The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-03

|
expiated his bloody crime on the gallows
in the penitentiary yard here today.
"BLINKY" MoRGAN's CRIME.
To write thestory of "Blinky" Morgan's
crime it is necessary TO go back TO the
night OF January 20, 1887, when the fur
store OF Benedict d Ruedy, on Superior
street. this city, was burglarized, and
| 81 900 worth of sealskin garments carried
away, just at break OF day. The furs were
taken out of the front door and carried 10
house on st. Clair street, where the
cracksmen had engaged lodgings, The
burglary was discovered in the morning at
Z O'Clock when an employe arrived at the
store. The thieves lett the city with their
| booty, going TO Allegheny City, on the
Cleveland " Pittsburg railroad. On the
Monday succeeding the robbery Police
| Captain Henry Hoehn took charge of the
case. lie learned that Thomas Storey, an
expressman, had hauled the burglars and
! the stolen iurs to Bedford station, twelve
miles distant on the Cleveland x Pittsburg
railroad. The eXpressmam was ar
rested. Capt. Hoehn went TO Pitts
burg and telcgraphcd back that he had
arrested Harry, alias -. Kid McMunn,
and was satisfied that he was one OF the
robbers. Detective William II. llulligan
proceeded TO Pittsburg to assist the cap
tain in bringing the prisoner home. Capt
| lloehn aud Detective llulligan boarded
! the Cleveland Il pittsburg express ut
| Allegheny with McNlunn for Cleveland.
| McMunn was handcuilcd TO Detective
| Hulligan with whom he sat on the train,
while Capt llochn occupied a seat across
| the isle. At 3 o'clock next morning the
train reached Alliance, o., where the
! Cleveland & Pittsburg crosses the Pitts
burg, Fort Wayne Il Chicago Just after
the train had stopped three rough looking
men, who had come from Pittsburg ON the
Fort Wayne train, boarded the Cleveland
express. They looked casually at the pas
scngers in the smoking car where Hull
gan and McMunn sat. and brakeman de-
clares that one OF the men gave signal TO
the detectives prisoner through the
window of the ear before entering II. The
train soon pulled out OF Alliance, and
did not stop again until II had reached
Rayena. Capt lloehn stood erect, with
his hand on his revolver, watching llulli-
gan and the prisoner across the car. When
the train had come 10 standstill at
Rayena the men who had boarded il at
Alliance walked rapidly into the ear. At
sight OF them fourth man, who had rid
den in the ear all the way from pittsburg,
arose, revolver in hand. One OF the vii
lians moved up the aisle Of the ear carry
ing what looked like a roll Of newspaper
A third member OF the party took posi-
ton at the rear door with pistol in each
hand, and before Capt lloehn knew what
had happened lac was covered 10y four
reyolyers. AT that moment the stranger
who had carried the roll OF papers brought
il down ON the head Of Detective HULL
gan. A. was aitcrward learned, the vii.
lain held an iron cOupling.pln wrapped in
paper. The blow brought an awful
groan from the detective, and when
the iron pin had descended u
second time upon his head the poor fellow
sank, insensiblc and bleeding 10 the floor
In the meantime Capt. llochn, who had
risen 10 his feet, was graphing with one oI
the rcscucrs. He was bearing the fellow
90 the floor when the man with the coup.
ling pin dealt him n terrible blow ON the
head. Dazcd and half blinded, he stag
gorcd back. but soon recovering himself
lie sent five bullets from his revolver into
the midst Of the murdercn. The fire wa
returned and the captain went down Will
three bullets In his body, aud two bad
wounds on his head. No sooner had th,
scoundrels disposed Of the captain than
they dragged Hulligan and his prisoner
out OF the car, broke the handouts which
held them together, and with McMunr
made their escape. The wounded oilcer
were brought 10 Cleveland, Detective HUI
ligan being taken 10 his home, where b,
died four days later, and Capt llochn 70
the city hospital, where he WIS carefully
nursed back 20 health and strength. A
| a Al los lac n A
ture of the murdcrcr, and then began
the long hunt for the Rayena rcscucrs, ~
they were called. Word came from Al
pcna, Mich, finally that "Blinky" Nor.
gan, Billy Harrington, Pat llanley and
Harry McMunn, the men described in the
police circular, we're believed 10 be IN the
CITY. The one supposed 10 be McMnnr
disappeared rather suddenly, however
and on the night Of June "a when the ar
rests were made, only Morgan and Tn,
two supposed TO be- Ilanloy aud llarring
ton were captured. Morgan was iakcr
into custoday nj the house where he Nj
Shaving, after desperate struggle, IN which
lac shot sheriff Lynch, Of Alpcna, IN th'
leg, producing n wound which finally
caused that officers death. The othc
two men we're arrested N they were abOu
90 board boat bound from Alpcnn &
Oscado. Mich. Morgan and his compan
ions. who proved 10 he James Robinson
Of Pittsburg. and John Coughlin, Of thi
| city. were brought to Cleveland on Frida'
morning, July 1, and after hring IN iai
there for few DAYS, were taken 10 w
ycna 10 await their trial for murder
ON October 10, 1887 Morgan va
brought into court ut RNcna 10
trial. The witnesses for the state
1 one after another, gave tesltmun
A which connected Morgan With the bur
4 glary and the subsequent murder on th
4 Cleveland & Pitisburg train. Noiwiih
y standing this tact, Morgan's attorneys e.
. fused 10 call a single witness IN his de
tense, not even attempting ~ prove a.
alibi, and nj the conclusion Of the testimon
!. for the prosecution, Morgan'u counsel M
nounced their willingness 20 submit thci
case without argument, which wns done
:, The Jury. after having been out one hou
and twenty-five minutes, returned Vel
\ dict Of guilty Of murder In the first degree
}. The trials 81 Coughin and Robinson 70
u lowed that Of Morgan, aud each Nns cot
yicted Of murder Ia the first degree, thong
i both brought an arrayoi witnesses 20 PROV
>. that they were not present 1T the time u
q murder was committed. COughlin NJ
Z, ai,crward granted new trial, and final
Il lis case was nollcd. Robinson was ali
}. granted now trial, and lac is now In ia
- at Rayena.
III EiIiing NJ s",ithton, hrh.
A al fFNl