The Penn's Grove record., 1888-10-27

WILKEsBARRE. Pa, Oct. ia
most daring murder and robbery oc.
CURED this morning a few miles from
here on the W~Ilkesbarre Mountain.
Paymasters John b. Mcclure and sta
BILE Boss Hugh Flanagan, OF Philadel-
phia, and their horse were shot dead
and a sum of money amounting to
$12,0 600 in their possession was taken
by the m%urderers. The murdered men
were on their way to pay the workmen on
McFadden's new branch of the Lehlgh
Valley Railroad, between Mill Creek and
Laurel Run. They were riding along
in a buggy through a strip of woods to
the place where the payments were to
be made when the highwaymen stepped
out of the woods. and, crying halt ~
they shot the horse dead aud also both
the paymasters. The money was in a
box. The robbers fled at once for parts
unknown, The daring act has caused
a great deal of excitement here, aud all
efforts are being made by police, de.
tectives and citizens to capture the vii
lains.
The bodies of j. B. Mcclure and
Flanagan were discovered about a
quarter to IL O'Clock by Contractor
McFadden, of Philadelphia, who was
coming from his office at Juniper creek,
about a mile and a half from the scene
of the tragedy.
He first saw the empty buggy and
the horse bleeding from gun-shot
wounds. lie next discovered Mcclure
below the wheels quite dead and will
bullet holes IN his head. McFadden
then returned to his office for his fore.
man, and the two went to the scene OF
the tragedy.
Both armed themselves. On reaching
the lonely spot they found Flanagan's
body lying alongside the road. He had
been shot in the head. The money,
$1,000 In currency and $1,000 in specie,
which Lad been carried In a leather
satchel, was gone. This money had
been drawn out of the Wyoming Ma.
tional Bank, of this city, at 10 O'Clock,
this morning. Both Mcclure and
Flanagan, his companion, were wei
armed. 1t is thought they were shot
from ambush.
Great excitement prevails. One of a
party OF Hungarians, driving furiously
through The upper part of this city this
afternoon, fell out of the wagon and
was arrested on suspicion of being con
nected with the tragedy. He gave the
name of John Robbins, and said that
he and his companions were on theiI
way from Plymouth to the railroad
depot. All were drunk. and 1t is MOI
likely that they are the assassins
Local detectives and policemen are out,
and kilograms concerning the assassina'
tion have been sent to all points.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Oct. 10
Shortly aftes the Wyoming Nationa
Bank opened this morning Mr.. Nc
Clure, accompanied by his assistant
Hugh Flanagan, called at the bank
and drew from that institution Sl2,0U
| which had been sent from Philadelphia
to the bank by Contractor James Nc
Fadden a few days ago. The money
handed to Mcclure, and placed in &
| satchel, was made up in the following
manner: In $50 bills, $1,000; in S2U
bills, $500; in SO bills, $1,000; in S.
bills, $1,000; in 81 and 81 bills,
Sll55; In 25 and so cent pieces
$500; in dimes, S25; in nickels.
$40; in pennies. $40. Leaving Wilkes
barre about 10 o'clock Mcclure and
Flanagan drove to Miners Mills,
where they turned off upon a rougl
mountain road. About a mile from
the town is a lonely place, the road be
ing bordered with pine trees and brush,
Here, it is probably, they encountered
the robbers, who stepped out'on either
| side of the road, as If to let them pass
AS they did so, the robbers fired three
shots at Flanagan, Ii bullet passing
through bis heart, another shot passed
through his neck and out between
the shoulders, and a third shot
| struck him between the left eye and
ear. Another robber, meantime. wa.
firing at Mcclure, but, IS two bullet
holes in a pine tree indicate, they failed
to take effect, and the horse raj
away. When it had gone about 10(
feet. Flanagan fell from the buggy Il
the ground. Two more shots were
| then fred at Mcclure, taking effect IL
| his back, when he too fell, but caught
on to the step and was dragged nearly
| half a mile. Another shot was fired
at Mcclure which entered his left eye
and tore off the top of his head.
When the robbers came to Flauagan's
body they struck him OIL
the forehead, crushing his skull,
AS McClure's horse was IA spirited ont
1t was impossible for the first two rob
bers to overtake him, but a third party
was in wait at the top of the hill, who
shot the horse as he came up. Five
other shots were fired into the horses
head, The robbers then took from the
buggy the valise containing the money
| and escaped into the woods. Within
10 minutes Contractor McFadden came
down from the railroad camp and found
the horse standing, still alive, and
McClure's dead body under the buggy.
McFadden drove back to the camp,
| secured aid and again drove down. They
then discovered that a murder and
robbery Lad been committed, and
driving down the road they found Elan.
agan's body. Coming to town they
gave the alarm, and soon the country
was swarmipg with officers and yolun
teeTs. Arrests have been made, but
they are not the parties wanted. The
robbers were armed with b~reech-load.
ing rifles. Flanagan was so years old,
and quite we'll to do. Mcclure was q
years Of age, his home being at Down
ingtown. Chester county, Pa, where
his mother and two sisters reside.
Detectives O'Bren and Hefferman
returned at a late hour this evening
from the search for the robbers, and ex.
press the opinion that the murder was
the work of Hungarians or Italians.
They have telegraphed TO the officials
of New York, Buffalo, Philadelphia
and Baltimore, requesting them to KEEP
a close watch on al departing passen-
gers, and to search suspicious charac-
tiers for money Of the denominations
given above.
An inquest was held on the bodies By
tn ron this evening at Z O'Clock.
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