Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-25
MURDER In HIS MIND.
Carl Freeman, a Peddler, SlasheS His
Throat at Altoona, and
RAVES OF THE DOUGLASS CRIME.
His Arrest is Ordered as a Participant in
the Killing.
THE MKEESPORT MYSTERY DEEPENS

Carl Freeman, a peddler who made a
desperate attempt to commit suicide at AL
toona BY cutting his throat at Altoona on
the 10th instant. has been arrested Tor the
murder of Miss Margaret Douglass. at Nc
keesport, the day before. On Thursday last
Chief OF Police Wler, of Altoona, tele-
graphed Burgess Tilbrook, of McKeesport,
that he had a man whom he thought was
implicated in the mysterious assassination.
Mr.. Wier was notified to hold the man, and
yesterday he and Detective Stains visited
McKeesport and had an interview with the
Burgess.
Chief of Police Wier says that on Friday
evening. May 16, Freeman was noticed wan
dering about Altoona. He seemed to be
troubled, and his actions were such that he
was shadowed by an officer, and when he cut
his throat, while wandering along the street,
he had hardly accomplished the deed before
the police were at his side.
RAVING OF A CRIME.
During the time Freeman has been in the
hospital he has continually talked of the
Margaret Douglass murder, and among his
remarks, repeated often, were these: Mar
garet Douglass is dead; take an ak and kill
me-" Miss Douglass, of McKoesport, is
dead, murdered and out Of the way; now
kill me and let me die.
At various times Freeman made desperate
efforts to tear the bandages off Of the
wounds in his throat, so as to die,
and would have succeeded but for
careful watching. His hands were finally
muf1ed and he is not able TO do himself
further injury, and is slowly recovering.
He has continually talked about the Doug
lass murder aud wanted to die. He would
not say why he had tried to commit suicide,
but has made admissions, aside from the
above, which Detective Stains is confident
will be sufficient to show that James Edward
Movers is not the murderer of Margaret
Douglass.
In Freeman's clothing was found ticket
from McKeesport to Pittsburg, dated May
Is; one from Pittsburg to Johnstown, and
one from Conemaugh to Altoona, all of
them punched and showing that he left Nc
Keesport on the evening of the murder, and
was either bewildered or did it for pur-
pose when he got off the cars at points along
the road and walked into the destination OF
the tickets.
CHARGED WITH MURDER.
Burgess Tilbrook, after hearing the state
ments of the Altoona officials, proceeded to
Alderman Fields office and made the fol-
lowing information against the peddler:
i, Thomas Tilbrook, believe and suspect that
Carl Freeman is party to or is implicated in
the murder of Margaret Douglass. which oc-
CURED at McKeesport on the 18th day of May,
1890
The officers seemed relieved when the in
formation was made. They will send Mr..
Tilbrook photograph of Freeman at once,
and will bring him here within week, as
1 l. f,ofa fraxr
when he will be given a hearing before AL
derman Field.
Burgess Tilbrook, in speaking about the
case, said yesterday:
The Altoona officers have the best of evil
dence that Freeman was here on the day of the
murder, and took out a license to peddle at the
City Clerks office; that he was In the vicinity
of the Douglass house that morning; that he
knew Margaret Douglass and had sold notions
TO her.
THE MAN NELLIE JONES SAW.
Freeman may be the man whom Nellie Jones
saw in the yard of the Douglass house on the
morning of the murder talking to Miss
Douglass as the description suits, Freeman be-
ing feet inches high and spare His de-
scription answers that of the man who walked
into the saloon of Daniel Butler on Thursday,
the 18th. and remarked that he "knew all
about the Douglass murder and Immediately
disappeared. They also have proof that he
was at the Douglass residence on the morning
of the murder, and purchased ticket Tor
PIttsburg and left for that place on the Balt-
more and Ohio Railroad that night at 10
o'clock. and also that he knew the old lady was
well fixed.
Chief Weir and Detective Stains say they se-
cured a great deal of corroborative evidence
while in McKeesport yesterday.
Freeman is Polish Hebrew, Is years old,
five feet eight inches high. of spare build and
dark complexion, with black eyes and mus
tache and large nose and mouth. When he
tried to suicide he wore a dark hat. dark brown
short coat. new striped cotton pants and con-
gress CATERS.