Thursday: 5 confessions, 2 boxes of proof
Warren Lincoln's confession only changed a little at first.
The Aurora florist sat in a jail cell surrounded by police officers and newspaper men who had heard his gruesome admission. In April 1923, when they found his house trashed and bloody, police thought Lincoln had been murdered. When police arrested him in January 1924, Lincoln said his dramatic disappearance was a coverup for the fact that he had killed his wife after she shot her brother. Lincoln said he burned the bodies in his furnace and scattered the ashes on his driveway.
(Image from the Aurora Beacon-News)
(Photo courtesy of Marcia Mount)
Wednesday: Warren Lincoln confessed to Aurora police that he killed his wife after she shot her brother. Then Lincoln said he burned the bodies. Aurora Police Chief Frank Michels traveled back to Aurora from California to question the suspect.
Friday: Police figure out what really happened at Warren Lincoln's greenhouse.
But the next day, Lincoln mentioned -- now that he gave it some thought -- maybe he put the ashes in the city dump.
Day after day after day, Aurora Police chief Frank Michels sat in the cell with Lincoln, who was being held on a theft charge. Michels put his hand on Lincoln's shoulder and listened, gently pointing out anything that didn't make sense.
"I have told the truth," Lincoln said, sobbing. "I can't help it if you don't believe."
Outside the police department, the public eyed Michels suspiciously. Nine years ago, the chief promised he'd arrest someone for killing three murdered women, but he never did. Now Michels was trying to outwit Warren Lincoln, the former lawyer, the man who evaded police for months, the man with a vivid imagination. Maybe the chief was no match.
Inside headquarters, officers suggested Michels had gone soft. Was this really the same chief who yelled at the mayor when he tried to cut officers' pay? Now he was treating a killer like a friend. Put a little muscle to him, officers said to each other, then Lincoln would tell the truth.
For two weeks, Lincoln and Michels sat in a tiny cell as Lincoln told lie after lie. Maybe, Lincoln told Michels, both Lina and Byron were alive. Or it was Byron who killed Lina.
"You know, Warren," Michels said, after 13 days and five confessions, "I don't believe a word of it. I am going to do the best I can for you as a friend. The truth will come out. For the sake of your own peace of mind, tell it to me."
"Oh all right, you've been a good fellow," Lincoln finally said. "I'll tell you the truth."
In detail, Lincoln calmly told his secret to his only friend in the world.
"Yes, but Warren, you've told so many stories," Michels replied. "How do I know this one is true? I want facts. Show me."
On Jan. 26, 1924, Lincoln, Michels and a gaggle of photographers headed for the city dump on Lake Street. Wearing a winter hat, the chief walked through the garbage, while Lincoln smoked a cigarette and pointed.
You're warm, he assured the chief. A little to the north.
Finally, police found two wooden crates, about 2 feet long and 150 pounds each. Inside the crates were two cement blocks. Warren fainted.
The blocks were carried out of the dump and hauled a half mile back to City Hall.
Jacob Johansen was brought in from the water department to break them open. The sledgehammer pounded on the first block until -- crack -- the block split down the middle, revealing Lincoln's secret.
A terrible smell filled the room. People gasped and shuddered.
Johansen took a huge swing at the second block. Whack.
Whack.
As Johansen worked, Lincoln's secret spread on the street.
Whack.
Hundreds of people headed for City Hall to see for themselves.
Whack.
It was almost too horrifying to believe just on word-of-mouth alone. It had to be seen.
Whack.
Crack.
The men who had stood their ground when the first block was opened, backed away. The smell was pungent, repulsive. But the sight was worse.
The block had split in half. One half crumbled to the ground with bits of hair still caught in the stone.
In the other half, spectators saw the well-preserved heads of Lina Lincoln and Byron Shoup.
