Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-12-01
From the BeIlefontaine Ohio Republican
NoNeun her u
Murder Of a Catholic Priest.

a few minutes before eight o'clock,
| Monday evening, man came to the
/ jsil and delivered himself to the jailor,
saying he had killed the priest and
wanted to be put in Jail. No alarm
had been heard in town, but Mr. Beat
! ty at once confined him to a cell, and
started down town, and soon met par
| ties from the scene of the murder,
1 spreading the alarm. A number at
once repaired to the house of the
priest, where they found him lying
dead on the floor, in his blood. The
| priest lived in a small brick house, in
the same yard with the church, which
/ is located in the extreme southeast
part of town. With him lived a girl
who kept house for him. She left the
| house to go TO a neighbours and make
some preparations for washing, the
next day. On her return, she saw a
man running from the house, and on
entering, found the priest, Rev. J.
1 Convey, lying dead by his table.
| John Powers, the man who delivered
himself up as the murderer, said that
he went to confess to the priest, and
| that the priest began TO abuse him,
and highly insulted him, by telling
him that the Protestant religion was
no better than dog s, and that he
/ then drew his revolver Ia Smith &
/ Wesson siX-shOOteT) and shot the
/ priest as he went to the table to snuff
| his candle. The ball entered the
priests head, about three-fourths of
an inch above and forward of the left
ear, and passed through to the base of
the brain, killing him instantly.
Powers at once started for the jail, and
delivered himself up. No one saw
| him do the deed; and no one knew he
had been in the house. The girl who
found the priest, dead, gave the alarm,
I which soon spread through the town.
Coroner Jones at once empanneiled
a jury, and DIR. $. w. Fuller exam
! ined the wound. Constable Beatty
/ and Marshal Sherman We're examined
as to the confession of Powers, on
giving himself uD, and the jury re-
/ turned the verdict that the deceased
came to his death by reason of pistol
shot wound inflicted at the hand Of
John Powers, in accordance with the
facts We have given above.
This horrible affair, the killing of a
man in his own house, in this cold
! blooded manner, was the first murder
/ ever committed in our town, and
naturally caused great deal of feel
I ing and excitement among all classes
and especially among the members of
Father Conveys own church. There
was talk Of lynching the murderer,
but better cOunsels prevailed, and we
were not called upon TO witness
another tragedy, that for awhile
threatened us.
| After the fact of the murder was as
certained, and the particulars learned,
! the inquiries came next, "who is
Powers" What was his motive for
! killing the priest ?" The first ques-
ton was easily answered. Powers
was born in Ireland, and when boy
| lived in BellefOntaine. His mother
was member of the Catholic Church.
But, we are told, that when a boy,
| Powers left the Catholic Church, and
| Joined the Methodist-and he saws
himself that he Joined the Baptist
/ Church in Chicago. Thirteen wears
ago, he left Bellefontaine, but has
returned several times since, to visit
a married sister-a Mrs. MeMahn.
Last Friday, he came here on a visit
Of this nature. His brOther-in-law
was the only near neighbor of the
priest, and lived just across narrow
alley from his residence. Powers is
single man, about % years of age,
stout built and of rather good appear
anee-thOugh having a down-cast and
| treacherous look.
In answer to the question, "What
was his motive for the murder? there
was and could be no satisfactory an
swer. The whole affair seemed to be
wrapped in incomprehensible myste-
nv. There were rumors that his
| brother-in-laH had had difficulty
with the priest before Powers came
here, but it was slight, and not of
nature to arouse such diabolical pms