Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-24
4 PRISON TRAGEDY.
Murder and Suicide In a Convlct's Cell,

Murder and Suicide In Il COnylct's Cell.
DESPERATE CRIMINAL ~ THE EASTERN
rESITENTiARY MURDERS 1T.
cEiL HATE AND THES
HANGS HIMSELF.
4 terrible tragedy was enacted within
the walls Of the Eastern Penltentiary
some time before daylight yesterday
mofning-ihe exact hour will probably
remain - mystery forever. Upon its
face the ALTAR presents the appearance
oi a deliberate murder and the suIcii"
OF the murderer, both executed within
earshot OF keeper and score of prs.
Ouers, and yet with such cunning
stealth that, II the statement OF the
Keeper Is TO be relied on, not Il sound
broke the oppressive stiffness which
usually preyai at night ia that living
tomb. Ia fact 1t wa not until the
breakfast hour yesterday, when the
hodics were cold aud rigid IN death.
that the authorities were made aware Of
the awful deed
Shortly after : o'clock. in accor lance
with the u-usl custom, Dycrseer Nc
Guigan. proceeded TO make the round
uf hls particular corridors IN order 10
see that the prisoners were up ahd siif.
rlng. All went we'll until he reached =
cell IN the second corridor occupied 10y
two men, Who ia PRISON discipline were
-imply known a. Nos r2s and j2j.
Here his question "All right here .''
met no response. P~-piBc ~ through
the grating Of the inner door he Jaw
4 4 4. 4. (. 4
standing on q stool. The Iuirrroeaiory
What are YOU doing thcreE was not
replied to, and the keeper swung the
door back on its hinges and made
step forward s. he did 40 he stun
hled over body, and 1t the came MON.
eni he bccamc aware Of the tact that
another Lody was hanging 10 the cts
bracket on the opposite ridc of tn" cell.
lie shouted for hrlp, and number OF
keepers were quickly on the scene.
Then IL was found that the msn on the
lloor wa. prisoner 12S. He was lying
on his back. his legs bent in under him,
piece Of linen tied tightly around the
throat, the tongue proitudinP from his
mouth. aud the Cuuuteuance dishrurcd
hy large abrasion on the forehead.
MeanrhIle some OF the keepers had
cut down j25, who hsd hung himself TO
the bracket by a piece OF the stout
shseiiug used on the beds. Blood was
It'll flowing from cut on the lett wrist,
and there was = pool Of blood on the
llpor near his feet Near by was the
knife With which the wound had been
inflicted. Dr. Comcgys Paul, the resi-.
dent physician OF the institution, was
Al once summoned, but his appearance
was of no avail, the bodies presenting
every appearance that life had been ex.
tlnct in both for several hours.
Both of the dead men were serving
the first yesr Of their imprisonment.
j2j was John Pieitier, who was admit.
ted last month, under a sentence Of
three yeAb- aud a half, imposed Ly the
Luzcrne County court for burglary. He
was coarse, brutal fellow, OF tremen
dous strength, and such hardened
criminal thst. although only - years uf
age, he had acquired the reputation Of
heing one Of the most daring house
breakers in the country. Previous 10
his last conviction he had served three
terms in Sing Sing atd one term at
Blackwelrs Island Tor crimes committed
IN New York State, of which he was n
native. His 2S--was John
Mcbride, = Philadelphian. aged ~ years,
who was sentenced to tao years impris.
onment in September last for aggrava.
ted assault AMI battery and indecen;
exposure. Mcbride, who bore the rep.
utstion Of a quiet and orderly prisoner.
was the sole occupant Of the cell (which
was on the ground hoorl until Pieifers
arrival. The two men seemed TO take
TO each other nj the outset, and 50 far
as the knowledge of the officers went
they were on the best Of terms up 10
the hour OF retiring on Tuesday night.
Occasionally II happens that two prison.
ers In cell are unable TO get along
pleasantly, and in every case Of this
kind which has occurred a separation
has at once been ordered. In this case.
however. there VAS not the least ground
for the suspicion that anything but the
most cordial relations possible 10 men
Ia their condition were maintained.
The mystery which surrounds the
terrible affair was not dispclled 10y the
rigid examination which Warden Town.
send made yesterday morning. Over
seer McGuigan said that when he went
on duty at = =. NJ, the men we're sleep.
ing soundly in their beds, and that al
though he made several rounds Of the
! corridor during the night moi the slight.