The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-04-19
sHATTra s LAST CONFESSION

sion of Luther Shaffsr as made to
his counsel lately in tho presence Of
tx. Sheriff ID. n. May aud others
Il is az follows
When Shsffer left tho West aud
came back to this section, be atruck
Brisbin, Clearlield cjunty, where be
planned the robberies that occurred
in the Sugar Valley Narrows. lie
bought The revolver in Bellefonte
On his way from Bellefonte TO the
Nsrrows he met Susie Reese and the
boy, Bobcrt Billet. The girl WAS
frightened by his demonstration and
fed in one diredtion aud the boy in
another. After this he proceeded on
to the narrows, where on Sunday
morning, the 9th Of August, the rob-
berries we're committed. After the
last man had boen robbed aud there
vas nothing more to be done in that
line, he went TO the Culvey house for
breakfast, after eating which, he
went TO the woods and louDged
around all day Watching the move-
ments OF Norah and Isaiab. Ii He saw
John and Charles Culvey come to
the house with their fishing rods aud
a dog, aud afterwards saw them
leave. lie spent portion Of the
day looking for minerals. In the
evening he went back to the Culvoy
house for supper. After supper
Isaiah picked up his basket aud went
out to cut grass to feed his stock
with, Shaffer taking advantage of
bis absence to do what he bad been
thinking about oil day-make inde-
cent proposals to Nora, the young
wife. She Indignantly repelled his
advances aud he then tried to force
her to submit to his demands. 10
the struggle her clothing was all
torn of her person, and she ran out
OF the house, screaming for help.
Sbaffer followed her out, called to her
to stop. She did not heed him, how
ever, aud he becoming alarmed at
her crying aud screaming fred shot
from his revolver, which lodged in
her shoulder. This shot failing to
bring her to the ground he fired q
second time, when she fell stunned
and senseless to the earth. Just
then her husband rushed to her
assistance, and he hurriedly hid him
self in the bush not ten feet away.
As Isaiah came up with the basket
OF grass in his hand and saw his wife
lying there, he exclaimed in agony,
My God that Lutte Shaffer has done
this Scarcely were the words out
OF his mouth when Shaffer prompted
by the devil in his nature fired once
more, hitting him 10 the eye and he
Immediately fell dead. Shaffer then
emerged from the bushes, and Nora
having regained consciousness pitt
fully said For Gods sake, Luther,
dou't kill me, will 60 with you to
any part Of the world il you don't.
He then diabolically assaulted aud
ravished her, after which he iDhuman-
ly fred the third shot into her person
and killed her. He then entered the
dwelling to see what was there and
lake whatever he could carry. He
found O silver watch, which he put
SPito his pocket and took gun and
u ouch and suit of clothes. He
j, .lnticed the htttfe -chiid and put it isfl-
ro an inner room and closed the
door, and then left the premises and
journeyed towards Lock Haven by
the Fishing Creek road. The gun
and pouch he carried along with him
to the spot where they were after
wards found by Commissioner Cru
gan, where he threw them into the
thicket. lie then came down to q
barn on the James Welsh property,
near Pennington, where he slept the
balance of the night. The next be
went to the creek and took a good
wash, after which he came on to Lock
Haven.
Shaffsr says the reason he slew
both parties was because he wanted
to cover up the robberies committed
aud the viler crime OF the rape. lie
thinks the killing took place about
II 80 or eight o'clock on Saturday
evening. He had been drinking for
from four to six weeks and had pur-
chased some liquor in Bellefonte and
also in Nittany Hall. and at the time
OF the commission Of the crime was
somewhat under the influence OF it.
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