The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-26
MURDERS In PITTST0N.
The Assassination of Wisner
M Cleared Up.
A sELr-CONVICTED CRIMINAL.
A Notorious Thief, Taken for Horse
Stealing, Admits the Murder.
A REMARKABLE CASE.
While Incarcerated for Felony Davenport In
forms Ills Fellow Prisoners Of the
Cold lOoded Deed.
A GANG OF CONvICTS IN COURT.
No One to Give Evidence in Be-
half of the Culprit.
VIVID NI(Nr IN TUTN UUTDU
A GANG OF C0NvICTs IN COURT.
No One to Give Evidence in Be-
half of the Culprit.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.


place. carpenter by trade and a sober and indus
trious man, about forty years Of age. The murder
was committed on the night of January 4, and, so
far as the circumstances were found to exist and
afterwards ascertained the trial. which ended
to-day, are as folows:-Wisner had been among
some companions In the afternoon, and according
to testimony before the Coroners jury, deceased
had been INDUCING tn extensive lbatOns OF ale and
whiskey; but at about nine O'Clock In the evening
he was seen to leave a saloon In the
NEIGHBoRHoOD OF THE JUNCTION,
In the upper portion OF Plttston, where he
was found dead on the morning OF the 5th lying be-
side the Lehigh Valley Railroad track at the bottom
OF wall fifteen feet high, and upon which the main
street Of Pttston Is built. After leaving the saloon
mentioned above he was not seen again until found
dead, as above described The Coroners Jury after
several sttings, were unable to give the smallest
key to tangible story to the cause OF his DEATH
but upon the probable facts elected rendered this
verdict:-'That the deceased came to his death at
the hands OF some person persons unknown
In few days the lodge Of Odd Fellows OF which he
was an honorable member offered reward OF $500
for the apprehension OF the murderer, and the
Borough Council OF Pttston supplemented the re-
ward by an additional reward OF $780,
MAKING THE REWARD ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ALL.
This large sum OF money was calculated to, and
did, create considerable excitement among the de-
tective officers OF this valley but the most deter
mined efforts failed to accomplish the end sought.
Some three weeks afterward a man arrived In the
borough OF Pittston, mounted on handsome brown
mare, and the suspicious Of the Chief OF Police, A.
G.. Migan, were aroused. The latter knew the
rider as noted thief, having upon former occa-
sion arrested him for stealing mules. This man
WAS known as Davenport, with o string of ugly
borough lookup. The next day the Chiefs s sns
p ss a for hts
Davenport was In due course sent to the county
prison at Wilkesbarre TO await the action OF the
Court. The case of Wisner had been quite lost
sight OF by the people, but not so with the con-
science OF the murderer.
DAVENPORT ''BLowING THE aAFF."
Davenport soon made number OF friends and
COnfdants Of his companions In prison. word
now and then passed between the convicts within
the hearing Of some of the officials and by assist
ance of the Chief OF Police of Wilkesbarre NJ. A.
Kearney, 1t was elected that this same Davenport
was In some way connected with the death OF Wis
ner II not directly the instrument and author OF
the crime. Detectives Kearney and Milligan were
untirtng In their efforts, and tO-dayS trial proves
the effectiveness OF their energy
The case was opened yesterday morning before
Y. M. Harding, Presiding Judge, and d. X. Morse
and d. f. Piauts, Associate Judges; District Attor-
ney Merrman and Messrs. Palmer and Collins were
for the Commonwealth; LambertOn and Farnham
for the defendant. Several hours were occupied by
witnesses describing minor facts pertaining to the
death of Wsner and location OF the body when
found, which published in the HERALD at the
time OF the murder.
TESTIMONY OF HENRY MORRIS
Henry Morris the first witness called for the
prosecution upon crcumstantal evidence to COM
nit Davenport, alias Jackson Sanders alias Jackson
Brown. Morris testified that on the morning OF
IN 5th OF January, at about hafpast two O'clock
SOM, one came TO his door and Knocked for admis
sion e., inquiry respecting who there was re-
Friend - h. then got out OF bed and went to the
door and asked him what he wanted and he replied
shs he had ana WASH sG' et blood
his clothes Morris told I'M to go to hotel and the
man left the door, but ~ "en MOTIFS mad fairly
house, and then Morris recognize ID him as Daven
port, the prisoner on trial; his cloth. was muddy
and badly dlsarranged, and he presente,, vegrant
v. ISABELLA NORRIS ooRRoBoRATED
her husbands testimony and ldentned tne priso1er
John Rider a boss on the Lackawanna ana
Bloomsbury Railroad, between Pittston and Scran-
ton, was next sworn: He recognized the prisoner
as the man on the day after the murder VINO
passed his gang Of men at work on the railroad,
some whiskey and then urged that he must hurry |
on he said there man killed In P1ttSton last
night, and they say did, s
Davenport OF the crime, not even suspected him as
the guilty person, and here follows the line OF evil
seli into the misfortune o7 being upon trial for his
life by his braggadocio and propensity for telling OF
"bigger deeds' than other Of his fellow convicts.
THE MURDERER sELF-CoNvrCTED.
fed that he heard the prisoner talking to O'Don
nell, fellow convict also, about the Pittston MUIR
der; the prisoner said, ~ put the light OUT any
how" ODonnell asked him how he did It. and he
replied that he struck him back OF the neck and
Knocked him down and went through his pockets;
he said after he got something out Of his pockets ne
over the wall He heard LIN say something about
photograph and letter; he sad young girl had
the photograph asked ed, him 4 he Vas cot afraid
her, she dare not' he said II anybody should ever
squeal on him they had better make their peace
with God once, while O'Donnell was talking TO
him he said, lyon know 30 much about 1t will tell
'o' THE FELLOW WHO KILLED THE MAN
was named Davenport and there is a man in this
iail who knows him. The prisoner was known in
Jail as Jackson Sanders, and was so indicted He
ssbe damned II he would confess II he was on the
galows" he said he would not disgrace his friends.
pAvENPORT's PHOTOGRAPH DODGE.
, Charles Harding, another convict, resident Of
Binrhamton, n r, testified that he charged the
prisoner while In jail with completely 10 the Nessier
OF every other scrape he had been In, and ne would
get out OF this that they could NOT prove
Guilty with man. and that he had showed him over
bank. He said that he would have nntsned tne
man so that he would never nave gos over n NJ bsa
10 leave He said II would wrte him receipt
that had traded horses with him, and give him So
TO boot, he would show me photograph ne had
got of this fellows body.
AFRAID OF THE RUrF1AN
Fanny stevens, another convict In the JAIL test-
ned she heard Sanders say that he took photo
graph and o letter from the man who was muir
dered, and then threw him over the wall She was
reluctant about testifying because she was afraid
OF Sanders.
KILLED NM AND THREW Rim OVER THE WALL.
Robert Campbell, In jail for Drunkenness swore
that he heard Sanders say that he killed fellow up
In Pttston and threw him over the wall He heard
him say that he took photograph from him. He
said that ne saw three men coming up Just after he
threw him over the wall, and then ran away
Mr. Baumgardner, merchant Of Pittston test-