The Portland daily press., 1876-05-09
THE BELFRY MURDER.
Confession Of Thomas W. Piper.
He Acknowledges the Murder of Mabel
Young, Bridget Lnndergan and the AS
sauit ON Mary Tyner.

BosToN May S.-Thomas w. Piper yester-
day made full confession of his crimes to Ed
ward 7. Brown, one of his counsel. He ac-
knowledged the murder of Mabel Young and
Bridget Landergan and the deadly assault on
Mary Tyner Mr.. Brown visited him at his
cell and by some means the conversation took
such turn that the statement made recently
by Piper, concerning the accidental death, was
referred to. Then Mr.. Brown asked Piper to
repeat that story. Piper did so, and at the
close of the narration Mr.. Brown said:
''Now. Piper, you are not telling me the
truth You have not told that story as you
told it 10 the first place. If you have anything
to tell me now that is true, will hear it, but
if not, must bid you goodbye and leave you"
Piper, after some hesitation, said: "Mr.
Brown: will tell you the whole truth. 1 kill
ed the little girl.'
How did you do it?" inquired Mr.. Brown.
Piper replied: y! TOOK the bat from the lower
room, before or about the commencement of
the school, to kill somebody. At that time
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. AT
ter the close of the school L came down stairs
and opened the doors. Then L went up again
at the time that l sent away the boys who were
playing in the vestbule After the boys had
gone out and was still was in the vestibule,
the little girl came up stairs, and L induced her
to go with me into the belfry. There l struck
her with the club two or three times, and she
fell where the blood was found. Then 1 pick
ed her up and carried the body to the place
where it was discovered
After Piper had told the story of the murder
of Mabel Young. Mr.. Brown asked him if that
were all. He answered, mo, sir, I killed
Bridget Landergan."
He then told the story of the murder CT that
poor girl in substantially the following Ian
guage:
"On that night started out with two of my
brothers to go to church. After we had got
little way told them that L did not feel very
well and that would go back. l left them and
walked back alone. Afterward went into
place where they sold opium. got some and
then went and got some whisky. 1 put them
together and drank them. 1 then went back to
my house and went down stairs. l took saw
and sawed off the piece of shaft which was
found afterward. After had cut off the piece
of shaft, 1 went out, walked around some and
hid the piece under the fence. Soon an alarm
of fire was rupg. went to the fire, and then
came back and stood with my brother at the
corner of Getting and Stoughton streets.
While was standing there saw DR.. Eddy pass
along, and also saw woman on the other
Side of the street. Immediately my brother
and went into the house and [ said Il guess
I'll go to bed. L went down to the kitchen
pretending that was going to bed, but in
stead of doing that went out the back door,
I got the club and started on after the woman /
had seen. followed her along and overlook
her near Glover's Corner AS there were peo-
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 / struck her again. While was STOPPING
over the body saw man coming, so l started
up and ran away. L got over the fence and
went along toward the railroad. While 1 was
climbing up the bank at the railroad somebody
called out to me and then turned back, took a
roundabout way and got home. On the way
home it occurred to me that had knife in
my pocket which might be recognized in some
manner. and so threw it away.
At the close of Piper's statement concerning
the murder of Bridget Landergan Mr.. Brown
asked him if he had anything mora to COME So,
whereupon he made a confession concerning
the deadly assault on Mary Tyner in Oxford
street, which clears up that mystery The story
was substantially as follows:
was sexton of the church at the time I
was down town in the evening, and near La
grange street met the girl, Mary Tyner She
spoke to me, and we had little chat together.
1 invited her to go into saloon and she did So
After we had some refreshments went home
with her and remained sometime and went to
sleep.
In the course of the night awoke and found
she was asleep. l saw that could get out by
either front or back window, and SO took up
something in the shape of a hammer and struck
her several blows so az to smash her head H.
then left the house and went up to the church
where spent the rest of the night.
On account of the above confession Piper 8
counsel allowed the motion for new trial to be
overIuled to-day.