The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-09
THE HUMAN FIEND
Details of Thomas w. Piper's
Frightful Confession.
A THIRST FOR BLOOD.
The Murderer of Bridget Landre-
gan and Mabel Young.
BosroS. May S. 1876.

BosToS, May S, 1876.
Thomas W. piper's confession is startling in its COM
prehenson OF which he was not before sus-
pected OF beng the pcrpeator and which were equally
atrocious and horrible with the fatal msuiing of hto
Mabel Young Untd Saturday he had constantly as
serted his innocence and had written affecting faro,
well 10 mother probably for effect, in which he
sought to convey tho impression that his
APPROACHING
by the gbbet would be judicial murder in its most
odous sense on thc'day OF his confession his counsel
had moved a trial. which, If accorded, might
possibly have resulted in his escape through the
tanty c.rcumstantial evidence II represented
that facts had been newly discovered favorable to the
prisoner. He mad however, gradually weakened the
Subbornness ofhis denial
THE SHOCK CONVICTION
had been felt by him terribly, and the struggle TO
maintain appearance of wron2ed innocence hal
changed hts appearance much that his awinl doom
Is written his cmacatcd features He had been
informed that, even II new trial granted, its
result would. probably, be the that of the
TWO former ones, and his desperate hope failed him.
THE TRAGEDY ~ rHE BEiYgy.
In his confession he says in relation to Mabel
Young
took the bat from the lower room before or about
the commencement OF school TO XII somebody at that
time l carried II up into the auditorium. but during
the session of Sunday school took 1t from the audi
forum and carried to the bcly Amer the close Of
school down stairs and opened the doors. Then
went up again al the time sent away the boys who
were playing in the vestbuc. Alter the boys bad gone
out. and sun In The vesbule the littia girl
up stairs, and induced her to with INTO the bel
FRY. There struck her with the club two or three
times and she fell where the blood was found Then
picked her and carried the body TO the place whore
II was discovered
ANOTHER MURDER.
The murder OF Bridget Lsndregan occurred three
years ago. Thomas Cahill arrested suspicion
OF being murderer and suffered long tedious
imprisonment Piper coniesses it in explicit ternsl
On December 3, 1873 he was under the influence of
whskey and opium and deliberately prepared a
club to kin some one He saw Bridget on the
street and followed close behind her lie says
struck her Immediately she iell down. and struck
her again. While was STOPPING over the body saw
man coming, so started oil and ran away. got
the fence ana went along toward the railroad While
up The bank ut the railroad somebody called out TO
mo- and then turned back took a roundabout course
and got home. ON the way home Il occurred to me
that had aknifo IN my pocket which might be recog.
pized Ia some manner and SO threw II away.
MYSTERIOUS ASSAULT.
Piper also conessos that he the assailan OF Mary
fyncr, mysteriousy beaten July /,
1874 but after lying for months between life and death
recovered her health but not her reason and is
Inmate OF an insane asylum lie says that he attempted
10 kill her and that the murder of Mabel Young and of
Bridget Iandregan werc both prompted by the OF
rum and opium, under the influence OF which he had
,razy desire to shed blood.
NO NKw TRIAL.
In the Supreme judicial Court this morning tho
counsel of Piper, Mr.. T.. r. Brown said he would not
press the motion for triat in view of a
conversation he had had with the prisoner.
Judges Colt and Lord thereupon overrued the motion
SUSPECTED CUNNING PIPER.
The Evening Herald says
There $ a feeling abroad among lawyers detectives
and the public generally Tint the c,ntrad ctory state
mcnts put out by Piper the result OF cool
sonng ms part, and OF such ingenuity he pos
se-sed Of in order throw doubt upon his sanity
tencra else TO show that he has uncomfortable
mania Tor blood Tor which he Is not responsible, and
;hangc his statement either IN the confession of
murders or the DENIAL o, all would not at this
nent astonish the community.