New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-10
THE MOHRMlN MURDER IN PHILADELPHIA

A MYSTERY OF TWO YEARS-A CONNECTS TESTI-
MONY-A HORRIBLE STORY.
John IIanlOn is now on trial in Philadelphia
for the and murder the eth OF september, 1865
Of little child about six years Old named Mary MohI-
man. The crime at the time Of s commission, in
yolyed In mpenerable mystery aud created great excite
ment Until a few months ago there seemed TO be no
probability OF finding any evidence sufficient to fix a
reasonable suspicion upon any person though several
men were arrested and discharged after the dis
coyery of the murder. The circumstances fol-
lows: Mary Norman was missed by her mother, a
widow on Sunday evening, Sept G, 1863 After nquirng
among the neighbors until late hour gave Of
az I, child M a police station on Monday night or
Tuesday morning following, Marys body was found In
snnken city lot In shallow water. II bore evidence
OF an outrage and had evidently been thrown whore it
was found by person who had murdered the
s Sad met the little girl while with some
companions, and had asked her to go with him to show
him the corner OF Fifth and Dauphin-ss He took her
hand and was last seen walking away with her; he
apparently traced some distance by various witnesses
Mo had seen the couple, but there disag
ment in the description of the and his costume and
the evidence not sufficiently definite to identity any
one The excitement continued some weeks, but gradu
ally died out and all hopes Of discovering the criminal
Seycra months ago the detectives who to have
kept the mind since e6s, discovered what they
Thought was a clue TO the mystery John Hanon was
barber who lived near where Mary MOhrmans mother
resided The latter aCQuan ed with him and his
FAMILY Hanlon was sent to the MDyamensing Prison on
sentence of five years for crime ana was placed In
cell with another convict Michael Dunn, Dec 30 1863
During his confinement with Dunn, Hanlon eonfded TO
him according Dunns sworn statement, the fact that
he was the murderer Of Mary Mohrman, together with
the particulars OF the tragedy. ..,-,,-
tits upon this story OF Dunn that the present tral IS
chiefly founded together with such corroborang testi
mony others can be brought TO bear upon me case
story Of the murder 10 by the convict Dunn,
being osensby Hanon private r s1x 10 1 t pro Go
tails given seemed to correspond with other testimony
day Mobrman told me that the detectives suspected
him of The murder OF Mary Norman; asked him how
old she was and he said then aDont 10 that was an ne
id on thai day: the conversation about the
foowine THURSDAY Friday he told me he the man
that It; he told me- . on the sunday the Gd F was
and Dauphin-sts. but she knew me; you Know fOuIth
aud Dauphn US Wen a. DO enc n INV t a bose and nd
fixed my self that my own mother WOnld NOT Know
me; then went the bacs way INTO my alley tht runs
iii got chance to get Mary Norman into the alley;
then opened gate ana f GH I her e al was dead
then carried her across the yard 10 small window that
led ino my cellar the window me up ana do%I ana
has no Itch 10 it, he put TIE 9o1y through lhe WINDOW,
me- lid me; put down the window again, aud went up
stairs He said; 81 was harnly up stars ultI Mdry
MohrInans mother came In ront OF my h0nae o9hlhg
fnr her. my mother went down Stars 10 MARY Mohr,
mans mother and they eoth went 10 tdy ana nRd f
also went but did not 40 iar ana luiheu Dayh, Ment mo
INV house aud went into lc cellar 10 see II she was quite
49, he was dead enough; covered her up and left her
a.; abs cellar; the cellar never used for ANYTHING
hardly: there was only some old ruDDlsh IN ~ was
pretty full OF lager.DeSr Dqc away from my house
II seen half q chance was seen Ecu, t ~, tc
night ufteT inc e" "a.
h nened one Of the shop windows little, and used
t through the shutter To see II the coast Wa clear
80 mo ar another was going about all night, I'LL II got
Too ieht toward morning Tor me TO take her away, 80
AZ lei her in the cellar, opening my shop just as usual
had happeued did not 20 TO bed, although
felt sleepy at breakfast time eat little cleaned my
sef nm and cut down town; had any one nave found
~ III " %, they would not have got me In
Phia6eIphia; I was bound to get her away that
Monday night; tried three or four times before
, saw the coast not clear until between
1o ,cock got the body and went out my back way;
turned 10 my left and crossed over Dinohd.st thsn
trned nm diamond far sixth; he said he went into
nnIinpst and then turned an he saw man on the
Daupn s,de and he got behind barn, which was
opponuo, rane building he told don't think he saw
me: went and the body down on spare l9 he
Iii n carried tue body out OF the cellar fastened under
S S' ,n nS racing il iepgthvise IN front Of him