The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-01

Familiarity about the murder. he thereupon
became very angry and ordered them out of the
shop. This circumstance convinced the officers
that they were on the right track, but their
utmost exertions failed to produce the required
evidence against him.
Within six months after this visit of the
officers Hanlon was arrested several times for
drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and at the
time of the last arrest on such q charge he
took a pledge that he would not drink
again for five years. On the 9th of September,
1869, the anniversary of the day of the murder,
Hanlon was again drunk and locked up in the
Nineteenth Ward Station-house.
At about this time girl twelve years old, re-
siding in the neighborhood, was attacked early
in the evening" while crossing lot near the
Kensington depot, by an unknown man; was
pursued for some distance; was taken and COM
PEELED to follow, but was finally released for
some unknown reason, which prevented the viii
lain from carrying his designs further. The
description that this girl gave of the unknown
man, before an alderman of the Nineteenth
ward, corresponded exactly with that of Han
Ion, but the case was not followed up, and moth
ing further was done about it. 1t is said that
Hanlon made compromise with the father of
the girl by the payment of $40.
On the LIST of October of the same year a
dwarf named Clara Richie was walking
between and 8 in the evening with her sister,
Mrs. Annie Bowers, on Germantown road, near
Nicetown. Here they were met and followed
by this same John Hanlon, who struck Mrs.
Bowers on the back of the head with a cobble
SLO06, anu JuGA dGLGuplOu W RGb pOSS6SSlOu Vi
the other woman-evidently thinking, from her
size, that she was a young child. The cries of
Mrs. Bowers brought gentleman to the rescue,
and Hanlon was arrested and taken before an
alderman in Germantown. The Alderman of
the Nineteenth ward who had heard the former
case having his suspicious aroused that this
Hanlon was the murderer of Mary Mohrmann,
took an active interest in this second arrest,
and endeavored in it to find some clue to the
former mystery, or, at least, get some punish
ment inflicted upon the man whom he thought
to be guilty of far greater crime even than
that for which he was held. He obtained per-
mission to visit the prison where Hanlon was
supposed to be awaiting further hearing, but
before this design could be accomplished, it was
discovered that the Germantown alderman had
settled the case, and that Ianlon was free.
In November of the same year man was
arrested for attempting to commit an outrage
upon girl ten years old in the yard of the
Tabernacle Nj. E. Church. The outrage was
prevented through the eXertions of a boy and
the man was arrested. He gave the name of
Charles E. Harris, and he was sentenced to five
years imprisonment.
The Alderman who had taken an interest in
the finding of the Mary Mohrmann murderer
had never entirely lost sight of Hanlon and he
at this time noticed that Hanlon was not about
the neighborhood as formerly. After various
inquiries and various consultations with the
detectives, the Alderman was finally led to visit
Moyamensing, where he was allowed to see the
man Harris. In accordance with his expec-
tations he there identified Harris as no more nor
less than John Hanlon, the barber, under an
assumed name. Then the moral certainty was
that Hanlon was the child-murderer but as yet
there was no strong legal proof.
Then plan was inaugurated, with the consent
of the authorities, to convict the man out of his
own mouth Murder will out, though no one
but the murderer is cognizant of the deed. A
fellow-prisoner, convicted of q crime of some
what lighter hue, was confined with the sus-
pected man, in the hope that the story of the
murderer would be unfoded in private to the
companion. The sequel proves shat the temp
tations of boon companionship and the horrors
of the heavy secret were too much for the guilty
one. The story must be told to somebody, and
told it was. The fellow-prsoner is taken into
confidence for the sake of tightening the weight
which the inhuman man is unable alone to
carry.
But so hardened is the criminal that the story
when once begun is told boastingly, as if it was
the greatest OF exploits.
The story thus told is confded by the fellow
prisoner to the authorities in the hope of par
don being granted to the informer. But the
story in this form is of no practical. use. 1t
comes directly from criminal and through a
criminal. But it is important, inasmuch as it
gives the clue to work upon, and the direction
in which to work to complete the chain.
Then the detectives go to work in earnest.
Every item of the confession is thoroughly
sifted and inquired into, and outside evidence is
found and produced Chen an easy matter) to
corroborate every part. When the chain is
complete whole the Grand Jury is notified and
a true bill is found against John Hanlon, the
barber, who is brought from prison and retired,
this time on the more serious charge involving
the life or death of the prisoner.
Then 1t is that the damning story comes out
in all its horrid particulars. Further publicity
is unnecessary. The details are too well known
and by far too well studied by readers of news
papers. 1t is enough to give the outline. The
lustful man with evil intent disguises himself,
thus preventing effectually his Identification
afterwards. He seeks some one on whom to
crafty his passion. He walks the streets on a
quiet Sunday evening and finds the little child,
whom he entices or compels to go with him.
He kills her, unintentiOnally perhaps, in the
accomplishment of his designs, but uninten-
tional killing under such circumstances is
murder in the first degree. Having killed her,
he puts her into the cellar of his house and
coolly goes to bed as If nothing had happened.
He makes several unsuccessful attempts to get
rid of the body He keeps the dreadful thing in
his possession for the whole of one day aud two
nights all the time pursuing his business as
usual, while the neighbors are everywhere hunt
ing the lost child. AT last he succeeds in getting
rid OF it, In the early morning of the third day
he deposits it in a slimy pool in an open lot
hoping, like Eugene Aram, that the waters will
cover IT. The waters do not cover it. Almost
Immediately II is found, and the search for the
criminal commences. He stands it all and even
continues in his evil courses. He is arrested and
put in prison for a minor offense. Here he con-
Victs himself of the greater. He takes his trial,
and fair one it is.
The trial is lengthy. Every doubt is resolved
in his favor. The confession is produced and
corroborated. Its evidence is combatted strongly
but unsuccessfullY. Additional evidence is even
allowed after the case has closed. The Judge
gives lengthy and impartial charge to the jury.
They deliberate for many days, much to their
own disadvantage, unwilling to convict the man
while there is anything in his favor. result is
at length arrived at. The expectant public hear
from the mouths of the pale and exhausted
jnrymen that the criminal is counted unworthy
OF life. An incensed public Judges the sentence