Daily globe., 1880-01-16
FOUL DEEDS WILL RISE.
Leonard Shields, on HIS Death Bed Con
fesses to a Murder in 1868.

Leonard Shields. on HIS Death Bed Con-
fesses to a Murder in 1868.
Lancaster, Pa, Examiner.
In the summer of 1868 murder was COM
mitted the victim being Charles Brady, who
kept small beer shop Oh the banks of the Sus-
quehanna, at Marietta. The murder was COM
mitted in the night, and the next morning
James McCulley, alias James Foxey, alias
Foxey Miller, a barber residing in Chester
county. but who was at this time wandering
about on SPREE was arrested on the charge of
being the murderer. The testimony against
him was that on the afternoon previous to the
murder he was seen drinking in Brady's ssloon.
Later he was at Housears tavern at Maytown,
but in the evening was missed. During the
night some men passing along the railroad
not far from Brady's place met a man whom
they could not identify, but whom
they hailed with good night"
When the reply came they
Early ON the morning following the murder,
the accused was seen washing his hands and
face at the pump of Houseal's tavern. and it
was said he also had blood on the wristband of
his shirt. which be was trying to wash off. The
theory of how the murder was committed was
that some one entered Brady saloon and called
for glass of beer. and that while he was stoop-
Ing 10 OTaW IL from UuUeI CQ6 DaC the murOeref
struck him over the head with club. This
conclusion was arrived at from the locality and
nature of tie blow. It was also seen that the
murderer bad stepped around the counter to rob
the till, and into the blood, which left the i'm
print of his boot or shoe there. This imp int
was a peculiar one, aud when the accused was
arrested it was found he had on his right foot
gum shoe. This shoe was taken away and was
put into mixture of clay and water, made to
the consistency of blood, and then imprinted
on the floor of the bar-rOOm, ana also placed in
the imprint in the CONCEALED blood, and was
found to make similar impressions and fit the
mold of the murderers shoe left by him in the
blood OF his victim. James McCulIey having
been committed for trial, a true bill was found
against him at the August sessions, 1863 and
At the November sessions he was tried, found
guilty of murder in the second degree, and SEN
tenced to ten years and four months imprison-
ment in the eastern penitentiary, where he died
about four year, after his conviction. just
previous to bis death he made a confession.
declaring his innocence, which he wished
published after his death, and which we expect
to be able to publish shortly.
During the trial the counsel for the defense
proved that there bad been fishing party at
Wild Cat on the night of the murder, the par
ticipants in which, as they passed on their re-
turn the following morning, called at Brady's
saloon. and, finding it locked (which wa. un-
ususl) burst the doors open under the impress
sion that something was wrong, he not having
responded to their knocks or calls for admis-
sion. Upon opening the door they discovered
the murder. as already related. The cook of
this fishing party was one Leonard
Shields, of Marietta, who left the party
during the night under the pretext of
purchasing chickens for the fisher
men. He was gone sometime, and when be re-
turned (although be had chickens with him it
was noticed that he had a great quantity of
blood on his clothes. and that there was some
in the boat. This Shields accounted for by
stating tha. it was made by the chickens
Blood was also discovered On another boat, on
the Marietta side of the river, and it was
question and puzzle how it came there. Now
news comes to this city that Shields, prior to
his death few days ago. confessed to the mur-
der of Brady. and declared the Innocence of
James McCulley.