Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 109, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1911 — POOLE’S CONFESSION TO BENTON COUNTY REVIEW. [ARTICLE]

POOLE’S CONFESSION TO BENTON COUNTY REVIEW.

Farmer Who Killed Kemper-Claims It Is Accidental and Writes Statement for Publication. John W. Poole, the Benton county man who killed Joe Kemper and whose arrest-occurred at his farm north of Rensselaer, has made the following signed qpnfession of his deed for publication in the Benton County Review, from which paper it is copied in full. The Review got out an extra edition of its paper in order to give the story to its readers, and also publishes a .number of incidents in which Poole is alleged to have played a part, including the story published in The Republican some two or three years ago about enticing Cecil Ward away from _home. The Review also in the special edition printed the full report of the coroner’s Inquest, with all questions and answers of witnesses. The confesSion is as follows: On Sunday, December 12, 1909. What happened this day. Kemper and Emory Poole left about 8 or 9 O'clock going east. In about half an hour Kemper came back and Mrs, Poole and Grace took the rig and went to Swanington. At about eleven o’clock Kemper came to the door, put in a rabbit and told me to come out 'to the pole, pile and shoot a rabbit I took the shotgun, put a shell In and went out Kemper was at the east end of the poles and I went to the west end. The dog was on the north side of the fence. The rabbit was routed out- and went east through the pound lot, then to a lot where some peach trees are. Then it started back, the dog after it. Kemper went to the fence and got over and was about five to seven feet on the other side. When I went to get over the fence with the shotgun in my hand—Just as I reached the fence and went to get over the gun went off and the contents struck Kemper in the lower part of the head. He fell to the ground, I immediately jumped to him and lifted him up. He was dead. I let the body back to the ground and started to call help.

I ran to the house and then to the road. I saw no one. I looked at the body and saw the hogs near him. When I got back to the body I drove the hogs away. I then went to the house and got a piece of carpet which I put around him and took him in the house and laid him on the floor. Then I thought I would wash him. I took the coat off and put it on the writing desk. Then I got so frightened and thought if Mrs. Poole and Grace came in it would frighten them to death. So I took the body to the cattle shed. Then I went to the house and cleaned up the blood and took the coat and put it over his face and covered the body with hay. About that time or a little later Emory came home so I decided to go over and tell, the sheriff what I had done. I thought I would not be back to do the feeding so I started to do the feeding. When the feeding the cows was done I saw Mrs. Poole and Grace drive in. I went out and took the horse out and put it away for them. Then I thought sure I was ready to go and give myself up. But I had the hogs to feed and dark came on and I thought I would go over early in the morning. Morning came and Billy Bazemore was at the farm to help butcher so I stayed to kill the hogs. Then I feared mob violence if I told it to the people of Benton county as I had had some troubles, and I decided to take the body and clothes to Chicago when I shipped the cattle and hunt up Kemper’s brother and show him the body pud tell him how It happened and give myself up there Every day was a long one to me and in the fear of not finding his brother I thought I would just take the clothes with me. That is how I came to take the clothing off. Then I thought it best to bury the body. After six or eight days had passed I burled it in the east field near a straw stack. When I shipped the cattle I could not find anyone that answered as Kemper's brother. I was In Chicago three days, then I returned with the clothing and contents. I placed the clothes and contents in the haymow and covered them with hay. When I went to Jasper county to cut hay and press hay I took these clothes with me. 1 slept with them under my head so that no one could get them as I was wanting to shojr the people and clear my family of any stain that might come up, that they were not in any way to be blamed and to show the world that I had not done this awful and fatal work for gain, or in malice and anger. No one can imagine what my feelings are now or when this happened, and how I have longed to toll the truth and free my mind. My feelings

sunk within me and my courage to live longer almost failed me. When I was first suspected in June, 1910, I could have taken the body and hid it elsewhere but I did not wish to deceive the people, my God, and the laws of my country. When I was arrested about a month ago I aimed to tell my lawyer but he failed to come to the jail. I had plenty of time to have removed the body if 1 had desired for I knew the time was drawing closer when the body and 1 would be before the people. I first met Kemper at Fair Oaks, Indiana, in 1906. He asked for work and I told him I would give him work. He worked two months and then went to Chicago. In 1907 he came to work again and worked three or four months. In 1909 he came back again and worked about two months up the time of this sad accident. I am sorry about it as I can be for I would not have hurt him for anything. I liked Kemper. He was kind trusty and clean in ’dress. I never quarrelled with Kemper in my life. 1 thought as much of him as any man I ever had around. He was always good to family and when he went to town he brought candy to my little boy. ; ■ I hope and pray that no honest person believes that I ever killed anyone for any offense on earth. It is a fact that newspapers have printed many things about me that were not true, but I bear no ill will. When I took the body to bury it I .cut off the legs. I did not cut off the head or the arms. I burled with his body some entrails and a small pig not a dog. The body was placed face down with the head to the south. I never used or wore anything that was on Kemper’s body when he wap killed, and never thought of such a thing. Whatever was his that was not on the body is about the house for I never touched or handled anything of his only to keep to'show to anyone when the time came to investigate the circumstances.

JOHN W. POOLE.