.”  Then I put the question to him:  “Didn’t you kill Viereke with that axe?”  He hesitated, tried to think of something else, and finally said:  “Yes.”  He then went on and told me as follows:

            “I had been to Weyauwega that day and had been drinking some.  I went back to Henry Hair’s, got there about four o’clock and staid there until about five o’clock and then went to Viereke’s. The old lady was in the house and Viereke was out doing the chores.  He came in about dark and brought the milk and sat down a few minutes; then we all eat supper.  About half past seven, asked Viereke if he was not going to feed the horse.  The old gent then got the lantern and said he was going.  I got up to go too but Viereke said sit still; “I’ll be back in a few minutes; I can feed the horse as well alone.”  But I got up and went out with him.  I walked beside him and picked up the axe lying beside the path and carried it along to the barn.  The old man went to the stable door, and just before he opened it I stepped around in front of him and struck him a right-handed blow with the axe on the head.  I don’t know what made me do it, but I did it.  I then left him and walked up the lane toward the road and in front of the house threw the axe into the garden, where they found it.  Then went up to Henry Hair’s and staid all night, and in the morning after breakfast, Mrs. Hair told us that old man Viereke was dead.  I then went over to William Hair’s and told them and then went to Weyauwega where Bellinger found me.”

            Mr. Dufur says Harris refuses to give any motive, and claims he never planned killing the old gentleman until that night, but there can be no doubt that it is an easy matter to establish the fact that MONEY was the motive.  The above confession was made about noon, but nothing was made public.  Constable Bellinger came down in the afternoon and brought his satchel of clothes, and Harris owned up, substantially as above to him, when it became public.  The “Wild Bill” of Lind has “read up” and put the result of his learning into execution, and now confession, undoubtedly to more quickly gain the top round of the ladder of fame as laid down in the ten cent novel.  In fact he don’t seem to realize the enormity of the offense.  It is feared that violence of some kind will be meeted out to the fellow, and more than one have already said t hey would not be sorry.  However it is best to take things as cool as possible.  We hope the good name of our county will not be tarnished by any rash acts.  Although the hand that raised the axe that killed Viereke is red with the blood of a good citizen, still let just and lawful punishment be meeted out to him as the court and statutes directs.  This is a case  beyond the quibbling of lawyers or jury disagreements.  Neither will the county have thousands of dollars of fees to pay to “scheming detectives and their emissaries.”  Our District Attorney has gone to the bottom of the matter and confession has been made and the prison walls are waiting for the assassin’s speedy reception.

            James Harris is a large, robust young man, about 20 years of age, and with the exception of a bombastic-romantic tinge in his make-up, and lack of learning or early training, has been counted a pretty fair sort of a boy.  He had a mother and two sisters living in Dayton.  He is either a crank on the subject of blood-and-thunder adventure, for killing Viereke without a motive or there is another chapter untold, in this terrible butchery.

            Mr. E. Stratton of Dayton says the poor old Mother of James Harris is sick and has not yet been informed of the confession of her son.

 

THE OTHER CHAPTER

 

Jack Spurgeon arrested as an Accomplice.

 

            The closing reports in regard to Harris’ confession still left a link gone in the chain of circumstances connected with this great crime.  It  was known that Harris held something back and in order to partially life the terrible burden from his mind, he has confessed more to the Sheriff and Deputy O.H. Rowe and Ralph Rowe.  He claims that Jack Spurgeon broached the subject of going through the Vierika house for the money.  Harris was to go on out, kill the old man, just as did, go over to Hair’s and stay all night.  In the meantime Spurgeon was to go through the premises at the house and if the old lady made any trouble he was to dispatch her and then they were to meet the next morning in Weyauwega and divide the spoils.  But when Harris got down to Weyauwega he found Jack had failed on his part of the contract.  Harris also claimed other plans were talked up between him and Spurgeon, which if carried out would make the hair of Waupaca people stand on end. Sheriff Rowe left on Saturday evening for Dale where Spurgeon has a brother living.  Mr. Rose made the arrest and brought him to Waupaca and lodged him in jail.  On Monday morning a large delegation of Dale’s citizen’s came p to Waupaca to see fair play, or go Jack’s bail if necessary.  But many of them said if Jack had anything to do with this affair let him suffer the consequences.  The examination was postponed for one week, as it was impossible to get necessary witnesses here that day, and owing to the sickness of the Dis’t. Attorney.  Next Monday will probably show whether Harris’ story is strong enough to bring Spurgeon in the vortex of his confession.  Spurgeon has a brother living in Dayton.  He is unmarried, considerable of a drinker but has never been counted a vicious citizen.