Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-26
The Willzesbarre Trngedy-A
Fearful Record of Crime.

Perhaps I'M the annals of crime there is
not more cold -blooded and relentless muir
der than that tor which Alexander b. Wiley
suffered capitafpunishmenta at Wilkesbarre,
Pa, on the 10Th instant.
The murderer was Just past his twenty
sixth year, having been born on the first
of January E1S41, in Dallas township. Lu-
zerne county, Pa. His father was soldier
of 1872 but deserted from the service, and
of late years was In very destitute circum-
stances, and died about four weeks ago while
In the pOor-house. His mother is home
less wanderer and in the most INDECENT cir
cumstances. Her two sons are both hard
ened criminals-the one a rObber, serving
out his term of imprisonment, and the
other has just expiated the fearful crime
of murder.
Wiley, the murderer was the guest of
his victim, Mrs. John McElwee, whose hus-
band was absent at the time of the murder.
Wiley deliberately held pistol within two
feet OF. her head and fired, the ball passing
from the right ear to the lett temple, kill
ing her instantly. He had formerly been
an admirer, of his victim, but when she
married McElwee he playfully told her
husband that he would not let him keep
her long. On the morning of his execution
he madea confession, in which he stated
that he had had no opportunities for school
or religious instruction, and continued as
follows:
II enlisted in the army, deserted eight
times, aud was sentenced to be shot, but
escaped. At Gettysburg deserted again.
Ithen came home and robbed Robert Alb
bots, who lives on the plains, of 500, after
which / robbed shoe store at .Blindtownsp
Alter mentioning number of other rob
berries, he continued: &c. T..
son the 18th of April last, went. with
two others, to the house OF Mr.. Hungerfofd,
opened the door by secret latch, and walk
ed to the bed, but had no pistol. l told
the old man I wanted his money. / de-
manded the key of his trunk. The three
with me i'm the meantime built a fire and
cooked supper. We only made four hum
dred and fifty dollars on that operation.
The prisoner here laughed.
tsAfter that he went to Wyoming county
and entered the house of Henry Ellsworth
and opened the door and went in, but only
got two dollars. Oh, yes!" he exclaimed,
! t.and managed to get an overcoat.
81 went into another house with a pistol
There were three of us. We went into a
bed room, where there was a man and his
wife. / told them to keep quiet. We only
got watch and chain there. [The prison
| er again laughed.] We went to the house
| of Abraham Rynan. His daughter was
! in bed. We searched the bureau, but
found nothing, and left" The prisoner then
made statement about the murder, say.
ing:
4
in machine shop. i went into the army
when Ireturned found her destitute, and
paid her board and kept her at a place
called Blindtown; what she wanted pro-
vided her with until six or eight months
ago; she was in the habit of seeing Other
men. / was not sparkling her; did mo-
care much for her. On the morning of tht
shooting went there before daylight;
opened the back door and went to sleep;
slept there until Miller got up, when he
pushed me and said You devil, you are
again here then got up and went into
Miller's bed. AT eight o'clock Mary Fract
came to the house, and got UP; / jumped
up with knife in this hand, which l wa'
playing WITH (showing his left hand y ]
stuck the knife in the table and then put i
in my pocket. tore my coat doing so. anC
Mrs. Miller then offered to mend it; ir
doing so she found my revolver. told hel
to let it alone. My revolver had only three
loads in. / did not want to iDjure this wo
man, McElwee. Ipointed it at Miss Frac'
in fun, and did the same to Mrs. McElwee
1 thought the pistol was only half-cocked
and I did not intend to murder her, think
ing that the barrel of the pistol 1 snapped
was empty. This is about all know of th'
affair."" .zigr av.ssrE
At the execution Wiley betrayed the ut
most unconcern and indifference, but dieC
declaring he had no intention to kill hi
victim, ,s.-.-e s ..- ..- g.