The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-09
PIPER CONFESSES AGAIN.
THE INFAMOUS BOSTON BELFRY
MURDERER TELLS THE STORY
oF HIS CRIME.
He Admits the Murder of Mabel Young,
Bridget Landergan, and an At
temp to Kill Mary Tyner-
4 Sort of an Adult Jesse
Pomeroy.

Boston, May THE preparations of
Thomas w. Piper's counsel for arguing
the motion in the supreme court to-mor-
row, for new trial, on the ground of ad-
ditional evidence in relation to the bat used
as the weapon, have come to sudden end,
the motion will not be made. This noon
Edward ?. Brown, junior counsel, who
has worked assiduously throughout, was
talking with Piper about the motion, fully
believing, as he has done all along, 10
Pipers innocence, when the prisoner, who
has of late been breaking down in health,
through his mental agony, began to talk 10
different strain from what he has before,
and by degrees confessed to the horror
stricken counsel not only that he murder
ed Mabel oung 10 the befry of the War
ren Avenue Baptist church, for which
murder he is to be hung on May 26th,
but also that he murdered Bridget
Landergan. at Dorchester, Gu the night of
December 5th, 1873, and that he was the
| principal in the mysterious and nearly
fatal assault on Mary Tyner, in Oxford
street, Boston, nearly two years ago.
| Piper says that he has hitherto lied about
everybody else. well-knowing that did Mr.
Brown suspect the truth he would be left
to his fate. He assigned no motive what
ever for his crimes, except pure diabolism,
| love of bloodshed, the same as actuated
Jesse Pomeroy in his horrible butcheries,
and the confession shows depth of de-
privity as shocking as it is inexplicable. e.
The murder of Mabel Young is too fresh
in recollection to need description. The
lovely little girl of was decoyed irto the
belfry of the church and beaten to death
with ball bat within 10 minutes from the
time her aunt left her in the Sunday school
room, and after one disagreement of the
jury, Thos W. Piper, the sexton, was con
victed of the murder The case of Bridget
Laudergan has been wrapped in more
mystery. She was a domestic of good re-
pute and had been out during the after
noon to visit some friends. While return
ing houie, about 9 o'clock at night, she
was brutally clubhed to death at Upham s
corner, in the Dorchester district. and
though several arrests were made on sus-
picion, up 10 to day the criminal has not
certainly been known Piper was one of
the men arrested, but the evidence was in.
sufficient to hold him. Since the Mabel
Young murder the detectives have been
confirmed in their belief that Piper also
murdered Bridget Landergan, but have
been unable to get clue to the matter
Thomas Cahili, a former sweet heart Of
the girl, was under suspicion. and having
gone to ireland soon after the murder,
was extradited and brought to this country
by state detectives; but no case was made
out snd he was discharged. On July lst,
1874, Mary Tyner, girl Of the town. liv
ing at No. 81, Oxford street, was found in
her bed iusensible and horribly mangled
her head having been wounded and cut tt
jelly with an instrument which medica
testimony declared to be turner's gouge
Several cuts in the skull allowed tn,
brains to ooZe out, and she was taken Il
the hospital in momentary prospec. 0
death, but she fingered along and by de
grees recovered and resumed her old busi
ness of night walking, and was for this OF
fense, a few months ago sent to Dee
Island. A lover OF hers, named Colby
was arrested for the assault. but she re
r fused TO proceed against him, or to tel
what she knew of the case, and he was dis
charged Such is brief history of th
crime which Thomas w. Piper to-day con
: fessed, ard which will be published ex
clusively in the Globe to morrow. Their
can be no doubt of Pirer's execution o
May 26th, and the effect of this confessio
will be most likely to cause Gov Rice t
: sign the death warrant of Pomeroy, tn
boy fend