New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-08-04
A Murderer's Predictions.
Greenburg (Pa.) Argus.

IA CuIlOuS SCOIy Ill winch lQOmaS
Donnelly, the lately diseased president
of the Fourth National Bank of Pitts
burg, figures prominently, has been re-
vived. The circumstances are no
doubt fresh in the minds of the older
residents of this county, but the re-
vival Of heincident, now that the last
actor OF the tragedy has just passed
away, may be regarded as appropri
ate, besides being ofabsorbing interest
to the present generation. In the
spring of 1927 a large force of men
were at work constructing the Penn
sylvania Canal, near Bairdstown,
Westmoreland county, on the
Kiskiminetas river. The gang OF
workmen was made up largely
of Irish. Joseph Evans was cook.
One evening, while the men were wait
ing for their supper, Evans began
whistling "Boyne Water" This an
gered some of the Irishmen, and, after
trying unsuccessfully to make Evans
stop, they gathered around him and
threatened him bodily harm. Evans
picked up shovel and kept swinging
it in a circle about him, IN order to
keep away the angry men, at the same
time continuing to whistle the song
that was giving so much offense. One
OF the men named George Cissner made
a leap at Evans, was struck by the
shovel, and knocked down. Helell on
the edge OF large camp kettle and
broke his neck, dying almost in
stantly. There was great excitement
over the affair, and the dead
mans friends charged Evans with
murder, and demanded his arrest.
The warrant was placed in the hands
of George Doty, the constable in
Bairdstown, and he asked Thomas
Donnelly, who then kept small store
In the village, to 90 with him and help
arrest Evans. He did so, and Evans
was taken to Greensburg. His trial
came up q few months atterward, at
which Donnelly, George Doty, the con.
stable, Thomas Ball, Lindsay Bige.
low, Frank Meyran and others testi,
fed. Evans was convicted.
When called for sentence the Judge,
as is the custom. asked him it he had
anything to say before the sentence
was delivered. Evans arose and pro-
tested his innocence, saying that he
had been simply. defending himself,
and that Cissner had leaped at
him from the midst of a
crowd unexpectedly, and would not
have been hurt had he not fallen on
the kettle. Cissner's friends had testih-
ed that the assault had been unprovok-
ed. He said that Cissner's friends had
sworn falsely, and that the only man
who had told the truth was Thomas
Donnelly. "God will punish them,"
he said, turning to the witnesses.
George Doty, you will die timeless
death; Thomas Ball, you will die on
the scaffold, Lindsey Bige]ow, you will
become a law breaker and die alone
and friendless, and Frank Meyran, a
terrible death awaits you. Thomas
Donnelly is the only man who told
the truth, and he will prosper in all
that he undertakes, and will become
rich and respected" The speech was
at first considered only an outburst of
anger from man whose fate had been
sealed, and had the effect Of lessening
the sympathy OF the people.
A short time afterward Evans was
hanged at Greensburg, before the gaze
OF the people from the entire vicinity.
lie was the first man ever hanged in
Westmoreland county, and every thing
PERTAINING to the trial become the sub
ject of gossip tor many years after
ward. The true accounts OF the quar-
rel which led to the killing of Cissner
gradually became known, and Evans
unfortunate end was talked over
around every fireside in connection
with what he had said would be the
fate of those who swore his life
away. In less than one year af-
ter the execution, George Doty
was thrown from runaway horse in
front of Thomas Donnelly's store
in Bairdstown, and was Instantly
killed. Frank Meyran was killed while
working on the old Portage road near
there. Thomas Ball left the estate and
went to Ohio. While in a quarrel
there he killed man and was hanged.
Lindsey Bigelow stabbed fellow
workman during q quarrel. He was
i1rst taken to Greensburg and was
kept III the same room in which Evans
had been confined, and he was bound
with the same irons. He was after
ward taken to the eastern peniten-
tlary and died during his term OF i'm.
prisonment
Thomas Donnelly few years after
ward moved to a place near Freeport,
and for many years operated
salt well. He was very sue
cessful, and became the wealthiest
man in that section. He
was respected for his straightforward
methods Of conducting his business,
and gained reputation for fairness
and honesty that became a byword-
He studied law in Pittsburgh, but
never practiced. For more than thirty
years he was engaged in the banking
business, and was the president and
leading stakeholder of the Fourth Ma
tional Bank up to the time of his
death. His personal estate has been
valued at almost 100000, and in
addition he owned a large amount of
valuable real estate that swelled his
fortune to million.
The untimely fate of Evans and the