The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-13
C0AL-REGI0N MURDER Frs.
AN ASSASSTN GIVES EVIDENCE
AGAINST MS COMRADES


Progress of the Trials ut PottsviIIe.
POTTsvILLE, Aug ll.-Thls week has
been occupied here with the trial Of the gang
| charged with the attempted assassination of
| William Thomas. He was left for dead In a coal
| company's stable, but he subsequently recov-
| cred. McParlan, the detective, told the story
OF the heartless attempt at murder as the assas-
| Sins had told II to him. They went sngly up to
the stable where Thomas with the horses.
| II was early In the morning. The nrst one who
stepped into the stable was Hurley, who fired
shot at Thomas. The victim threw his hat In
his murderer's face, and Hurley fired again. By
| this time Gibbons made his way inside, and he
shot twice at Thomas. Morris then worked his
way into the stable, and fred several shots.
| Thomas fell among the horses. They sure
| he was dead. Several horses were shot. This
| story Of murder was told to the detective by the
| men Immediately after the occurrence They
were still on the mountain when they met Me
| Parlan. Thomas was picked up, bleeding from
numerous wounds He recovered. THIS was on
| June ~, 1875.
| The persons accused are James Roarty John
Kehoc, John Morris Dennis f. Canning, Michael
| ODrien, Christopher Donnelly, John Donahue,
alias yellow Jack" Frank McHugh aud John
| Gibbons. II is an unusual sight to a stranger to
| see them go from the Jail toEthe Court House
| enter the courtroom and take seats. They are
all chained together and are under guard of stall
wart men composing part Of the coal and iron
police. The prisoners were all companions Of
| detective McParlan when he was n masque-
| radng Molly, and they listened with deep in
terest as he narrated In detail all that he knew
| Of the tragedy.
| In tho chain gang" a. they are called, is
| ROarty. one OF the convicted murdercrs of po-
lceman Yost. A Molly Mcguire by the name OF
| Duugcrty was shot at last year, and he brought
| his grievance before meeting OF the order At
that time he said that If Jesse Major, william
"A Hhnniua Hall a
| thought he would be safe, These three men
were his, enemies, and as he was Molly no
| could claim the aid and protection OF MOllie-
| At that meeting the men were picked out to do
the numbering. The detective was present.
| After the shooting. which the officer tried to
| prevent, but was frustrated on account of sick
ness, the above named men were arrested IA
| principals and conspirators. by the testimony
| thus far offered. IL is plain that all OF them be-
| long To the murderous gang The detective has
| mentioned dozens OF names OF men connected
with them whom lie associated with in the Ma
CURE meetings.
A CONFESSION.
On Thursday there "A strange development
! In court. A second Jimmy kerrigan appeared
| In the person Of young Frank McHugh. one Of
| the gang. lie was called to the witness stand,
and when his fellow prisoners realized what he
| was doing. they grew pale and shuddercd at the
pnlew apd eSRS7f l and y1nns Yeow p4SSe
least agitation Noticeable. He WAS full pledged
| Molly. and was secretary Of a society or division
/ AZ Mnhanoy CITY when arrested. He cprruD-
Grated detective Mcparlan Ia everything lac had
said aud viii make an excellent witness for the
he thought 1t would he better for "all hands in
the gang to make clean breast ~ 1t and con
| TESS everything. because the Court would be
| bound to ind everything out anyhow; ii was
only question of tine. lie was present at the
meeting when IL was arranged for the three muir
ders. and he swore To the truth of all the detect
i've had said. His testimony created an intense
excitement, ana the prisoners at the bar looked
| detected.
Next came the testimony Of the warden Of the
jail Mr.. Byerle. He testified that John kehoe
| had conversation In his cell with him. kehOc
| II represented to he one of the leading Mollies
| Ia the regions. Tie asked how the trial OF the
lust murder was proceeding. and how tho ac-
cused would make out, The reply was that
| II would - Ner rough with them keh9e
! then said " think II Will 20 rough with NJ all,
| for m afraid that we won't yet Justice hut II
we don get justice here. the old man at Harris
| burg won or daten 20 oacN On us. y buzz
OF establishment was heard all over the room.
| Several weeks ago President Gowen. In his
charged directly that these murderers we're pro-
tected by political influence, and some Of the
terfercnce; and when kehoe's remark was
sworn to 10y The warden, who Isl responsible aud
! reliable man, there were many present who knew
| that kehoe. II he sincere alluded Ia simon
| Cameron when he referred To the old man at
| HARRISBURG. several wceN- ago people in Potts
I Vile ridculc the idea Of the MOllies arming
themselves with weapons furnished 10y the
State; but what impression this my steri0us re-
! marx OF kehoe viii MAKE has not yet been de-
| vcluped Al all events 1t Is evident that these
| desperate wicked men have their ewes directed
toward Harrisburg. the home OF GOV. Hartranft
and senator Cameron. and expect clcucncy
| from that source If the supreme Court .,-t.ins
! the lower court and the sentence Of death Is
made.
WHAT THE PROSECUTOR SAID.
| President Gowen's remarks were; 81 have
| seen this society II murdcrers Molly Magulrcsl
and assassius having it, members iu the highest
! places ~ Schuylkill county | nave seen them
elected to All the Positions 81 couStdble- and
police officers have seen a trusted member II
that band of murders a Commissioner of Schull-
Kill county. | have seen thi, organization u
| murderers WELD n political power in the state
| which has controlled the elections of great
| commonwealth. / have received the Information
~ meetings between some OF the highest OIL
GERS of the state and the chief ~ the murdcrer-,
| al which large sums OF money were paid TO
secure the votes Of this Internal association to
turn the tide OF the state election. God Aupws
! II ever in the world there wa- revelation ~
deep and as damnins - that laid tvi1re the
! people tor the nrst time.
Many persons hereaouu;S are OF the opinion
that the RciWhliodn party leaders are su irnily
bound To- these Wurdercrs that, IL no other re-
source i, at hand the executions will not he
allowed to 20 on. There is every reason To- be-
lcve that tile trial VIII be brief and the men
| promptly found guilty.