The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-06-03
THE BELFRY MURDERER.

THE BELFRY MURDERER
I'iper's Confession Of I.ro Murders and 4
MurderoMs Assault.
The Boston Post gives the story O
Piper's confession. His junior counsel
Mr.. Edward w. Brown, visited the jail
on Sunday night for the purpose of con
ferring with him regarding the motor
for new trial. During the converse
ton the statement made by Piper of the
story of the accidental death of the child
was referred to, and he was asked to re
peat the statement, which he did; but
his last story was SO very different from
is first that his counsel said: CHOW
iper, you are not telling me the truth
You have not told that story as you told
it in the first place. If you have any.
thing to tell me now that is true will
hear it. but if not, must bid you good
bye and leave you." Piper, after some
hesitation, said: "Mr. Brown, will tell
you the whole truth. 1 killed the little
girl" Chow did you do it ?" inquired
Mr.. Brown. Piper replied: 81 took the
bat from the lower room before or about
the commencement of the school to kill
somebody. At that time 1 carried it up
into the auditorium, but, during the
session of the Sunday-school, took it from
the auditorium and carried it to the
belfry. There struck her with the club
two or three times, and she fell where
the blood was found. Then picked her
up and carried the body to the place
where it was discovered"
In answer to the question as to whether
that was all, Piper said, "No, sir; I
killed Bridget Landregan." He then
related the manner in which he killed
Bridget Landregan in the following Ian
guage: "On that night I started out
with two of my brothers to go to church.
After we had gone a little way I told
them that did not feel very well, and
that would go back. left them and
walked back alone. Afterwards went
into a place where they sold opium. I
got some and then went and got some
whisky. I put them together and drank
them. I then went back to my house
and went down stairs. 1 took saw and
sawed off the piece of shaft which was
found afterward. After I had cut off
the piece of shaft I went out, walked
around some, and hid the piece under
the fence. Soon an alarm of fire was
rung. I went to the fre and then came
back and stood with my brother at the
corner of Getting and Stoughton streets.
While was standing there saw DIR. Eddy
pass along, and also saw a woman on the
other side of the street. Immediately
my brother and I went into the house,
and said, Il guess I'll go to bed !
went down to the kitchen, pretending
that was going to bed, but instead of
doing that went out the back door. 1
got the club and started on after the wo-
men had seen. I followed her along
and overlook her near Glover's corner.
AS there were people about there at the
time, l followed her down till we got
to Columbia street. Then was so near
her that she looked around and saw me.
struck her Immediately; she fell down
and I struck her again. While I was
stopping over the body I saw a
man coming, 80 l started up and
ran away. I got over the fence and
went along toward the railroad, some
body called out to me and then turned
back, took roundabout way and got
home. On the way home it occurred to
me that 1 had knife in my pocket
which might be recognized in some man.
ner. and SO threw it away" It will
be remembered that Bridget Landregan
from church on the night of the 9Th of
December, 1872, and that at the inquest
it was stated that one of party of negro
children who wero playing in the vicini-
tp at the time, hearing the outcries of
the girl, ran towards the place and saw a
man, whom they described with exact
ness, rising from over her Frustrated
form and running swiftly away across
the woman was very positive of his
statements, and his description of the
man corresponded exactly with that of
Piper. Some circumstances pointed
quite strongly to Piper as being the
murderer soon after the body of the wo-
man was found, but he accounted for him.
self by saying that at the time of the MUIR
der he was a mile and half from the scene
at fire which occurred that night, hav-
ing been on his way home when he
heard the alarm; that after going to the
fire he went home to bed, and never
knew anything of the murder until the
next day.
At the conclusion of Pipcr's confession
to being the murderer of Bridget Land
regan, Brown, greatly astonished, asked
Piper if that was all, when the wretch
calmly said: ooh, no! I committed
the assault on Mary Tyner." He said
that on the night of July l, 1874, he met
her in LAGRANGE street, and, after some
conversation, he invited her to refresh
ment saloon, where they partook of some
viands and liquors. He then accompa-
MED her to her home on Oxford street,
where he passed the night with her.
Early in the morning he arose, his vic
tim being asleep. He locked around the
room, and saw that he could leave the
house by going out of the window. He
next saw hammer, or something that
he thought looked like hammer, and
Selling it, struck the woman several
hlnxs on the head and then left the