The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-27
TWO MURDERERS HANGED.
~yr oBTmEs THAT SENT PIPER AND
PROsT TO THE GALL0Hs'


- t,s,sn,Iy Piper's Confession OF
-. Cr,me. TO his Counsei-hts N'cums
p,,sros. Nav @-Thomas w. Piper the
,.... y, Mahel Young. and formerly sexton
- wa,ren Avenue Baptist Chpnrn IN tnS
~. On. HANGED this morning In the Charioe
.,.ao, tall Piper was convicted 'sS'
an the second trial, OF the muioo' u .,aoo'
Young, a child Of ave years W .no $50 u
,y.,,an Avenue Church, on the zdu Oh May 100
H. s,outlv denied his crime oeiore anu after
he s''"'' s,,, on the 9TH OF this month, after
e''off I.e confessions, finally acknowledged
-. NOT only Killed this child nut murdered
n's, ~. I,odregan on Dec g. 1878, and attic pied
- I'm 4. olrl named Mary lyman, besides com
I-u,,no other crimes. including inoendiarism
,dtbeft His record stamps him monster OF
e.ceptlonL cunning and brutality.
piuer passed the night calmly and coilectedly
retltIne soon after the departure OF his pastor,
vhich was about ten O'Clock, aud slept until
four this morning. He breakfasted lightly, and
pasaed the hours intervening before the return
Of bis spiritual adviser In Meditation and prayer
while In the company Of the latter he mani
tested the same wonderful calpness that has
characterized his demeanor for the past few
days.
Soon after 10 o'clock, accompanied by DR..
Bhdy, Mr.. Cook, the chaplain Of the jail, and
q snerin's deputy. he was conducted to the
psrlor Of the Sherirs residence, where brief re-
blnous ceremonies we're held, there being pres
ant legal witnesses, physica ans, and reporters.
The hymn beginning" There is a Fountain Filled
with Blood" sung, after which Dr. Eddy
read portion of the Scriptures, following It
with brief and fervent prayer. During the ser
vice. III er occupied a seat on sofa In reclin-
.s s,,,,tinn except when reference was made I'm
prayer to his family.
AT THE dAILows.
A. 1O5o the Sheriff appeared at the door, fol-
lowed uy Piper, who was supported on either
sde 6y pr. Eddy and an officer Of the jail.
He WIS exceedingly plle, but otherwise mani
,e.ted liz le to indicate any feelings Of fear
ucpda,ion Passing quickly across the area Of
tbe court yard, he was led up stairs TO the plat
, Sap the feadins Of the death warrant, during
whicn bis feet and legs were pinioned and the
black cay al iusted.
A. he iast ~ the exclamation, 4God have
mercy upon your soul was uttered, the CHI ir
having been removed deputy sprung the trap,
tho BODY fell a distance Of nearly eight feet, and
afetspiuuing around violently for a few seconds,
remlined perfectly motionless. The fall caused
instant death. he drop fell exactly at 1875, and
after hanging fifteen minutes the body was ex-
smned sy physicans and life pronounced e1.
tnct. While the clock was tolling eleven IL
vs. lowered to the floor and placed upon a
aretchcr.
eonm. and the crowd OF several hundred which
flled the galleries manifested deep apprecia-
non Of the soiemnty OF the event The eIecu.
don Of Piper has attracted universal interest,
resulting both from the nature and the number
OF his crimes So that the press OF applicants Tor
tickets of admission has been greater than at
any other similar event for many years. Outside
| Of the JAIL there was mob OF several hundred
Who nailed the announcement OF the execution
Arrangements for Plpers funeral have not yet
been definitely decided upon, but It will be held
al the residence Of his family, at Boston High
hnds and Will be strictly private.
PlPER'~ FIRST STORY OF THE KILLING.
Piper confessed his crime to MIR. Edward
Brown. one Of his counsel. After Brown filled
g. obtlin a new trial and all hope was gone, he
visited pner to tell him thst he could do no
more 10 his behalf, In accordance with prom
he previously IN de. Piper then repeated his
stor that little Mabel was accidentally killed by
~ Rap door III the berry falling upon her. Mr.
Brown iheteupOn said to hin, " thomas, now
vii NE ex Ell, nov this acciaent took place as
nearly a NoI can recolect IT,
ripeT aid: " After lett the boys in the vesti-
bule IL tue audience room went down stairs
some persons there. / then went TO the audi
tnce room, looked at the thermometer, and,
fn4ius tnat the cnufch was too warm. went
~ into the tower. propped up the trap door
WIN the bat, and wnen | returned to the gal
ny moor found Mabel Young near the tower
dor She ed me where | had been. told
A b,f had been up to the tower where the
. pissons we're. She said she wanted to so up
A. - sec the pigeons. | told her she could not
4 A. me wu,,'| Get her clothes dirty. She per
su.4ed me to let he- 60, aud she started aud IN
on he I'd. | followed close behind her. She
. climbed up the stairs to the bell deck, ana /
followed immediately after her, oniy one OF TWO
Tru- behind. When she got To the top OF the
/ lails, while standing upon the last tread she
knoekod the bat from under the trap door, and
II fell upon her"
Nr Brown continues: ~ said TO him. taking
II nv hand a block Of paper from on the little
och IN the cell, Now point out TO me the par
ncular stop on the coping where her body
Tested when the door feel on her; : and he said
F. Illustrating with the block, TINT her head was
on The coping under the trap door at the righs
hand corner OF the hstchway nearest Dartmouth,
street and furthest from Warren avenue
-" looked at him for moment and said,
Thomas. YOU are not telling me tue truth"
"He sad, an lie seemed confused, and
"a undertook again TO explain"
. a.tJ D. a A. ..fpa fnr
Avery and myself, and also to Dr. Eddy aud my
set that the first knowledge YOU had that any
Fl ulns az hapnened was when the bat-stick
bumped down the stairs, and that then you were
al tbe {. 4 of the stairs and not near the top, as
lie then exclaimed, you do lot understand
me.
said, II understand you perfectly. You
either lied 70 US or you now lying TO me.
Besides, i would be absolutely impossible fos
that ehld's head to get under the right hand Of
tha1 trap door, as you now describe 1t, unless
Toy forced IL there Yourself"
lie seemed confused. Ills face was flushed.
Isaid e. him. Thomas, you are too near your
v9 10 tIlhe ans further with me. Tell me the
must end"
He sank back for moment. and then said :
II W brown, IN not telling the truth"
hothng but the truth"
lie then SAID, " Mr.. Brown, am guilty"
II asked, "Whai do you mean?"
n he 5tg' killed the child"
child with that bati"
Il lie SAID, d" ] do.'
al took hun by the hand and said to him.
iuuma-' II thls Is true, pity you beyond any
II nmhe Whlch eau express. did not believe II
II PVsseie mat you could have struck the child
N ~iiu TIE Bat and want you to tell me all about
CONFEsSING HIS GUILT.
IL re began 10 sob, and he said, =" Mr.. Brown,
w Vel You the whole" | then said to him,
N Ndm 'Nurtef, and commence at the begin
ihE ana tell me- as near AS YOU can recollect,
saHlhluf That took place from the time after
III ~ thloFed the church on your return from
II s,unef. dO"n . the time when tho alarm was
III he said, 81 will"
a. 'ald u him, II desire YOU TO understand
sna. Whatever passes between III j. to be strictly
uu1'uNnl " you cesir' II but you must Tecol-
80 l!hl ls Just a. important for YOU that you
Svnol confess Thing that YOU did nor do, rs 1t
"uN"l You zen me exactly what you did do"
~ shd Will do my best TO tell YOU what
"uu.Ht't us 10 Wnat did on that day"
~ Nh'n stated that when he returned 10 the
,"u'Vh after dinner he seemed to have desire
rlJ1lr Hpmtuody,and with this Intention In
Tu'aT' ne went To the audience room to see
80 W., 'last Mas cleaI, 80 ne could take the hat
~ nv lhe towers that he SAW some persons In
auu''il'e ROOM ma IN consequence Of tn s
Ill "'h' through the lower Ve-tlbule into the
| - ''-ll 5, hen INTO the library and took the