Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-11-08
a Murder Mystery.


Some months ago an unknown tramp
was murdered in the woods near Beaver
Falls. The body was buried, but some
DAYS after. from information received in an
anonymous letter, the grave was rcopened,
when it was found that it had been previ-
ousIy opened and that the head of the
dead tramp had been cut off and taken
away. The writer of the anonymous let
ter stated that while on his way home one
night he had seen two men desecratc the
grave, wrap the head in black cloth,
throw il into wagon and drive off.
A detective of Rochester, Pa, has been
at work on the case and has apparently
fastened the crime. on two men named
Frank Brown and ChaS. Brady, who We're
sentenced to two years and seven months
and two years and one month in the peni-
tentiary by Judge McMiehael last Septem-
ber for robbing the store of l. f. Boggs, in
Cranberry township. The men were caught
the day after the robbery, along the road.
carrying the goods in their arms, and
promptly plead guilty to the charges.
The Pittsburgh Times of last Friday gave
an account Of the detectives work. as fol-
lows:
County Detective Isaac Lazarus, of
Rochester, has been working on the case
with the greatest secrecy for some weeks
past, and as a result of his efforts has To-
Gated two men serving sentences in the
penitentiary at present as the murderers of
the dead tramp. They are Fred Brown
and Charles Brady, alias Sam Bromley,
who were sentenced three weeks agoin the
Butler county courts for larceny and re-
ceiving stolen goods These men belong
TO Fallston, Beaver county, and TO them
are attributed the many robberies that
have occurred in the Beaver Valley during
the past summer Detective Lazarus has
unearthed the following facts in regard to
the case:
Shortly after the murder Elias Brewer, a
butcher, living near the head of Block
House run, shot at and thought he serious
" wounded a man who had entered his
house. Suspicion fastened on Bromley or
Brady, as he wrote TO his mother a few
days later saying he had met with an -aeci-
dent by which he lost the use of his lower
limbs. This was one of the clues on which
Detective Lazarus worked for many days
without success. The fact that the muir
derer or murderers disappeared without
leaving single trace in their wake, fast
ened 6is attention and almost caused him
to despair.
The other day Brady dropped note or
letter to his fellow prisoner and accomplice,
Brown, in the penitcntiary, which was in
tcrcepted by one Of the keepers and turned
over to Warden Wright. The warden at
once sent the letter, which proved to be an
admission of the crime of murder, to Laza-
rus. The letter is as follows:
Erred, see that they have given that
murder up. | know that Beaver Falls po-
lice are no good, nor old Ike. The papers
say that it remains deep, dark mystery.
1t was a good thing that his head was
taken off, for they can't identify him; we
are all right. They will think that some
doctors took it to practice on. The other
night dreamed | saw him before me. |
jumped very near out of bed. l tried to
forget it, but I cannot. 1t still comes mp
in my mind Does it bother you any, But
keep up in good heart and we will be all
right. They say that no effort will be
made any more. We are all right. No
body knows it, only yourself, that's all.
Goodbye. Yours,
"CHAs BRADY"
Chief Lazarus visited the penitentiary
several times during the last few days and
succeeded in obtaining confession from
both men. Steps will be taken at ones to
have the prisoners removed to Beaver
county, where they will be tried for muir
der
1t is supposed the murderers cCnmittea
larceny in Butler county for the pu. ,ose of
receiving short sentences, and upon being
released at the expiration of their terms,
the more serious crime would be entirely
forgotten.
Warden Wright, when communicated
with last night, said the facts given above
concerning the penitentiary end Of the
story were correct Brady had dropped the
note, and when the warden obtained it he
sent it to Lazarus. The lat
ter, he says, has been in TO see the prison
ers several times, and was there Wednes
day. The warden would not hazard an
opinion as to the guilt of the men.
A late telegram from Rochester says that
Detective Lazarus is positive that the men
are the murderers. He evidently bases
this statement on tho confessions made TO
him.
AS Brady speaks of the dead man as
Spencer it is now thought that such is the
name of the man who was murdered. 1t
was at one time stated that the body was
not that of Spencer, who was supposed to
be man from McKeesport and was con
sidered a tramp.