Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-18
Piper's Confession.
Bosrox. MarE.


The preparations Of Thomas w. Piper's
counsel for arguing the motion in the Su.
preme Court tomorrow, for a new trial,
on the ground Of additional evidence in
relation 10 the bat used as the weapon,
have come 70 sudden end, and the mo-
ton viii not be made. This noon, Ed
ward p. Brown, Junior counsel, who has
worked assiduousiy throughout, was talk
ing with Piper about the motion, fully
believing, as he has done all along, IN
Piper's innocence, when the prisoner,
who has of late been breaking down in
health, through his mental agony, began
10 talk in different strain from what he
has before, and by degrees confessed to
the horr0r-stricken counsel not only thai
he murdered Mabel Young in the belfry
of the Warren Avenue Baptist Church, for
which murder he is TO be hung on May
%. but also that he. murdered Bridges
Landergan. 81 Dorchester, on the night oil
Dec. 5, 1873, and that he was the princi-
pal in the mysterious and nearly fatal as
sault on Mary Tyner, in Oxford street,
Boston, nearly two years ago. Piper says
that he has hitherto lied about the matter
10 blind his counsel as well as everybody
else, well knowing that did Mr.. Brown
suspect the truth he would be left to his
fate He assigns no motive whatever for
his crimes, except pure diabolism and
love of bloodshed, the same as has actu-
aied Jesse Pomeroy in his horrible butch
cries. and the confession shows depth
of deprayity as shocking as it is
inexplicable. The murder OF Mabel
Young is too fresh in recollection TO need
description. The lovely little girl of five
was decoyed into the belfry of the church
and beaten to death with a bali-bat with
in ten minutes from the time her aunt left
her in the Sunday school room. and after
one disagreement of the jury, Thomas w.
Piper, the sexton, was convicted Of the
murder The case of Bridget Landere an
has been wrapped in more mystery. She
was domestic of good Tepute, and had
been out during the afternoon to visit some
friends. While returning home, about
nine o'clock at night, she was brutally
dubbed to death at Upham's corner, in
the Dorchester district, and though sew
eral arrests were made on suspicion,
up to to-day the criminal has not GER
tainly been known. Piper was one
Of the men arrested, but the evidence was
insufficient to hold him. Since the Mabel
Young murder the detectives have been
confirmed in their belief that Piper also
murdered Bridget Landergan, but have
been unable to get clue to the matter.
Thomas Cahill, former sweetheart of the
girl, was under suspicion, and having
gone to Ireland soon after the murder,
was extradited and brought to this coun-
try by State detectives; but no case was
made out, and he was discharged. On
July /, 1874, Mary Tyner, living at No.
"a Oxford street, was found in
her bed insensible and horribly
mangled, her head having been wounded
and cut to a jelly with an instru
ment which medical testimony declared
to be tuners gouge. Several cuts in the
skull allowed the brains to ooZe ont, and
she was taken to the hospital in mo-
mentary prospect of death, but she lin
gered along and by degrees recovered.
A loverof hers, named Colby, was arrested
for the assault, but she refused toproceed
against him, or to tell what she knew of
the case, and he was discharged. Such is
brief history Of the crimes which Thorn
as w. Piper today confessed. There can
be no doubt now of Piper's execution on
May 26, and the effect of this confession
will be most likely to cause Gov. Rice to
sign the death warrant of Pomeroy, the
boy fiend.