The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-08
A PHILADELPHIA BEAST.
The Story Il Hanl0n, the Child
.~~~ Murderer.
Particulars OF the 1urder-A Mystsrious Cave.
Another Child 0utragsd-Arrsst and Con-
viction Ct Hanlon-suspicion Aroused
His ConfssTon Of the Murder-Trial
and Conviction Efforts to Got s,
New Trial-Certainty Of
His Execution. . ~
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 8, 1s1o.

(
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. O. 1870.
subject OF vital importance Is agitating tho
Philadelphia mind at the present time 1t Is the reA
cent trial and conviction Of Han0n for outrage and
murder Your readers will doubtless remembe4
many OF the facts connected with this most brutal
murder, but an interview with detective Taggart
has elected some new points never before given I'd
the public. The last crime, for which Hanlon was
convicted, was the fifth outrage he had committed on
little children under ten years Of age, the facts Of
most OF these cases have light since his COM
vlcton. will give the man iac,s In the Mohrmaul
case, the one in which murder was committed, THAI
your readers may know what beasts In the disguise
OF men still inhabt the earth.
DISCOVERY OF THE DEAD BODY.
Two years ago last September the inhabitants Of
this quiet city were terribly startled by the report
that the dead body OF little girl, horribly multi
lated and outraged, had been found in vacant lou
near the intersection OF Fifth and Diamond Streets
Investigation proved the body to be that OF Nary
Norman, a little girl living in the neighbornood.l
The most terrible excitement took possession OF thu
people; policemen and detectives were started In
all directions In pursuit OF suspicious characterss
rewards were offered; In fine, every incentive was
advanced to induce the most thorough search foN
the perpetrator OF the foul deed. Days
ran into weeks and weeks into months
and years. yet the was buried I'M
mystery, and terrible pail seemed to-
have fallen over the inhabitants OF the neighbor.
hood In the meantime Hanlon the murderer, was
cooly pursuing his occupation as a barber next
door to the residence OF the murdered girls moherl
and had he been content to have rested on what he
had already done he would, in all human probability
have escaped in this world the reward due his dev
ish crime.
ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT OUTRAGE.
Passing along Twelfth street, near Oxford, ona
afternoon about year after the murder, he espled
o number OF school children playing In the school
yard, He entered and IN an authoritative manner
told the children to run home, they had no Dusi-
ness there after school hours Then selecting one
OF the little girls present he beckoned to
ner and asked her If she would ike I'd
hear some music. She replied that sh9
would He then led her TO the rear OF
the school house. and forced her into an outnouse,
where he designed accomplishing his damnable purS
pose. But he was baked this time. bright little
fellow about eight years OF age suspecting that all
was not right stole around to the OF the buld>
ing, and hearing smothered scream issue from the
inside, climbed up and looked over the door, and
Hanon in the very acc OF perpetrating the OUT
rage. With a bravery beyond MS years he went to
the front OF the house. pred open tine door with his
"sninny' stick, and made such noise that Hanlon
was forced to desist, and following him until he
made policeman arrest HanlOn and return to the
school, find the little girl nearly UNCONSCIOUS from
her Injuries. Hanlon was arrested, tried aud c0nS
victed, and sentenced TO five years. m rsonment.
SUSPICION OF THE MURDER.
It was while serving out this sentence That GuSs
plclon was directed toward him as the murderer on
Mary Norman. Detectives Taggart and smith took
Conceivable manner known to the detective mind "a
''put up jobn on Iianion that would lead TO his
SonyleIon but tne scn1mes aed rIt a o iacky
putting some other convict in the cell with Han,on.
and, with prospective liberty as an inducement to
OF his past life. Convict No.. must
know nothing whatever i,,, OF the Mary Mo a
Dunn. a convic ed burglar, was selec.e ed from tho
700 prisoners at Moyamensing. as the man to pumn
Hanlon. the reason that Dunn was selected was
the knowledge OF the prison authorities of Dunna
love for children. 1t was hoped that fellow ieel-
Ing would induce HanlOn to betray himself. Dunn
soon became confdants In short llme Haniof,
had told Dunn the story that convicted HIM. The
following Is his confession to Dunh:- -
THE CONFESSION. III
am cooped here for nearly four years for trying
to outrage girl, If they knew everything would
have to stay here long-no, sir; they Would give
me walk IN the Lack yard-to the gallows.
murder did yes wei killed her. ri ts yon now
1t was. You see was out by my door one evening
kept barber shop then--and along came Iittloi
Mary Mohrman;l goes up to her and got her to 90
into the alley that runs from the street to the bacN
yard; when got her there outraged her; she
fought like a little cuss, tell you; had to choke
herr afterwards killed her, and put the BODY dowI9
In my cellar about eight o'clock didn't dare takO
1t out until alter every one had gone TO sIeep It
three O'Clock in the morning when took the bodv'
out; took her up to Susquehalna avenue and so
on up to the vacant lot of Filth and Diamond,
streets; when was gong up saw milKnan
standing near his shed; jumped under another
shed close BY, and waited until ne had gone; Lnen
OF water that had formed In one OF the1
hollows In the lot and there left her. There was
and everything ran along smooth SO lar as was
concerned. II | had ever thought there was anW
danger wouldn't have stayed in Philadelphia; nod
much wonder If they have arrested any one ven
on suspiciOnfn
OTHER FACTS.
This conversation was reported to the detectives
and some other points coming up to corroborate it,
Hanion was placed on trial; the rest Is known to
your readers. 1t has since transpired that little
girl living in the neighborhood saw Hanon enticin9
little Mary Norman in the alley, and wherS
the murder was discovered she said to her
getting Mary into the aey.n SHE was hushed up and
forbidden TO e-er mention the subject again, undes
her wits by the threats of ner parents, she nevel
alluded TO the subject again. Her parents, who are
nelghbors of the Hanlons, were fearful Of gaining
the ennl1iy OF the Hanon family II they allowed
Their daughter to tell what she saw. Hanlon has
been married about three years. HIS wife is beau
tful young Irish girl, and Is nearly heart-broken
with the caamttles that have overtaken her. 1T 49,
indeed, fortunate circumstance that she has no
Children TO Inherit her husbands shame. !.
BRUTALITY or HANL0N.
Hanlon has figured In three more cases besides
those cited above and In each instance on children
under zen years OF age. AS these were settled
In some manner II Is deemed best TO give no part.
culars. The parents OF the children especially
anxious that the details be kept from the papers
Sunice IL that The details In each OF these cases ar
quite as shocking as one Could wei Imagine IL ia
doubtful whether the world could produce q more
bestial man tnan Harlon the human satyr, as ne Ia
called
TRYING TO SAVE HIM.
Ills counsel recently moved for another trial, and
Hanlon was brcughtin into court Saturday morning lash
to receive the Judges decision. The presiding Judge
was absent, attending SICK son, and the hearing or
the case was postponed until Saturday next, when
ne VIII be again brought before the Court-in all
probability TO receive death sentence for the pre-
vaIling opinion is that he Will nor have another
trial. the evidence in the last trial having conviccd
MIN. Whichever 1t may be the readers Of tho
HERALD VIII be informed Sunday morning next.
JOURNALISTIC NOTES.