The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-24
TIE BELFRr MURDER.
The Condemned Prisoner. Piper, Telling n
story that Few will Believe.

Thomas W. PIPER who lies in the Suf-
folk county jail condemned to desth iof NE
" arren Avenue Baptist Church has yielded at
last 20 ar a. to confess tnai II was ne woo uist
knew Of the death ( the cnhd. Hiherto no
has dcried positively that he hhd any kuowleuHe
uf tie occurrence until told OF II by Others out
now, in contradiction OF his ott,tepeaied as
ser'inns made under oath at both his trials and
repeated IN the most solemn manner at The very
moment Of has sentence, he comes loVW ru Win
a .tr.ure story OF the lttls girl's accidental
death IN which lac claims Tor himself entire lh-
Piucr's story was told in the presence OF Ms.
Brown, II MS cuunsel the Rcv. Dr. T. {, Eddy,
Of the Tabernacle Baptist Cnurch; an ON 'er OF
the jail and young man VINO was elh'luSeu 10
take notes % what the condemned man might
say. IL. story Of how ne occupied me tlhe on
that fatal sunday afternoon Is the same az that
told 10y MIN when testityiug ~ ms own oenali
up to the time when he went mp stars 20 pre-
vent the boys who were In the vestlbule from
entering the audience room. From tnat toiht
II differs from every otner statement Whlch ne
has made hitherto. lie said that some com
paint had been male OF the lack OF Iresn air IN
the auu ienco room, and that To remedy the
trouble lie went M TO the beltry TO onel TIE
trap door, ana thus secure through dIait' -
he mad done more than once before ne touN
i'm hun the BAT stick, which played 50 I'M, ~
ant part Of tho triais, ana, having rdls q tho
IT p door, VI ced the stuck under II perpehd'c-
Returning down stairs. he reached the gallery
| door aid there met little Nanel Dung VINO Was
| coming out of the Org gallery. Nn.e'ns 10y
What's up thorsf" lie answered that That was
| the btlfry, and something WAS sNu no"ut 'ue
| pigeons. In a moment sue asked permission 70
! 60 uu. and he told her TIA Il sue might 90 so II
| sue wished. She started up the stairs ana ne re-
| named wuert he was. soon, however, ne re-
| men cred the wayin which no hal lelt IT, trhp,
| aud fcaung that In getting into the berry sue
| ight inlure herself, he hurried ~ after her.
| When he reached the top OF the stairs his worst
| fears We're confirmed. AZ, $780,,
| The bat stick had been knocked out, the door
had fallen. ana there lay the liitle girl cautht
between tho heavy door aud the edge OF IN ,
| floor. Piper took the emilia out to place her on
| her feet. She moaned, but was unconscious
| lie laid her on tho noOr ana after moment
pnuse to collect his faculties started Gown -'"ll
| with the int ntion Of making a fun statement
| OF the occurrence. ON the way down ne met tht
| Misses Knight, Alice ana jennie, VINO tesllhed al
| the trials, entered into conversation WIN tnen
| and wuile standing with them conceived tht
| idea OF keeping the whole occurrence secret
| Acting on this resolution, he went hpout hl'
usual occupations , 80
pears as ,lT. Avtrys presentation oil the cdse'
The child he argued, could have been Killed ny IN
falling Of the my pounu trap upon her lie AIrueu hs'
10 show TINT perhaps Clover Wcut up tleIt 10 tV w.
young pigrO r, ami that the Ga staNlhg u lhvl
might have Lcen pushed aside by nm NlLnout Any ~
intent ns she was dctrctlug hul' anu perhaps NpN''
tel W hcr thea ANA he ret Gated
Piper has no hope Of Communication OF hl
death sentence.