The New York herald., 1871-02-01
TEE PHILADELPHIA BEAST.
HANLoN TO De HANGED TODAY.
History of His Crime, Trial
and Conviction.
~>~~~~So>~~~~~~~~~~~>>>
Brutal Outrage and Murder of q
Child Seven Years Old.
Last Days Of the Wretch on
Earth.
TEE PHILADELPHIA BEAST.
HANLoN TO De HANGED

i
Earth.
| PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 21, 1871.
| Tomorrow John Hanlon win be hung in the Moy-
amensing Prison yard, in this city, for the murder
OF Mary M0rhmann, a little girl OF seven years OF
| age.
| the many horrible crimes which have from time
TO time been committed In this city but few have
surpassed in their utter hendishness the murder Of
this child. The history OF the crime and the circum-
stances which led to 1t can be briefly told. On the
mernng Of the Sth of September 1868. the dead and
mangled body Of Mary Mohrmann was found In pool
OF water on vacant lot corner of Fifth and Dia-
mond streets At glance 1t was perceived that she
had been murdered but 1t required q medical ex-
animation to ascertain the fact that the unfortunate
child had first been outraged by some beast in hui.
man shape.
Necessarily the excitement throughout the city,
and more particularly in the immediate neighbor.
hood Of the scene OF crime, was intense. The au-
thorities displayed unwonted energy, numerous de-
tectives were put on the track OF the fend and no
effort spared to unravel the terrible mystery Finally
suspicion fell upon John Hanlon, young man who
kept barber shop on Fifth street. couple OF doors
from Diamond, and almost In direct line with the
house OF Mrs. Mohrman, the mother of the mur-
Hanlon's character bad. It known that
he possessed depraved nature and was addicted to
the society Of children for the most dabocal pur-
poses. Accordingly he was arrested, but the police
authorities managed the case so wretchedy that he
was discharged without an examination of his per-
son, although DR.. Shapleign had stated after the
post-mortem investigation that whoever had CON-
mitted the outrage must bear some marks of the
frlahuul deed. Freed from the clutches OF the law
bNc
cied security. 1t was not long, however, before
be got into trouble. One Sunday evening he was
detected by a number Of boys near Germantown
attempting to outrage child In an 0uthouse The
alarm was given, ana after warm chase he was
captured and confined In prison. 6Ingularly enough
the mother OF the child was at first unwilling to pro-
secute the wretch; but the authorities insisted
the result was that Hanon tried and convicted
and sentenced to I'VE years. Imprisonment in the
County Prison Previous to this he had, 1t is said,
compromised similar case for the sum OF ten
dollars.
The suspicious which had rested upon Hanlon in
the murder OF Mary Mohrmann had never been
wholly dissipated, and they were revived with full
force on his conviction for attempting to outrage
the other child. The wretch, by the way, when
arrested on the last occasion, gave the name Of
Charles E. Harris, by which he was also tried and
sentenced. Alderman Helms, OF this city, who had
taken deep interest In the case Of Mary Mohrmann
reading the particulars of the last trial, deter
mined to ascertain II CHARTS" was not John
Hanlon, whom he had always believed to be the
murderer. Accordingly, accompanied by detective
Taggart, he visited Mayamensng Prison, and at
once identified the prisoner.
Morally satisfied that Hanlon was the murderer,
the detectives set to to obtain evidence against
| him. The assistant superintendent Of the prison
| was applied to, and he furnished man named
Michael Dunn, who was serving term for larceny.
| Il was necessary, however, that Dunn should not
know what was the purpose in view, as, If he did,
his testimony in court would probably be excluded.
The detectives, therefore, conceived and carried
into effect an admirable piece Of strategy. Detective
Smith visited Dunn and asked him casually, "Mike,
| what do you think Of Q man who would ravish
| child and then kill her." Dunn replied, "He ought
| to be hung" Nothing more was said, but shortly
| after Hanlon was placed in Dunn's cell to learn
| shoemaking.
| The two convicts amused themselves by COM
pairing notes OF their respective crimes and 1t was
not lohg before Hanlcn had confessed the horrible
| deed, together with numerous other crimes OF
hardly less magnitude, and certainly not less
| beastly. The disclosures were 80 revolving that
wretoa r taken from his cell. Immediately after
arragned on the charge Of murder. The trial COM
! menced on Monday, october 80. hanlon was do
was SO ( overwhelming that he could not 10 saved
from conviction. One witness Ia child) saw Hanl0n
| 60 of with Mary Mohrmann on the day Of the mur-
the convict Dunn To enable him to testify pardon
was handed hun IN court objection was made to
| ruled 1t, and he was examined.
TILE STORY OF THE CRIdE
The following is Dunn's statement as finally ad.
| mitted by the Court
Since August, 1855 m have been living in Moyamensng
he came in tho 2sth Of December, Wednesday
him; he mentioned about Mary Mohr-
was on ssursay after he into CELL told
Mary Mohrmann asked him now old she and he said
conversation was about the following Thursday
that did III he told me ION the Sunday the murder
did not dress msse that Ssy and 9. three O'Clock in
there hapast o'clock the evening went over to
sas fey %
asked Emma Bush to show the way to Fourth and
" r. 9a tas s
.a ans sa 4 .a M
into my own house and
that my mother would me; then went tho
my alley tina; runs between my house
:s Fl: IN: E2s sss
the other SRI was there and she saw lead Mary
wsisrs sSS s1s :.s ss
why stood my ground IN minute after go her
;s, As K: % 9ss bad Sd
20 sHss store or II from hs ale, did
me hs man. And snv he :oSd Sd
Snr Ss ss aDS
n' Into MY pTy &, ca Tns here
hold q her W.. ~ '''S' -a0 '0n''nuea' caught
the hurt the she to hollcr 40 had TO
hold her tighter; didnot to let her 60 uni did ali
thought had Teen cut with knife; aid NOT cut sey bps