The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-05-12
PHILADELPHIA.
The Centennial.

The CeutepDIdts
PHILADELPHIA, April l0.-The Cen
tennial Commission reassembled at 10
o'clock this morning. Judge Anderson,
of North California, offered series OF
resolutions, which were adopted. express.
ing sorrow at the death Of the Hon.
James L. Orr.
New Trial.
In the Court Of Quarter Sessions this
morning, Judge Paxon granted a new
trial in the case of c. c. Layton, city
editor OF the Press, who was convicted
Of libeling Daniel II. Lane, by pub.
lishing q malicious article against him.
A Terrible Crime.
About 1890 Saturday night smoke
was seen issuing from the attic windows
of No. 4Gl New Market, the first foor
and basement OF which are occupied
byJ. Kellonan as bakery. The attic
is rented by man named J. White.
The cry Of fire was raised aud Kellouan
and one of his journeymen ran up stairs,
but finding the attic door locked
they bursted it open, and the fremen
arriving soon after the fire was extln'
guished. An examination revealed the
presence OF the bodies OF q man and
woman with both their throats cut from
ear to ear. The female Jay on straw
mattress which had been set on fire
and the cords having burned off let
the body tall to the floor. In the mid
die mattress the body OF a man lay on
the floor, A razor was found under
his head with which the crime had
been committed. The bodies We're re-
moved to the morgue.
Yesterday aportmonie was found that
led to the recognition Of the murdered
girl as Mary Bracken, whose mother
lives in Clark avenue. The girl was OF
good moral character and was highly
spoken Of by all who knew her.. White
was both boiler maker and shoemaker
by trade. OF late he has been working
at the latter. From what has been de-
veloped it is evident that be decoyed
the girl to his room and attempted to
outrage her, but failing in doing 50, he
murdered her by cutting herlthroat, set
fire to the bed and then cut his own
throat. In his left hand was found a
bunch OF hair. The girls left thumb
was cut off and her hands badly gashed.
White face was badly scratched, show
ing how the girl struggled for her life
and virtue.
The upper room in the building was
occupied by three or four tenants, OF
whom Mrs. Boon, who occupied the
third story, says that little before ten
o'clock she heard White talking loud,
ly and supposed he was drunk and
talking to himself. After while she
heard him fall on the floor, and then
another pause. Tois was after he had
set FIRE to the bed and cut his own
throat. Detective Franks who has
charge OF the case Gays it is case o
attempted rape, murder, arson and su
icide.
The villain did not accomplish the
outrage on the girl and is supposed to
have killed her out of anger. The
key to the room cannot be found. The
door was locked on the inside. White
was considered hard character lie
was born in Ireland and was forty-four
years old; has wife and children in
Kent, England. A letter from his
vile has been found, saying she was in
distress and wanted aid.
Mrs. Brown says that young girl
Las been in the habit OF going TO his
room but that che was not the murder
ed one. She also states that she
thought she heard two people going up
stairs about eight o'clock. The state
ment Of Mrs. Rose Bracken, aged about
sixty years, the mother OF the murder
ed girl, is as follows
Five years ago White had room in
my house. then lived at 7l6 New
market. When l moved left him
there. / have never permitted him TO
come to my house since, on account OF
bis bad behavior. / moved to Vine
street, below Second; knew White had
wife in England. lie said be he'd to
leave Ireland on account Of FeniaDism,
but | think it was on account OF mur.
der he had committed. John Brackeu,
my husband, lives with his daughter,
Mrs. keenan,, on Northwest corner OF
Newmarket aud Coates streets. White
visited him come time at Mrs. Keenan's
and he has been known to visit White
at his room.