Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1885 — Wartner’s Confession. [ARTICLE]

Wartner’s Confession.

Below we give the fall text of the confession made by Wartner, early last months- The questions were propounded by Mr. James W.. Douthit, Dept. Prosecutor, and the answers were, of bourse, by Wartner. Mr. P. F. Feldman, an intelligent and estimable Hollandish citizen of Keener township, interpreted both questions and answers. The confession is as follows: CTATE OF INDIANA,) * *.> Coimtv of Jasper, I December 4th, A. IL 1884. P. F. Feldman, first by me being duly sworn to truly interpret the confession of Wiebren Wartner, we proceeded as follows: Q Where did you kill John Dreger? A I killed him by the river, Q How did yon kill him? I A I killed him with the gun. Q Did you bhoot him, or strike him with the gun? A I struck him with the gun. 'Q Did you cut his throat? A No, I struck him with the gur, the broken end of the gun. Q What part did you use? A The broken end, with the lock on it. Q Was be on ttie boat cr jd the ground? A He was on the bank of t-5 nrev. Q Was any one present? A None but naeend t)reger. , • Q -What time in the day was it? A Between three snd four o'clock in the afternoon, on Wednesday. Q At what 'point bn the river did it occur? A At the French Island landing. Q Did you have the pumps down there, or did you tike them "With you? A I took them with me. Q What did yt>d take the pumps therefor? A I wasgom<fto.»ink a net. Afte I lulled huh I tic'4 them to hid back.'

Q & Where did yen get tbe tope halter that yon tied toe pomps to Dreger with? A I had the halter on the wagon to I in fastening the irons to the nets, if' Where ala when did you break Wf wagon? A When we were almost to river, I hooked on a stump and broke it. Q Wliat did you do with the standard of tlie wagon? i, A Tim box flew oft* the wage i Q What did you tell John Dreger to induce him to go to ilio river.’ A I told him to come and haul some fish. Q What induced you to kill John Dreger? A To get something to cat an l drink for my family. Q What time did you get home that night? A Ido not know, but it was getting dark. Q Ditji yotf tell your wife that night? A I told my wife that Dreger went off with two men. Q What did you do with John Dreger’s best suit of clothes? A At John Dreger’s place, between the cow yard and tho hay stack, I buried them. Q Did you put them in a box? A I buried them the way they were. Q Did yon bury them before or after arrest? A Before I was arrested. Q As a matter of fact, did you not cut John Dreger’s throat with the knife, and then put it in Dreger’s pocket? A I did not. <| How did you get the blood off the I washed it off in tbe river. . ’■< w Has any one promised you any inducement or reward to make this confession, and do yon make the same with your own free will? A Ido it with my Own free will. GTAT.K of INDIANA.; QU k - 3 Jasper County, 1 1013 I, Wibreh Wartner, being duly sworn upon my oath say that the above confession is true as I verily believe. WIKBKEN WARTNKR. Subscribed and sworn to v before me, James W. Douthit, Deputy'Prosecuting Attorney of Jasper cognty, appointed by Mathew H. Walker, Prosecutor of the 30th Judicial Circuit, this 3rd day of December, 1884f*

JAMES W. DOUTHIT,

Dept. Prosecutor.