The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-25
AT DEATHS DOOR.
Massachusetts, Murderers Preparing
for the Scaffold.
Piper, the Belfry Murderer, and
His Terrible Crimes.


/. Bosros, Nay -. 1874
Public interest In Boston just now clusters around
the fate Of Thomas W. Piper, the belfry murderer,
whose execution arranged for next Friday forenoon
Indeed Il may be said that not since tho hanging OF
Professor Webster for tho murder Of Dr. Parkman, has
there been such high and general excitement over
any kindred that which seems to be generated
BY the pending approaching fate Of the murderer OF
Mabel Young and Bridget Landcrgan- The tragedy In
The bslfry OF itself sufficiently horrible 20 arouse
community but since the convicted wretch has owned
up TO the commission and attempts Of other tragedies
equally diabolical the indignation and excitement has
been almost unbounded. There seem to DO few, II
any paliatng features or extenuating circumstances
connected with the unfortunate position in which the
condemned man finds himself On the contrary, the
developments OF investigation, well as his own do
tailed confessions since there seemed to be hopo Of
escaping the gaiows, all 60 70 show that Pipers
execution the world VIII be relieved OF the presence Of
ono OF
TIE vILEsr MOST uxNKRcrruL VILLAINS
who danglsd from the end OF rope II is hardly
necessary to say that he finds little sympathy for even
tho phauthropists who usually seek 10 interrupt
just occasions OF this kind. havc 1T TO
DO very industrious his BEHALF circumstance which
indicates that tho condemned man will find but little
marcy this sidc Of eternity
rux DOOMED NAN AND ms VICTIMS
The public arc already too sadly familiar with Pipcr's
infamous career His name. however. hardly be
mentioned or thought OF without recalling his APP
palling crimes and innocent victims-thc bright little
girl OF hyo years, Mabel II. Young; tho domestic,
Bridget Landergan; the castaway, Mary Tyner,
whom tho hend thought he had killed, but who
miraculously recovered and is ending her life in
an insane asylum, and the Sullivan girl, whom he
Knocked senscless, and would have killed II no had
not been frightened by tho sound of approaching foot
steps The murder OF Bridget Landergan the FIRST
Of pper's capital crimes. She domestic in the
employ OF Sheldon Barry, on Bellevue avenue. in the
Dorchester district, and was beaten TO death with
club madc from the end of wagon shaft the high
way. Columbia street. the evening Of December
=, 1873 Piper arrested at the time, but aferward
released, and shortly aftcrward Thomas Cahil
tho girls lover, was extradited from Ireland TOR
the crime but never brought to trial. and the murder
was added to the long list OF unsoved crimes until
Piper confessed 80 being the perpetrator Mary Tyner
young woman of questionable character his second
victim was found in her Oxford street. ON the
I'd ofJuly 1874 terribly mangled about the head and
Bhe was not expected to survive That she did was
almost miraculous but fully strange her recovery
was the fact that she seadsty refused say anything
regarding her assailant and tho affair remained deep
Piper. This woman IN tho Taunton Insane
Asylum, whittier she was conveyed from Deer Island
where she had been committed from Boston as q night
walker. She is now violently and hopelessly insane.
The butchery Of Mabel Young Sunday, the 23d
" May, 1875 in the Warren avenue church towcr into
which Piper decoyea the little innocent then bru
tally murdered her with . bat stick. His attempt to
conceal his crime and subsequent movements have all
been described In the HERALD from time time and
repetition 10 not now called for Suspicion and
INIT
conviction was secured, the jury hsying disagreed
In the hrst instance.
which animated Piper in committing his atrocous
appears TO have been morbid desire for blood
shed, supplemented with an almost animal lust and
these weaknesses OF human nature, aggravated by
constant and copous draughts of opium and whskey.
In view OF the statement by Piper in his confession
that an irresistible influence impeled him TO murder
the Landergan girl 1t worth while to recall the testi-
mony Of colored girl who the man STOPPING over
the body and in such manner to indicate pretty
clearly that tho criminal whoever he was had for bis
object simply lust The manner in which The Lander
gan girls clothing was torn would also seem TO demon
that Pipers sirresistble mpulse'' traceabe
TO most british lust 1t is a fact which has never
been published that tho brute in his confession
that he murdered the Landergan woman that he might
experience the sensation OF outraging her after DEATH
The whole character OF the man, revealed in his
uuct prison and the stories told Of his filthy habits
BY those who know him, are loo disgusting Tor publ
baton
PREPARING FOR THE FINAL oRpRAL
Ever since making his confession Piper has mani
tested the feelings OF sorrow and repentance character
stc Of the general run OF murderous villains II may
DO that they deceived but the clergymcn who visit
and administer consolation and spiritual advice him
believe that the wretch Is sincerely sorry for his
crimes. The general public, however, believe. that
his sorrow is more account of being detected than
for the themselves On occasion, previous
70 the murder Of Mabel Young Piper spent the night
had retired the clergyman heard groans proceeding
from his CHAMBER and upon the door beng forced
open he was found in bed with his head wrapped in
towels copously saturated with chloroform A
physician was at once sent for, who declared that
In two three minutes death would
have ensued from suffocation whether the cause OF
his attempt sclf-desruction was remorsc or the
effects Of whiskey and opium is not known. but it is
unfortunate that he did not succeed ending his
stencc, and thus the life Of Mabel Young would have
been spared. even though the murderer OF Bridget
Lasdergan was never known. While the condemned
man. The end draws near INDUCES In professions OF
repentance, II Is nevertheless noticeable that even IL
his conscience Is disturbed II does not tell upon him
physically He eats and sleeps as well as tie best OF
and In appearance as healthy and robust man
could be expected 10 be after years incarceration in
Jail. The only ones permitted to visit HIM arc the
clergymen and his immediate relatives
RHR crowds or APPLICANTS TO WITNESS THE ExEcU-
II is surprising what multitude OF anxious people
there who are curious TO witness this particular
have been received daily by the Shsri from parts
oil the country and from all classes of people The fact
that there such universal curiosity to witness the
hanging Is evidence that the doom which awaits tho
condemned Is not generally lamented by the
community. Besides tho regular legal witnesses and
rcpl sentsves OF the press the attendants will be very
limited IN number.
Az uxocESv xAS's xAnRow ESCAPE yRox rnE SOAP
The unccrtalntv and unreliability oil circumsantia
evidence well illustrated in where entirely
innocent being convicted aud hung for
the murder OF Bridget Landcrgan, the unfortunate
slain by the nend Piper on tho night Of December
B, 1878 Tho man who thus escaped was
Thomas CahiIl who extradltcd from Ire
land confined jail In Boston for
long time and finally set NJ liberty. but IN such
have left impression OF his probable guilt
II had for the well authenticated confession
Just made by Piper. The circumstances, they APP
pcarcd ut the tmc in many respects very strong
against CahilI hut hardly sufficient 70 warrant the ex
treme measures which rcsored to by the officers
seeking to hnd the guilty murderer. He was known
20 be friend--a very intimate frendof Bridget Lam
dcrgan. On the night Of the murder no was said TO
have been ~ drunken powwow In the ncghborhood
o. where her body found, and tho day following
the tragedy no took the Cunard steamer Marathon TOR
Ireland and fresh and fresh blood noticed on
one oil his hands when he went board
. rHk REASON ZEALAND.
II mas SINCE turned out that the OF Cahills