The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-12-25

ifell. lhe other fellow driven TO QeSpef
alton, turned upon young Van Brunt
pistol in hand, and aiming at his hear
fired. He missed his aim. ''Stand o.
I'll kill you," shouted the young man
but the burglar leveled his pistol again
Mr.. Van Brunt grasped his gun by The
stock, and struck the burglar terrible
blow upon the arm. The stock few of
and the plucly young fellow drew a re
.volver and fred twice at the thief, while
the rufian was aiming at his head. The
man fell with the words, 'I'm through,
upon his lips. In few moments he was
dead.
His companion fell about fifteen yards
from the house, and was writhing IL
lagony when Van Brunt stepped to his
side. This was Joseph Douglass; his
dead companion was William Mosher
Douglass was in excruciating agony
when Van Brunt asked him if he had
anything to say. From his abdomen
the entrails protruded, and his right side
presented a hideous appearance. His
first cry was for liquor. For the love Of
God" he moaned, ''give me a drink Of
whisky, quick, quick, quick" The
liquor was brought him, but as he
touched it with his lips he pushed il
away and cried for water. He rolled
upon the wet ground and placed his
hands upon his ghastly wounds to STOP
the flow of blood which gathered In pools
around him. He lay there slowly dying
but clinging to life until the end. Il
was two hours and half before he died.
THE CONFESSION.
While he laid upon the ground in ex-
treme pain, he asked for a drink, and
said he would like to see a spiritual ad-
wiser. None was at hand, however, and
he being told that he could not see one,
volunteered to make statement as to
who he and his companion were. The
dying man was informed that his partner
in crime had died, when he said his
name was William Mosher, and that his
own name was Joseph Douglass. He
expressed some sorIow when informed
that Mosher had died, and remarked,
''That's a pity, for he could tell where
little Charlie Ross is, or words to that
effect. He wanted those around him to
send to Superintendent Walling that he
might know of his trouble, and added:
81 have brother and sister whom
1 have not seen for twelve years. I have
forty dollars in my pocket, which wish
used to give me a decent burial. Mosher
and 1 abducted the boy Charlie Ross
from Germantown. Superintendent
Wallingwould have given a great deal
to have got us. If MOsheH were alivehe
could tell where the boy is now. Mosher
has wife and children living in New
York"
THE MEN AND THEIR MOVEMENTS,
After making this statement the man
died in great pain, and as they were
both laid out together they presented
horrible spectacle. William Mosher,
the elder of the two, is a man about five
feet eight inches In height, rather slight
ly built, with sandy hair and very light
side whiskers and moustache. Hiscoun-
tenance is that of thorough desperate,
the forehead being low and square, the
eyebrows prominent, the eyes small and
of light blue color, set close together,
the nose fat and spreading at the base,
with the middle cartilage entirely gone,
the teeth irregular and differing in color,
some being blue black with decay, and
the other being brilliantly white, and
the chin retreating. Douglass is about
the same height and build with fiery red
hair and moustache of the same color
dropping over the lips. He was about
thirty years old, and Mosher about for
ty-fve. Douglass had very hard look
upon him, and seemed fully capable of
carrying out any desperate undertaking.
After the death of the two men it was
found that they had effectedan entrance
into the house by getting through trap
door of the cellar. p The rooms were In
great disorder, having been turned up
side down by the men. While the group
of loungers attracted to the house by the
report of the burglary were standing
around the bodies Of both men, a man
named Richard Harkey, a sailor, occu-
pying a small hut near the north shore,
came up and informed Mr.. Van Brunt
that he had found a yawl boat nearly
new fastened to a stake about quarter
of mile from the scene of the burglary.
The boat was not known to any of the
sailors along the shore. On its being
afterwards searched a copy of the Herald
and one of the Philadelphia Age
were found, together with a gaiter
which correspondent with one worn by
Mosher. Inquiries inthe neighborhood
elicted the fact that between 8 and 10
o'oclock on Monday nighttwomen poor
" androughly clad walked into Winant's
saloon and called for drinks. Theywere
not known to any one in the house, and
after waiting there some little time they
took their departure. The men were
not seen again until theywere found dead
yesterday morning. 1t is supposed that
after they left they proceeded to Judge
Van Brunt's unoccupied house, and
waited for a good opportunity to carry
out their operations.
ACTION OFTHE AUTHORITIES.
The first official intelligence was sent
to Superintendent WaIling, of this city,
and to Superintendent Folk, of Brook
lyn, in the following telegram dispatch
ed by Judge Church, of Fort Hamilton:
Superintendent Walling, Police Head
quarters, New York City: