The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-08-28
FOOLED ON HIS DEATH-BED

Into q Confession OF Several Murders, Robbery
Arson-The Remarkable Case Of McGulrk Of
Philadelphia.
After many years. one OF the greatest mysteri-
GUS murders In the annals Of crime In this city
has been opened up TO the light Of day by the
confession OF the perpetrator while on his sup.
posed desth.bed. The criminal Theodore Joseph
McGuirk, was in the employ Of q farmer in Erie
county, where he was taken seriously Ill about
the 12Lh Of August, 1877 Expecting to die and
filed with remorse, he made full confession, OF
which the following embodies the chief points
to daughter Of the man he was working for
and who acted as his nurse:
He first confessed completely in the great coal
OIL fire In this city February 8, 1865, at Ninth and
| washington avenue, when 1000 barrels Of oil
several thousand tons Of coal, a number OF build
| iDgs and human beings were destroyed In the
| flames, He was In league with three men-MC-
Menamin, Mara and Fleetwood. The latter star
ted The fire and perished In the flames. Mara
and McMenamin afterward enticed McGuirk into
a vacant lot and Mara stabbed him in the left
breast and fed, leaving his victim for dead. That
was in le60, and when he recovered q business
man for whom the burning of the oil works was
said TO have been done by contract sent S25 to
MCGuir6 and told the latter to leave the city,
which he did, going TO Michigan and settling and
marrying there.
lie also confessed to the murder Of the watch.
man Of s. s. Whites dental depot No 628 arch
street In company with Hugh Mara early In the
morning of October T. 1865, they forced their way
into the place through rear entrance. 1t was
Sunday morning, and they did not expect to find
the cOlored Watchman on duty there. He came
on them unexpectedly just as they were about to
enter the salesroom Of the place, and as he knew
both of them, Mara and MCGuirk resolved to kill
hilD. There was terrible fight, the Watchman
battling for his life. But he was at last knocked
down, bucked and gagged, and his head crushed
by blow from billet Of wood. They were
afraid TO shoot him for fear OF making an alarm.
In making the confession McGuirk said that 1t
was he who killed the wRtchmRn, Mara keeping
guard at the door while he did IT, After making
bis confes' ion he recovered, and seemed 10 be
fearful OF the womans telling 1t to others, and
threatened her If she did so. he went away from
the place aud returned some six months after
ward He left but return ed several times after
ward, and In April last said to the woman: "You
know enough about me 10 give me great deal c 7
trouble. II anybody betrays me, my life is as
dear TO me as theirs, and II won't be good for
then" She took this as threat and began TO be
afraid OF him; and In June informed Judge Vim.
cent Of the facts.
McGuirk left her fathers house and attempted
10 see her several times afterWafd.
Judge Vincent wrote to the authorities Of this
city, and Detective Tryon was sent to Erie after
McGuirk, accompanied by Detective Weyl The
murderer was captured at McKean's Corner, in
Washington township, about seventeen miles
from the city Of Erie, by Special Officer T. j. Fo-
gelbaugh, after severe battle. Yesterday he was
given over to the custody Of the Philadelphia
officers. He arrived In Philadelphia to-day, and
was committed for hearing Philadelphia Tele-
graph, Aug, 2Oh.