Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-08-09

10 cOiilrOnt uurlnR tnc lubt twenty
years. Who were these persons who
were guilty of this murder? This is
for you TO determine, according to the
evidence, and ] now propose, very con.
cisely and as succinctly as ] can, to
call your attention 10 the evidence in
this case; and i ask you to find your
verdict of guilty solely in accordance
with that evidence and acting under
the solemnity of your oaths.
Here Mr. Gowen rehearses the tes-
timony to the jury.
now come to the testimony Of Nc
Parlan. Many of you know that some
years ago was the District Attorney
OF this county. | am, therefore, not
very much out Of my old paths, and
not very much away from my old
moorings when am standing, on be-
half of the Commonwealth, in the
Court of Pottsville, demanding the con-
viction ofa guilty man. 1t was when
| was District Attorney of this coun-
ty, n young man, charged with the
prosecution OF the pleas of the Com
monwealth, that for the first time |
made up my mind from what | had
seen, in innumerable instances, that
there then existed in this county Sc
crct organization, banded together for
the commission of crime, and for the
purpose OF securing the escape or ac-
quittal OF any of its members charged
with the commission of an offence.
That conviction forced itself indeli-
bly, upon my mind. A man who for
two years acts as District Attorney in
this county prosecuting criminals who
arc brought before the Court, must be
either very obtuse or willfully blind, if
he could close his eyes to the existence
Of a fact as perceptible as this was then
to me left this county with that
settled conviction, and circumstances
that occurred time and again long af.
ter l withdrew from the prosecution
Of criminals, still more deeply fastened
this conviction in my mind. Murder,
violence and arson, committed without
detection, and apparently without mo.
tive, attested the correctness Of that
belief and when the time came that !
became so much interested in the pros
perity Of this county, and in the devel.
opment OF its mineral wealth, that |
saw that it was n struggle between
the good citizen and the bad citizen as
to which should obtain the supremacy,
! made up my mind that if human in.
genuity, if long suffering and patient
care, and toll that stopped at no obsta-
Gle, and would confront every danger,
could succeed in exposing this secret
organization to light Of day, and bring
ing to well-earned justice the perpe-
traitors of these awful crimes, ] would
undertake the task.
knew that it could only be done
by secret detectives, and / had had
enough experience, both as lawyer,
and as the head OF very large cor
poration, to know that the public mu.
nicipal detectives, employed by the po-
lice authorities of the cities, who oper.
ate only for rewards, are the last per
sons TO whom you could trust q mis-
sion and an enterprise such as this. (lt
was as important for us to know who
was innocent as it was TO know who
was guilty.)
The detective who operates for re-
wards, who is only paid upon his con.
viction OF the offender, has motive to
incite him TO action which / would be
tho last man in the world TO arouse. |
knew, for had had experience before,
of the National Detective Agency ol
Allan Pinkerton, of Chicago, which
was established by an intelligent and
broad.mlnded Scotchman, established
upon the only basis on which a sue
cessful detective agency can be estab-
lished, and ! applied TO Mr.. Pinkerton
His plan was simply this; al will Sc
cure an agent, or an officer, said he,
'to ferret out the existence Of this so.
ciety. Who ever got is to be paid SO
much a week, no matter if he finds out
nothing. He is bound to me, never,
under any circumstances, TO take re.
ward for his services, from anybody
and. if he spends five wears and OBJ.
tains nothing in the way of informa.
ftion. he must have every month OF
every week exactly the same compen-
sation as if every week he had traced
n now murder and every month had
discovered a new conspiracy. He il
never 20 gain pecuniariiy by the suc.
cess of his undertaking but as a man
who goes into this organization. as a
detective, takes his lie in his own
hands | will send no man on this mis-.
sion of yours Gowcn unless il be
agreed. beforehand and | can tell him
So that he never is TO be known in
connection with the enterprise" Upon
these terms this man James McParlan
was selected. A young Irishman and
Catholic, but six or seven years in
tbis country. emincntly qualified by
his peculiar Irish accomplishments &c
ingratiate himself with these 10 whom
he was sent he came here in the fall
of 1874. and within six months he had
40 far won the confidence of the class
of peoplc who constituted this orde,
that he was admitted as A member
Remember, now, here and | advert tc
il lest | might forget il, that he came
pledged that he should not be used a.
a witness. Therefore the only Object
of his coming was TO nut us upon III,
track, 80 that we could discover III,
J crime when il was being perpetrated
and this is the best answer that car
possibly bc made TO the charge that h,
willnliv withheld his Knowledge wber
he might have saved human fife. Iii,