North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-04-03
EXECUTION OF
Alexander B. Wiley, for the
MURDER OF ALICE MELWEE.
HISTORY.

Alexander B. Wiley, according to his
of January, ls4l, in the township of Dsl-
las. in. this county, and was twenty six
years of age last January The family
were known by the name of Waldron.-
The father died in the poor-house soout
four weeks since, and the mother Can be
seen daily wandering abont the streets of
the borough of Wilkes Barra, haggard,
ragged. filthy and sppsrantIy Insane, an
object, at least. of pity and disgust. -
Young Wiley spent most of his time in
idleness and dissipation, did not like to
work, aud would not, any more than he
could avoid In 1862 he enlisted 10 Co A.
of the ls3d Regiment Of Pa. Volunteers,
deserted several times from bis regiment,
was court martialed, and sentenced to be
shot, but managed in some way to escape
confinement and came home with the reg
iment at the time Lf its return, after the
war was closed. -.. Il
Before be enlisted in the 1881 Regi-
ment he had made the acquaintance of
Alice Gardner and had paid some atten-
tion to her, and an intimacy sprang up be-
tween them. He went to the war, and
John McElwee made her acqnauiutanc.',
and on the 18th DAY Of February, 1866,
they were married Wiley was at the
wedding, appearing apparently The most of
the time uucuncerned about the matter,
but al one time during the evening he
said to McEwee. "Damn you, you have
got my girl away trom ne, but you shoA
not tiue mith her gear or ntne months"
the expression was made in incuIar
manner and not much notice was taken of
it at the time. At a subsequent time Mrs
McElwee was complaing about her cloth
ing being scanty, she was wearing her
wedding dress, because she had no uthe P
fit TO wear. and Wiley said to her "she
would not iive TO 0eor that out" These ex
pressions, like many others uttered by him
were 'tpPdreatty spoken in froicsomA
and waggish manner. McElIee and wife
lived in a small house with Mr. Miller,
up on the mountain back of Plymouth,
there were only two rooms On the lower
floor, one used a. kitchen and the 9th, r
as bedroom, both families occupied the
same sleeping apartment. Wiley had
been suffered to go and come to that house
| when he pleased,-he seemed to be
privileged one there, coming and going by
day or night as he chose, His business
was that Of a highwayman. He admits
that on the uisht Of the 18th of March, he
| in company with others entered the house
of Samuel Hungerford. in the lower end
Of this county, and robbed him of 1927 in
money and various other articles of value.
Mr.. Hungerford and wife were quite aged
and infrm people--one ofthe party stood
bv the side of the bed with revolver
threatening to kill them # they resisted l.,
On the morning OF the 10Th of May, 1866,
about four o'clock, Wiley entered the house
Of McEllwee and Miller by unfastening the
door in some way which he understood and
lay down upon the floor and went to sleep !;
about FIVE o'clock Miller and McElwee got
up and woke up Wiley and he jumped IN
to their bed-they got their breakfasts
and went to the mines TO work as usual -
About nine o'clock Wiley got up and eat
his breakfast, cut some oVen-wood and
did some other. small chores about the
house. About ten o'clock a young wo-
man by the name of Mary Frace came
along and called at the house. She wa
on her way home in Lehman township
She was acquainted with the families
She staid there some time, and it appears
that they were having some fun and frolic.
Miss Frace had put on her hat and scarf
and was on the point of leaving when Mrs
McElwee asked her to wait a minute. she
had something that she wished to te II her.
At this point Mrs. McElwee WAS washing
the cook-stove with wash-rag, stopping
over with her back toward Miss Frace and
Wiley, Wiley sitting in his chair. MISS
Frace asked Wiley if he was not the young
man that wrote letter to her, to be Civ
en- to an other young lady. That instant.
and without any reply, Wiley rose from
his chair, drew his revolver and pointed
it at Miss Frace, who screamed and spranc
to the door, he then turned. cooked it, held
it within two feet Of the back of Mrs. Me-
Elwee's head and fired, the bali passing
through the head, she falling upon her
back on the floor, wash rag in hand, and
died instantly without struggle, not even
uncloslng the hand that held the wash-rag
Wiley ran out ofthe back door and into
the woods, with revolver in hand, and
was not again heard Of until the 9th day
OF Oclohrr following, when he was arrest
cd and lodged in Jail.
During that morning Wiley asked Mrs.
Miller to mend his Cost, he had torn it the
night before. She mrnded it for him, and
whie doing so she discovered his revol-
yer. took it out of his pocket and saw that
it was loaded. She said to him that she
would shoot it off. lie said no 'you do
not know what may want to do with it.
OH forgot to tell YOU that l had talk
with the Devil last night, and what he
tells me to do always do it."
Wiley was .arraigned for the offence of
which be, has been committed and SEN
fenced in the Luzerne County Court of