Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1873-11-12

pus tnt osuSf oos was o"e, o"~
could not be found.
A short time after be had learned Of
the murder, the Coroner empanuelled a
jury and proceeded TO hold an inquest.
Money to the amount of 81, 400 both
in coin and bank notes, was found stored
away in almost every mock and corner
in the house and surroundings. After
hearing and noting the evidence Of a
number of witnesses the jury returned
a verdict to the effect that Isabella Nc
Bride and John Mcbride came to their
death by blows received at the hands of
Nelson Z. Wade, on the evening OF the
22d of July, 1873.
Subsequently, learning that Wade
was aesirous of making q confession.
tie coroner's jury repaired to the jail
for the purpose of hearing from the lips
of the murderer his statement of the
manner in which be committed the aw-
full deed. Wade received the party
with q villainous smile upon his face,
vet with . bold, defiant look that i'm
meiiately stamped him as cool AID
determined assassin. He first inquired
if they wanted his confession for the
newspapers, when an ex-sherIf replied,
"W hat difference will that make to your
Wade replied "None, for l don't care
d-u what you want it for"
Wade first confessed to the killing o.
the aged couple on the evening in ques'
tion by striking them over the head,
with bludgeon afterwards found II
the house. He then procured An axe
went up stairs and broke open = ches
and made two trips that night carrying
away the money. He declared that hs
got between sixty and seventy thousand
dollars, and that when he came TO di'
be would tell some poor man where hi
had buried the money, but that no rict
man should have any portion Of it if h'
could help it. He said that he hac
fifty different names in his lifetime, bu
that his right name is Nelson +. Wade
He was free 20 admit that he had COM
mitted several murders prior to killing
the McBrides that he shrunk not a
any crime, and closed his harangu'
with the following sentence : Gentle
men, this is getting to be a great coun
/ try, where = few rich men rule the ma
tion, and the poor must suffer it'
time there was stop put to Il; the peo
pie are going to the devil as fast as they
can"
At an early age Nelson E. Wade wa
thrown upon the world to mould hi
own character for good or evil. Hi
mother is still living, but since the ag'
of sixteen years has been subject to MT
of insanity At the age of nine year.
Wade went to live. with the farmer
named Harvey, in the vicinity, wlithel
be remained until he was sixteen YEAR
old, and then started in life for hImsel
hardened and reckless youth. At thI
time be was executed he was thirty-fv'
years of age, having lived life of dis
sipatiou for the past nineteen years.
The murderer was fond of bsasting anC
appeared to take especial pride in rela
ting how many persons he had killed
during his lifetime. He has frequently
been in the Lycomiug county jal
charged with committing thefts anC
breaches of the peace. At one tint
he was employed as a brakeman Oh the
Philadelphia and Erie railroad, bu
was discharged for dIsorderly conduct
II is said OF the murderer that while b,
was in the Western army, he was the
perpetrator of one of the most crue
and 5lood-curdling acts on record. Il
! is in substance that from some cause be
became offended at boy, and dragged
him into log house, secured the win.
dows and doorway so that escape wa.
impossible, and then applying fire tc
the structure, stood guard, and laughed
with fendish glee at the cracking
flames as they consumed the body oi
the poor, defenceless lad.
While in prison he continued to ex-
hibit the same boasting spirit, and
seemed to be the same hardened moD-
ster he was when he committed the ap-
palling crime. On several occasions he
broke his handouts, and it became
necessary to place an iron collar around
his neck and cham him to the foor.-
On one occasion he was asked how he
passed the nights, when he replied,
i" Jolly; | have McBrid,'s ghost In
here, and | make it lively for the ap-
partition"
Wade anG female prisoner in the
jail were detected in a bold scheme
which they were working on to effect
their escape, by drugging the officer on
guard. A letter written BY the girl to
Wade was discovered, which contained
the whole plot, and their escape at that
time was nipped in the bud.
1t remained evident, however, that
some one was in communication with
Wade, and cooperating with his efforts
To escane HIS freunenf assartions tha Z