BEDFORD WEEKLY MAIL BEDFORD, INDIANA FRIDAY, AUG. 31, 1900 THOMASSON CONFESSES He And Gaines Were the Murderers Of Frank Lantz. Oliver Thomasson, confined in the State Reformatory at Jeffersonville, on suspicion of being one of the murderers of Frank Lantz, near Red Cross, on the night of July 3d, has made a confession. The confession fills three full sheets of legal cap paper, and gives the full details of the crime. It was not given out for publication till Tuesday but was understood that it confirms the theory of the murder held all along by Prosecutor Zaring and Sheriff Dobbins. It recites vividly how Thomasson and John Gaines were caught in the act of driving through the gate at the Lantz stable with Mrs. Lantz's horse and buggy, which they were "borrowing" without notifying the owner, to drive to Tirey's distillery and steal some liquor. Young Lantz rushed at them like a fury incarnate (he had warned them before to stop using the rig or he would hurt them.) One of the young fellows exclaimed: "There comes that ---- of a ----- Lantz!" Thomasson called to Lantz to stop, but the latter did not halt. Thomasson fired a bullet into him with a revolver, but that did not stop him. Lantz jumped on to Thomasson, knocked him down and was whipping him when Gaines ran up behind, pulled Lantz's head back and cut his throat. Following the confession, Deputy Sheriff Stone went to Gaines' home Sunday morning and arrested him, drove to Salem with him and put him in jail there till the evening train came, when he went to the Reformatory with his prisoner. Gaines had been arrested before, on suspicion, and was out under bond. He was taken to the presence of Thomasson and the confession read. He said: "That's the way it happened, but they could never have proved it on us if you had kept your d----d mouth shut." In addition to the confession, Thomasson wrote a letter to Judge Martin, stating that he had made the confession. R. N. Palmer, of this city, and Judge Edwards, of Mitchell, attorneys for the two defendants, went to Jeffersonville Tuesday, to confer with their clients. The Grand Jury will meet the second Monday in September, and this will be one of the first matters brought up. The two prisoners will be brought here for sentence, but they will probably not remain in town many hours. If they get life sentences, which is the general prediction, they will be sent to Michigan City. Mrs. Gaines, mother of John, is in delicate health, and there is grave fear that when she hears of the confession the shock will prove fatal.