Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-11-22
GRIMES or THE MOLLIES,
A TALE OF BLooD--ARREsr OF PRoMI-
NENT MoLLIE MAGUIgEs For A CRIME
EIGHT YEARS OLD.


PoTTsylLLE, Nov. 7,-Onc bright
Sunday morning in the days when the
name of the Mollie Maguircs carried
chill TO the heart Of every man who
heard il, and when il was common
thing in this region for men TO die by
violence and leave no sign Of their
murders--on this Sunday morning, in
October, 1868, the body Of Alexander
Rea, a prominent OPERATOR was found
by the roadside near the border line
of schuylkill and Columbia counties,
riddled with bullets and stiff in death.
The affair caused an excitement at the
time, which has not wholly died away
even yet The high character and so
cial position of the man, his impor.
tancc in the business community, the
boldness Of his murder and the impos-
sibility of fixing the guilt upon the
suspected parties combined to fix upon
the region deep disgrace, which it
has never since been able TO redeem
with the lives Of the perpetrators. 1t
was tho work of the Molies, of course
Everybody said SO, and everybody im-
mediatcly added, as necessary corol-
larry, "of course nothing would be done
about IT," Very little was done. Pat
Hester, big, broad shouldcrod Irish.
man, living at Locust Gap, not far
from tue scene of the murder, who was
called "the King of the Mollics,p even
by those who did not more than half
believe in the existence of such an
order, and Tom Donohoe, another hard
character were arrested and taken TO
Bloomsbury for trial, but il was the
days OF ready alibis, and Donohoe, who
was tried first, waspromptly acquitted,
while "Big Pat" was discharged on a
nolle proSeqRi. Notwithstanding which,
one Of the Commemorative attorneys
told your correspondent, at tho time,
that the case was so clear and the evil
dence SO full that every step of the
crime could be traced, and they could
put finger on every man engaged in
it and say just what part he took.
Yesterday Pat Hester, Mike Graham
and Pat MclIugh were brought TO
Pottsvillc and lodged in Jail, having
been again arrested for the old crime,
which they had hoped was forgotten.
The avengers, who laugh at coffin no
tiees and ovcrrulc false alibis, and who
have carried such dismay TO the hearts
of the Mollics duriugall this year, had
sought them out, and they will have n
chance 10 explain their position under
the new order Of things.
At the preliminary hearing ycstcr-
day afternoon the captured Mollies
found themselves confronted with the
full story Of their crime, as told by an
eye witness, whose identity is with
held for prudential reasons. lie told
how and where the attack was planned,
two months before The first object
was robbery, as I.ca was, at times,
obliged to carry large sums Of money
with him. But the Molies never con-
sidercd murder any additional trouble
or risk, and they had no scruplos in
taking lilo when, in their judgment, il
became advisable. A meeting of the
conspirators was held the day before
the attack was made when all arrange
mcnts were perfected. 1t was known
that Rca would pass along certain
road at certain time, and there the
party awaited him. When be came
they stopped him, demanded his money
and watch, and though these were
promptly surrendered, the whole party
fired upon him. Rem turned and ran
into the bushes which lined the road,
but was followed and killed, after which
the plunder was divided and the party
separated. Hester tho witness said,
was the first to propose the robbery,
II having apparently occurred TO him
as be was on his way TO the western
part of the county TO waylay Major ].
Claude White, and having been pro
posed to the first partyof Molies he met.
White was afterwards attacked from
an ambush as be was going to his col.
licry with tho months wages 10 pay
his men; but having two or three
COMPREHENSIVE him, they beat of their
assaiants and captured one, severely
wounded fellow, who refused to peach
on his comrades, and died couple OF
days afterwards, game TO the last.
There seems TO be as little hope of
escape for Hester and his associates ns
there was for their predecessors in
misfortune, and SO another MolIic Ma.
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