The Telegraph Courier

MYSTERY IS SOLVED.

Men Arrested for the Murder of John Wren Make Full Confession of the Crime.

SCHUMACHER ADMITS GUILT.

In His Confession to the District Attorney He States That He Struck the Blow Which Resulted in the Death of John Wren.

(From Thursday's Daily.)

The mystery surrounding the killing of John Wren at Trevor on Christmas day has been cleared up, and by his own confession N.J. Schumacher, the proprietor of the Trevor saloon, takes upon himself the guilt. He has admitted in a signed statement that it was he who dealt the blow which resulted in the death of Wren, but he still holds that the man's death was not caused by the blow, but that it resulted from a fracture of the skull caused by his falling on the frozen ground. To this extent Schumacher claims that the killing was accidental. John George is implicated in the murder by the confession of A. K. Bolton, another of the suspects, but he is the only man who implicates the bar-keeper.

The confession of Schumacher is the one of paramount interest. It is considered a voluntary statement, and the statement is signed by Schumacher in the presence of the district attorney and another witness.

Schumacher told the whole story of the stormy afternoon at the saloon. He stated that the men had been in the saloon drinking since 4 o'clock, and that along about 8 o'clock he had some trouble with John Sweeney, who seemed to be the companion of Wren. Sweeney had demanded liquor, and when Schumacher refused to give it to him Schumacher admitted that he had struck Sweeney a blow in the face. He admitted that Wren was in no way mixed up in the trouble more than that he was a friend of Sweeney. Wren and Sweeney had been put out of the saloon, and when they returned the second time Schumacher and Bolton went for them. Bolton threw Sweeney out of the building, and Schumacher took care of Wren. The latter protested, and Schumacher stated that he struggled with him, but finally got the upper hand and hurled Wren through the door. The struggle was continued outside the saloon. "Wren didn't strike a blow," said Schumacher, "but when we fell together I took a punch at him."

Schumacher stated that he got up, but Wren didn't. He went back into the saloon, and when he came out a short time later he found Wren still lying in the road, but Sweeney had gone. With the aid of Bolton, Wren was carried over and laid on the porch surrounding the saloon. He was left there while the party went to the home of Schumacher for a Christmas tree celebration.

This was the extent of the confession of Schumacher, but Bolton took up the story where Schumacher left off, and in his confession he told how later in the evening he and a party of men had accompanied Peter Schumacher to the saloon for a drink, and when they got there they found Wren lying in the road near the hitching post. They decided that he was too drunk to walk and too heavy to carry, so they obtained a wheelbarrow and took him to the Schumacher barn, where the dead body was found on the following morning.

Bolton's confession agrees with that made by Schumacher, with the exception that Bolton insists that John George, the bartender, assisted Schumacher in the fight outside of the saloon and that he also struck Wren.

The confessions of Barhyte, Rooney and Wannamaker are all in keeping with the statement made by Schumacher. The saloon keeper was careful in his testimony and confession to take upon himself the blame for the killing of the man and he completely exonerated George, declaring that he was on the inside of the saloon when Wren was killed.

George positively refused to make any admission of the crime. "You can send me up for life," he said to the district attorney, "but I am entirely innocent of any wrong doing."

This afternoon Barhyte, Rooney, Wannamaker and Bolton were released on their own recognizance, but the charge against them had not been dismissed.

It is more than probable that Schumacher will be held on a charge of manslaughter, but the degree has not as yet been determined.

District Attorney Baker deserves a great deal of credit for this, his first official work for the county. He certainly has started right. In this connection it should be said that a great deal of credit for the confession of Schumacher is due to Deputy Sheriff John Mutz of Salem. Mutz has been on the track of the guilty parties since the night of the murder and he has aided the District Attorney and Attorney Buckmaster in securing the evidence which finally forced the men to make the confessions on which it is expected that Schumacher will be convicted.

The hearing of the men charged with the murder has been set for Feb. 7, but it is probable that George and Schumacher will be the only ones held for this hearing.
TO SECURE OWN CONVICTION.

Schumacher is Allowed to go to the Town of Salem to Assist in Finding Three Witnesses Who Are Wanted in the Case.

(From Friday's Daily.)

Nicholas J. Schumacher, who in company with John George is held on a charge of murdering John Wren, has made a most remarkable proposition to the district attorney, and it has been accepted.

For some time an effort has been made by the district attorney to secure three witnesses who are wanted in order to secure the conviction of Schumacher on a charge of manslaughter. The deputy sheriffs have scoured the county and the surrounding territory in their efforts to locate these men, but their search has been without result. On Thursday, after Schumacher had made his confession, he volunteered his services to the attorney to secure the men wanted. It is certain that the testimony of these men will doom Schumacher to a term in prison, but his offer was accepted, and in company with Deputy Sheriff Mutz he went to Salem Thursday night to begin his search for the men wanted. Schumacher has agreed to present himself in court on next Tuesday, and what is more he has declared that the men wanted as witnesses will be with him at that time.

The action of Schumacher is the most remarkable ever known in a trial for murder. It is stated that Schumacher has declared John George innocent of any wrong doing in connection with the murder, and that it is his purpose to prove this by the witnesses. One of these witnesses is John Sweeny, Wren's companion, and Schumacher declares that he will be able to locate Sweeny as soon as he is back at his place of business again.

Schumacher deeply repents the killing of Wren, and since the man was killed he has been constantly losing flesh. It is claimed that since the night of the murder Schumacher's weight has dropped off fifty pounds.

Schumacher will never leave the custody of the deputy sheriff between now and Tuesday. The two men will sleep together, and Mutz will have a personal watch over his man at all times. The four men who were arrested with George and Schumacher were released Thursday night.