The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-20
CARNIVAL OF CRIME.
A Batch Of Remarkable Murders and
Suicides.
Suicide Ina Jail OF William IT. skIdmOre,
the Brooklyn Air-Gum Murderer.
ROm The N. Y. Post Of last evening.

jail. by cutting mis- throat with a razor skid
mors's crime was one of the most singular that
mas been committed for many years. and the
mystery by which IL has been surrounded has
attracted much attention to the case
Al about o'clock on the morning of the 2lst
OF May, Officer Dyer, of the Forty-first Precinct,
saw man standing at the corner OF Gold and
Johnson streets. In few moments q second
man was seen coming down on the east side OF
Gold street from Myrtle avenue, and when
ABOUT TWO yards from the first man, the officer
heard something like the crack of whip, and
saw the man VINO was coming down Gold street
the man, when the assassin fled. He was pur.
sued several blocks and arrested. On reaching
the Stat1onhouse he was Identified as William
y. Skidmore, an ex sergeant of ne Forty fourth
Precinct Police. A pair of false whisk ers were
found in his posst sston.
At the scene OF the shootir g, an air.gun, three
feet and one inch in length, was found. The
wounded man was removed to the City Hos.
pttal, where IL was found his name was William
Bishop Carr. ball had entered his forehead a
On visiting Skidmore's residence in Flushine
avenue, near Broadway an instrument was
toond f py means OF which the air was exhausted
more was appointed patrolman of the Forty
fourth precinct under the old Municipal law,
In 1865, and was subsequently made sergeant.
In August, 1854. he was transferred to the Fif-
tieth precinct. when he resigned. Skidmore
had recently been employed by Carr, who was
the inventor of what is known as the "Return
Ball" which is attached TO an india-rubber
it returns TO the hand. He had made much
money out of the invention.
NO motive could be assigned by Skidmore's
friends for the commission of the crime, and he
was very reticent on the subjec,. He acted very
strangely, and refused to confer with the coun-
sci assigned by the court to conduct his defense.
II Is reported that he had said he intended to
kill man on the night of the murder but IL
was not Carr He repeatedly asserted that he
would never be hung for his crime There is
obtained POSSESSION of the razor with which he
committed suicide which needs Investigation.
II lis Is said that no one but his brother and the
brother was closely watched while with him.
The trial of Skidmore was begun yesterday,
N Nun nIf oiKraA IA
panel was exhausted. An extra panel was sum-
moned for this morning; but when the court
opened they were discharged, Skidmore having
settled the case, for this world at least.
Additional Particulars Two Letters
from SkIdmOre.
The following particulars in relation to the
suicide OF William Il. Skidmore are furnished
by our Brooklyn reporter:-
From the statement of Thomas Giddings,
minutes before 5 O'Clock, his attention was
attracted by loud knocking at cell No. II, in
King. was confined On entering he found
Skidmore lying his bed with his throat cut
who was confined in the cell with him, was
asleep at the time the deed was committed but
prisoner Immediately after the commission Of
the fatal act. The razor with which the deed
had been committed was found lying on the
bed beside him, and also two letters, one to mis-
mother and another TO the public, which read
"BRooKLlN JAIL Cell No. I2 June IS, 1se7-My
friends and the people, hope and ASK ask you to for
q itted in my fe, unless il Is crime for being fond
bS Inns and anp dfesry CHI Now wsh to say to my
friends and the public that did not XII William
SeTy berry MOI nor am e burglar petty dod orgiye
since the first, exceot two articles saw in the
Herald. yesterday and to-day. . oonoro. ., oeoor
Dyer The reason SPEAK Of his conduct % snd a. leave
should 10 be done think he did not IT, as he stated
that he man scIing suspicious tor hal an hour
his credit II he rad went up to the man and asked
eVe cd d. account OF himself to take him to the
Station House. and then he would have saved Two
"Now about that bunch of keys found on my person
tool chest and the qtnsr 1 small M S0es to my v little I
chest One was nlgnt Key yd of the m mo no1SS n N9 III
@ made 1t It When boarded with Mr.. Mount in Hopkins
s'!fs wSn %l l'ass wii Mr. Mr. Hicks
was he BORN Ia New York thst is irne that was OF
Irish parents6ut that Is not true or hey were born porn
Of loaiers. That true. unless belonging to the
Ibeosne ACQUAINTED with his sisters about ten years
can't see any truth In mat jor my S Saess Soy
"He snn says that he has suspicion that poi
for when his brother Daniel and his wife first started
they meant and they told they thought there had
een .Ss o1 boSy Sy Should be taken up them YES
But IT ne W0aa @ 70 nS s 60 gse as he
has some of my own folks. - r o,, o,a s.otod tho
whole thing him, and begged MIN to have the b9dy
taken up, clear me of that most loul slanuer bu
IL never was done. AS soon as am PLACED where
can't defend myself they come out on me IKE snsEe
After i saw Mr. Lynch l went over 70 see MI. HICKS
and he denied ever saying any such thing but as soon
as in jail he bites at IL like the OF
Now wish lends win make az pFSpsE rep sSiG Effort of
nv children and my folks; and / do ask samuel D.
t6St Il should rot be done DO, MT Morris do hsys
ID done for the sake or my poor olu mO'heE' anu my
viii say for the last tlne that Carr moi
xii ed for his money! and wish 10 return my slhceIe
thanks 70 MI JenkS nT nv case as far as they
Went with it and nope tney Wont tnlnk naao "a % o.
me Tor what have Done Sns 6sa 6 se nreteS destt
hefoTe going 20 States Prison. NOW 1 hhAh ASK yo'
10 forgive me, as hope GOD VIII.
NOW snail Diu '"VW ""VWILLiAM t. sKIDMoRE."
LETTER TO MOTHER.
"BRooKLYN JAIL CELL No, l2-Dear Motheri-l
none vou will forgive for this last act OF nlne Dn
u5m 5l nnxg dear mother do confess that did mur
der William Carr but IL was NOT Ior money: EN1w 4
SCn IISI,o SHnt y yEa Dk 0i 1 20 for one moment
hurelar hghWayman, or even a puolv tnieL toa ra
worked for ora my t,n nxpE; 4 10y last crime Of which 50
guilty except It crime Or being iond ~ NJ s
and liquor Tor i y taos %hd @ am very sorry haf
sVer had anything 10 do with t. on now Wish ina
could nndo that deed beore 90 OLA J6's 10 you all M
e5c,s o he dsposed o. the benefit Of my chndre
6sod bless them and protect them from MI ha I
yOu Tas V3iil George and Kate. Charley wish
~ n the counIry with my dear sister: MpcIer toI o
Want you 70 get tnose y, 'ni1ss ni1 VIE tf"' 0
dasr mother don't do this rasn hct iOr s9n
Of being hung 6St toG e Le tbSn 20 fRere for 6elev
s iafhe first time that the name OF M sgai AZ
been dfgraced, and nope & ~ w "a ariends and as
Slve my ny ,sve me Now dear mother, VIII blu yO
and my children, broLhsIs: sls ros "a have aske