Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-11-20
TRAGEDY RECALLED.
Attempted Arrest of a Faithle o
Lover and It's Consequences
The Particulars OF n Thrilling Episode
Which Occurred During the C osing
Days of the Rebellion ut Cole
rain. In Pennsylvania.
IFreeland lPa.) speciaLl

Inc itiiphcdtion OF -. refer" 0aIi9.
CHER in the murder of Patrick Comfy at
this place recen ly recalls the PARTICULARS
OF thrill n; tragedy enacted during the
closing days of the rebellion at Coleraiu,
which is now IN the heart of the black
diamond country In which "B Peter
was one of the principal &C ors. Gala
CHER in these days was a young man. He
had been Marie short time to q pretty
aud respectable Irish lass, hut his reputa.
fion Was not The best A number OF min.
ers boarded at Gallagher's hotel. among
them one named james Joics, a person of
quiet de neanor aud tenn perate habits.
Joice paid attentiol to q domestic In
the service of Judge Cool, of Beaver
Meadow, named Julia Commiskey, who
was repossessing aud Intelligent young
woman. Tao courtship eadel much to
the dissatisfaction OF Miss Commis key,
who swore out a warrant for the arrest of
j ice, charging him with refusing t, cou-
sumnaie a marriage contract. The war;
rant was issued, hut no one could be
found to execute it Ly going to Gala.
gher's house, owing 10 the lropristor's
notoriety as a hard hitter.
Z In Jeansvle Q at that lime there lived a
family by tae name of Tuomas, consist
ing of several Lrothers, who were all in
the Union army. with the single exception
OF jim, the youngest maie member of the
fam ly. who had sscvel with the nine
months rec u Is, but as then at home.
Jim was young man of excellent char.
acter and very daring. Hs paid visit to
a friend named Wa k MS at Colerain. An
acquaintance of the wronged girl req lest
ed Jim to execute the warrant, which he
Immediately expressed a willingness to
do.
Soon after, in company with Watkins,
Jim proceeded to Gallaghe resilient to
arrest the author of the young w ,man's
trouble. When the two men arrived there
they were C ,nfronted by Gala h,r, who
was drunk, and opened tira lie of abuse
when infor ned of tho nature of their IN g.
sion. In the hotel was a young miner, n
resident OF Evansville. who was known as
was Gallagher He WIS a relative of "Big
Peter" Gallagher, and had accompanie
liu fr5m Jeansville, where they bo
had been drinking during the day
jim Thomas and his assoc ates searched
tn. premises for Joice, no,withs .anding
the protessations of Ga l,ghsr and his
c mp. eteI without unearthing the cul-
prit, a susp' cion arose in the mind o.
Thomas that 10 CO was concealed some
VIII are in the building, and. in CO npaay
with Watkins, he retlrnel to make an
other search. Upon Their arrival they
were viol sntly attacked by Gallagher and
Brown. Thomas made save al attempts
to escape rom the powerful AMI effective
blows which were b ily showered on him
by Gallagher, who was a perfect giant
paysicaliy, his extraprd nary sizs hav.ng
gained for AIm' the name of tBig Peter"
nally Thomas became aware of his
dan er and drew his revolver and fred.
The bail penetrated a vital part OF
Browns body and he fell to the fl DOR NOR
tally woun led. Tie next ball struck
Galiagh It in tie neck. and disabled him.
Then Thomas escaped from thu house
Brown EXPIRED a few moments later.
His remanS werS taken to Jsanes-
vile, and two days subsequently in
TERED in the Frenchtown Cemetery.
thomas escape to Weathersby, wher, 9
w. 5 secreted in a coal engine and taken
to Mauch Chunk, where he surrendered
Ia M self 10 the author ties. He was o. aced
in Jail, and in due time tried, found : u lty.
and sentenced to sixty days. impIison-
ment Aft his beratiIn he received
Molly Mcguire coffi notices, aid he left
for the Cumb bsrland coil rsgion, locating
at Frostburg, MI, where he still resides.
Joice was never arrested. He fed from
the country. aad was never seen after
N. thans, who acco nplniod Watkins on
the fai al miss on. was force to quit the
coal q. Ids through NJ lily Magpire inhu-
enoes. Two days after the killing the
un ortunate Mss Cummiskey visitei her
s ster, wao resiel ut Crystal Ridge. On
entering th house she c,'n Dia n 81 OF be-
ing fatigued and lay down to rest Her
sister entered the room fftesn minutes
later. and fou ID that she was dead. An
inv stia alton reveIlelthe fact that she
died from the excitement atten ling the
shooting of Brow1.