The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-23

some time In perfectly dry place, and then
we're deposited in the pool Directly upon
the receipt of the news of this discovery, De-
tectives George Z. Smith, Joshua Taegart,
and Edward X. Tryon, three experienced Off
GERS. were detailed to discover who had COM
mitted this 6endish act.
Carefully and thoroughly they prosecuted
the investigation. The popular Impression
in the neighborhood, even until the recent
den0uement, was that John Hanlon, barber
living in the first house fronting on the east
side of Fifth street, below Diamond, was the
villain. He was taken in custody and though
the absence of any positive evidence required
his discharge, those who knew him believed
none the less that at his feet the horrible
crime could be rightfuly laid. His reputa-
tion was not stainless, and of sensuaism he
stood contemplate and disgusting exponent
After his release Hanlon was for time lost
sight of-to all but the detectives. Last fall
a young fellow was arrested for attempting
to ravish a little girl in the yard of the church
at Eleventh and Oxford streets. To hush her
cries for assistance he frightened her with tor
ture, murder by the Indians, and, as derlsier
reSO1t, when she persisted in screaming, of
examining pair of gloves in her mouth. A
group of little boys, with an amount of cour
age that would have spoken well for their
elders assaulted the brute, aided the little
girl to escape, and followed her assailant until
the officers took him IN custody.
He was taken before Alderman Hood, to
whom he gave the name of Charles Harris,
was brought into the court, and during the
trial evidences of such revolving conduct were
produced as to secure his speedy conviction
and sentence to prison for five years by his
Honor Judge Peirce. His name appeared
upon the prison register as Charles Harris,
but Alderman Helms, who lived near the resi-
dence of the widow Mohrmann, and who has
been active in endeavoring to ferret out the
murderer, in passing by Harris cell, discov-
cred him to be none other than John Hanlon.
When approached with queries relating to
the disappearance of Mary he would answer,
''Well, don't know anything about it. You
say killed her, but you can't prove it,"
This discovery renewed the excitement
first engendered, and confirmed the impress
sion that he was tie man. Still there was no
tangible evidence of the fact. From that
moment, until yesterday, Messrs. Taggart,
Smith, and Tryon have been indefatigable in
their labors, having the assistance of Alder
man Helms, in gathering all the atoms of
evidence bearing on the case, and have now
testimony adequate enough to convict Hanlon
for the murder of Mary Mohrmann. Yester-
day the Grand Jury found true bill against
him for this heinous crime, and it is thought
speedy trial awaits him.
The Commonwealth will be able to prove
that he took Mary on the night of the 9Th of
September, 1868, into his yard through the
side alley, between the hours of and s, hay
ing but shortly before issued from beer
saloon standing upon the corner. In the
commission of his fendish act, he strangled
her, by circling her throat with his hands.
That he pushed the body, yet warm, through
the cellar-window opening into the alley,
where it fell upon pile of bricks. That
after going out of the yard, and discovering
whether the coast was clear, he went down
into the cellar, and picking mp the inanimate
form, hid it under the cellar steps, and then
came out with an easy nonchalance as though
nothing unusual had occurred.
1t will be further shown that in the middle
of the night he arose and went to the corner
| of Dauphin and Fifth streets, in the hope of
discovering some place where he might place
the body. He was frightened from his pur-
| pose of placing the remains there that night
| by some of the neighbors, who will be called
| to testify. The day succeeding the murder
| (Monday) he left his home, remaining away
allday, fearing, perhaps that the crime should
| be discovered, and the presence of the muir
| dered child concealed in his cellar fix the
| damning crime on him. Upon Monday even
| ing he reappeared, and frequented his usual
haunts to ward off suspicion.
At midnight again, he arose, put on slip
pers, stepped down softly into the cellar,
| gathered the body up in his arms, laid it
| against his breast as one would sleeping
child, passed out of the house to Diamond
street, thence to Sixth, and thence to the
open lot we have mentioned, where he threw
| his unwelcome and now hideous burthen into
the pool. He was seen by farmer coming
out of the store at Sixth and Susquehanna
avenue, to harness his horse preparatory to a
day at market AS fate would have it, a
woman, living at Fifth and Susquehanna
avenue, was awakened at this time by a rat
tling shutter. In opening the window to stop
it, she noticed Hanlon coming near the house
by the path that leads diasonally across the
lot and passes the pool. The night was not
a dark one, and when Hanlon drew near the
lady and discovered that her eyes were upon
him, he dipped his head and hurried out OF
sight on dog trot.
On several occasions he has committed in
decent assaults upon little girls. About q
year ago he followed woman with a com.
panion, who, though sixteen years of age,
looked like a child, while walking ont Ger.
mantown road, near the toll gate. 1t was
noticeable that he kept close upon the heels
of the younger of the two. When the proper
opportunity presented itself he picked up q
stone and struck the woman three forcible
blows on the back of the head, sending hen
headlong into the street. He then seized the
girl, but she screamed murder, and her cries
brought to the vicinity an elderly gentleman,
who rescued her and caused Hanlons arrest
The case was taken before downtown AL
derman. compromise with the villain was
effected He was to have paid fifty dollars to
the parents, but they never received it.
There is otherand stronger evidence against
him, which we are not at liberty to present to
| Jar at tbio TINA and which fha 1atao