Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-05-13
Piper's Co7r,ssion

4utch'4'a. MARY lldul. III consequence
of this confession the motion for new
trial ia the ease of the murder OF Mabel
ID. Young, will got he made in the Su-
prelae Judicial Court, this morning, as
was intended by his counsel, and Piper
viii be executed on the 2Gth, as ordered
by the Governor. The only explanation
for his crimes was an unnatural thirst for
blood and Il savage delight in Witnessing
human suffering.
Piper's mental suffering, which lie has
undergone, has reduced him greatly and
his mind is now in weak and shattered
condition, and with such weight of guilt
upon it, one can only wonder that he has
kept the terrible secrets locked in his
breast for so long time.
Piper's story of the murder of Mabel
Young is as follows; II took the bat
from the lower room before or about the
commencement of the school, to kill Sol.e-
body. At that time | carried it up into
the auditorium, but during the session OF
the Sunday school took it from the audi
forum and carried it to the bclfry. After
the clo.e of the school | came down and
opened the doors. l went up again at the
time l sent away the boys who were play
ing in the yeStibulc. After the boys had
gone and was still in the vestibule the
little girl came up stairs and induced
her to go with me to the belfry. There l
struck her with the club two or three
times, and She fell where the blood was
found. l then picked her up and carried
the body to the place where it was discov-
cred" After Piper had told :he story of
the murder of Mabel Young, Mr.. Brown
asked him if that was all. He answered :
NO sir, killed Bridget Landergan. On
that night | started out with two of my
brothers to go to church. After we got
little way, told them did not feel very
well and would go back. left them and
walked back alone. Afterward l went
into place where they sold opium.
got some and then went and got some
Whiskey. put them together and drank
them, | then vent back to my house and
went down stairs, took saw and sawed
of the piece of shaft which was found
afterwards. After had cut off the piece
of shaft l went out, walked around some
and hid the piece under the fence. Soon
! n n oln f,ff +n he
fire and then came back and stood with
my brother, at the corner of Getting and
itoughton streets. While was standing
there | saw DR.. Eddy pass along and
also saw woman on the other side of the
street. Immediately my brother and |
went into the house and l said, | guess
| will go to bed l went down to the
kitchen, pretending that l was going to
bed, but instead of doing that | went out
the back door. got the club and started
on after the woman had seen. follow
ed her along and overlook her near Glov,
er's corner. As there were people about
, there ut the time [ followed her down till
we got to Columbia street. There l was
so near her that she looked around and
saw me. l struck her Immediately; she
fell down and | struck her again. While
| was STOPPING over the body saw man
coming, so l started up and ran away.
got over the fence and went along toward
the railroad. While l was climbing. UP
the bank at the railroad some one called
out to me and then l turned back, took Il
roundabout way and got home. On the
way home it occurred to me that had Il
knife in my pocket which might be rccog,
nized in some manner, so / threw il
away"
At the close of Piper'S statement con.
corning the murder, Mr.. Brown asked
him if he had anything more to confess
Whereupon he made confession of the
deadly assault upon Mary lyman in Ok.
ford street which clears up that mystery
The story was substantially as follows
81 was down in the evening, and neal
! Lagrange street l met this girl, she spoke
to me and we had 4 little chat together.
| invited her to 90 iii to saloon; she
did so, and after VIC had some refresh
ments, | went home with her and re.
manned some time. In the course Of the
night awoke and found she was asleep.
/ saw that l could get out by either a
front OF back window, and so | took up
something IN the shape Of hammer and
Struch her several blows so as to smash
her head in. | then left the house and
went up to the church, where | spent the
rest of the night" Mr.. Brown asked him
if there was anything else done, and he
said eyes there are some little things"
He then acknowledged that he had stolen
money at Jordan, Marsh & Co.'S, and
that he stole coat in the barber shop un-
der the Commonwealth Hotel.
People ask upon every hand what led
Piper to do these dreadful deeds? Was it
lust, blood thirstincss or insanity? Piper
says it was neither in itself. The con-
demncd man says he has long been a vic
tim to the use Of whiSkey and opium, and
adds that when he has INDUCED in them
he has felt an uncomfortable desire to
kill somebody or something-he must
have blood-and with this pas sion raging
in his brau, he has committed the bloody
deeds which lave brought him where he
iS--to the foot Of the scafold.
We are constrained to call the attention
of our Methodist brethren to the an
nonncemcnt that SnndnY trnins wnre rim