A Late Confession

A couple of weeks ago the Argus spoke of a confession that had been made by Mrs. Lizzie Finch Stranb, who was at that time so seriously ill that her recovery was thought to be impossible, in connection with the murder of James Richards, Jaa. 31 of last year. At that time the confession could not be obtained, but yesterday a copy of the original confession was obtained by the Argus and is given below. The confession was made to Justice Quartel, of (Janton township, Wayne county, on March 11, and was subscribed and sworn to before Lim. ; Lizzie Finch was an important wStuess at the trial of Larkins, Lyons and Jones, atifl it was her testimony that mainly decided the jury in finding them not guilty of tbe charge made against them. At the time tbe confession was made sbe told ber physician that she hoped she wonld be forgiven and added "I mnst confess; Imnst.'' Then tbe confussion was made -.as pi-" lows: , , i Oanton, "ï , ..'■■■■ State of Michigan, y y. :; County of Wayne. J ' j I, Mrs. Lizzie Finch Straub, óf Cánton, Wayne county, Michigan, bèing doly sworn, deposes and says, tb at William Larkins, Ed. Lyon and' Rupfert Jones, of Plymoutb, Wayne éoünjty, Michigan, are the murderers of James Richards, which occurred Jan. 30,' 189?. I was at tbat time living at tbe bome of William Larkins, in Plymontb, alrid the said William Larkins and Rupert Jones left the said Larkins' house abont 9 o'olock p. m. on the said Jan,. 30,and returned at about 3 o'clock Sqncjay morning Jan. 31, aaid Larkins wearing felts and rubbers and the said Kopert Jones wore a pair of William Larkins rubber boots. Rupert Jones i. 'toíd :me that they went to the home öf'said; James Richards and tried to scaré' said Richards, going from window to window with a dark lantern, and ñn'djing that they oould not accornplish "airi'ythicg thy went tó the door aüd'ttfé'd to break it in by using a rail, pbst,j ör' sometbing of tbat sort. Finding that tbe i-aid Richards fought them'back they shut throngb the door with' a; 32 calibér. After that the said RicBards seemed to oease flghting thern and ivasquiet, and then the door was ;broiken in and tbey entered, finding. the-èaid Richards fighfcing tbem with a pitchfork and they figbting with the. same inetrnment they nsed for breaking in the door. During tbe battle the old man got Lyon comered and wonld have killed him or injured bim bnt for William Larkins, wbo shot the said Richards with a 44 caliber. Tbe said Richards then told them where the money was, it being in a saok in the bed. tick. While Larkins and Lyon were fighiing tbe old man, Jones got tbe sack with the money, and tbey being frightened at the land report of the revolver hnrlied away. Jones said that be dropped tbe saok somewhere between the' house and the rig. I also affirni tbat the dark luntern they nsed was ent to pieces by thejsaid Jones and placed under tbe kitèhen part of the said William Larkins' house, going by the way of the woodebeíá to get under the kitcben. The boots worn by Jones were sold to a rag peddleï by Larkins. The boots worn by Lyon were burned up. I also affirm that tbe ainpunt of mouey taken was $70, of which Larkins and Lyon got $20 each and Jones $30, he keeping $10 which the others knew nothing of. ■ . (Signed) ""'■■ LIZZIE FINCH STRAUB. rSnbsoribed and sworn to bèfóre me this Ilth day of March, 1898: -; ; JOHN QUARTEL, ' , ; Justioe of the Peace of Cantón, :-W!aype County, Michigan. ■ ;' j .■ Daring the confinement'of thè"three men in the county jail Mrs: ;Öttanb, then Lizzie Finch, was a fxequent: viaitor of Rupert Jones, to whom she was engaged to be married. Her mother, Mrs. Rose Bryant, also visited. hrm at times. Duiing. Lizzie Finch'.Visits, Jones, she says, frequently drórfled hints about the murder, and.,fin'ally she oomered him and he told her the story as related in her confession, at the same time promising her thatif sbe stood by him that be wöul'd1 dö' wbat was right by ber after he gtit Dut of jail. She also stated that right after the officers first went to Plymouth to look np tbe case, Jones and Larkins went to Detroit and got ! the" money I which she says they bad robbed the old man of, ohanged. Jones' $30bmng in tbe form of a $20 gold piece and' a $10 bilí. ■■- ;;i I About two months ago Larkins was at the home of Dan Bryant (hnaband oL Mrs. Rose Bryant and step-father of Mrs. Stranb), with a woman and was at that time under the influence of liqaor. At that time he took a 3a caliber revolver out of nis pocket and put it into anothe pocket. Dan Bryant asked him if that was the gun that killed Richards. "Not by a d - n sight," said Larkins, "here is the one that did tbaf," and pulled out a 44 caliber Smith & Weston revolver. The confession agrees materially with the statements made by Mrs. Larkins to M. C. Peterson at the time that he was first working on the case. Lyons and Larkins were both interviewed fcy a reporter on Wednesday evening and both claimed that the girl's statement was made for the purpose of getting even with Jones. Larkins also admitted having made the remarks to Bryant about tbe gun, but said that it was all in a joke.