The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-02-09

A DOUBLE MURDER CONFESSED.
Red-Nosed Mike Tells How Paymaster Mcclure
and His Clerk We're Shot Down.

Red-NOsed Nike Tells How Paymaster Mcclure
and His Clerk We're Shot Down.
WILKESBARRE, Pa, Feb. Sat the trial
of Red-nosed Mike, to-day, VIM. Oplinger,
an old hunter. testified to Mikes showing
him rifle purchased here in August last,
and on being shown the rife found by
Capt. Linden in the woods, identified it
positively as being the same one. Edward
Kimmerer, of this city, testified to having
sold the rifle to Mike and his companions.
At the evening session Cant. Linden de-
tailed the capture of Mike. His confession
was read in evidence. 1t details one of the
most horrible and diabolical crimes ever
perpetrated. Mike was also put On the
stand. He merely testified at this
time to what took place in Capt.
Linden's Office while in Philadelphia.
Captain Linden then detailed how, after
they left Philadelphia. under cover of dark
ness, Mike led them to the mountain spot
and there some of the money, rifle, q
satchel and several cartridges were found
among the rocks. He knew everything.
Captain Linden's story caused the most in
tense excitement in court, and the wretch,
as he sat at the defendants table, was
picture of utter dismay. The story of the
planning and shooting reads like novel.
In his confession Mike details how Antonio
Napolelello, Beverino and himself were
practicing with revolver when BeverinO
remarked, "'By -, we ought to get that
money from that paymaster when he comes
up the road. The three of us can do it
without being discovered Antonio
: and l Z said, Yes, we are satisfied
Several more conferences We're held,
and later | went to. Wilkesbarre
while going down the road he was looking
for good place to do the murder. He men,
toned two or three places as good ones and
| said yes. When we got in town we went
rifle. Then we left the store and went to
Parsons. From there went to the shanty.
carried the rife. 1t was a44-caliber Win
chester rifle, sixteen shots On the way to
the shanty BeverinO was hunting for q
place to hide the rifle. He found a place
about quarter of a mile from No. 7shanty,
alongside of a creek, under big stone or
rock, under big tree. This tree stands on
the rock. He put the rifle under the rock,
and also the cartridges. He said nothing
or three days later Then he went
away to Philadelphia to see about
work. He returned on Monday. The
next morning l went into Wilkesbarre
We went to a store where there was gun.
Neither of them would 60 inside, but sent
me in. Beverino must have told Vilello
about the job and the rifle, as he seemed to
three of us went back to the hiding-place
and placed the rifle under the big stone.
Nothing was said about the proposed mur-
der till the nth of October, when the three
of us stood in No. shanty and spoke about
it, and Beverino said we would have to go
down the road tomorrow or next day.
Then Vilello seemed to lose courage, and
Beverino said that the man who loses cour-
age gets killed. l then said: Who is to do
the shootingp Beverino said /
will do it, and he said to Vilello: sAll you
| got to do is to take anything / hand yOu;;'
and he said to me, Mike, you go down the
road and let us know when they are CON-
ing,', He said, pve got good rifle and
could shoot more than two men, On the
morning of the murder it was raining. and
did not think they would GO to get the
money, so went to the clumps and saw
them start. ] met them close by the tun-
the place where we were to wait they were
not there. Mcclure and Flanagan passed
me, but did not speak to them. When
sthey. got to little hill they went slow, and
ana shoot from the bushes. He shot Nc
Clure twice in the back. He then shot the
| other man, and think he hit him. Then
Vilello came in front of them and shot the
| other man twice in the face. had revol-
YER in my hand, running after them.
| The horse ran, and Mcclure was
hanging with his feet under the wheel.
| When they had gone about twenty or thirty
| yards the old man fell out, and Vilello ran
| away down the road; Beverino looked at
me and told me to come. | went to him,
| and when they got to the place where they
| afterward found the horse. he stopped;
| then Beverino shot the horse. and shot
Mcclure again in the face. He then shot a
| good many times at the horse. was stand
| ing still, and he cursed me and got very
white, and said. Here, you hold this gun,
| and if anybody comes you kill Them ]
| held 1T, and with the knife he cut the
straps that held the valise to the buggy,
| then put the valise on his shoulders, and
said, Let's go through here 1t was rain
ing and muddy, and we went up and took
the money and hid it a couple of miles from
| the scene of the murder; also, the gun. ]
shot four times; don't know whether hit
| anybody. Beverino fired about fifteen
shots"