Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-28


moreland county that they have unjustly ac-
cnsed the Nicely boys Of the murder of Farmer
Umberger. If they hang these boys for that
murder they will commit cold-blooded muir
der. How unjust; how unKind have those wit
nesses sworn in order to get the reward offered
for their convictionl Think OF It! Fathers
sons and brothers place yourselves IN the
Nicely brothers position and you will see the
injustice of jury law.
They were honest toilers of the soil-the most
honest class of people on earth. They could
not have been induced to have left their loved
families and commit such an awful crime. No,
never!
The acts of the State will leave these chill
dren fatherless and those mothers weeping
o, how unjust. 1t is bringing their parents
heartbroken to their graves. Governor of
Pennsylvania, save the lives of the Nicely boys
for they are not guilty and Westmoreland
county will be free from the blood of two inno-
cent boys.
had talk with a man from near the place
where the Umberger murder was committed.
He told me confidentially that he would have
appeared in behalf of the Nicely boys but was
afraid that he might get in trouble, as those
scoundrels pushing the case were bent on hav-
ing the reward He had met two men near the
Umberger homestead on the evening of the
murder. They were peddling silk umbrellas
and tried to sell him one. They offered it at
less than cost, but he would not buy One of
the men was taller than the other. The shorter
man was good talker.
Identified by Myers Friend.
1 was present at the train on the evening
Fitzsimmons, the murderer of Gilkinson, was
taken to Pittsburg when suddenly my friend
SAID to me: THAT is the man 1 saw near the
Umberger farm the evening the old farmer was
murdered"
That is what led me to write the above. 1
hope the publishing of it may shed greater
light over the darkness and restore these boys
to freedom and liberty. May God speed the
day when civilization will reach higher stand
ard and the execution of human beings will
cease to be a law. Then we will look back on
this age as dark age as we now recall in
history the stories of the headman's
ak. Life is too short for such
law to exist. Christ said. Take not life.
that which you cannot give.n I only wish to
say, take the ball that killed Umberger and the
one that killed Gllkinson. together with one
from Fitzsimmons' revolver. Weigh each one
murder in a nutshell. Count the burrows
in the revolver and then count the burrows in
the balls, and you will have sufficient proof to
convict Fi,zsimmons OF both crimes Notice
berger murder and the Mckeesport robbery
were each done neaz the same hour of the day.
Yours truly, JOHN MYERS.
Latest Work of the Detectives.
County Detective Beltzhoover has made
arrangements with Laura Snowden bv
which he is to have the privilege of opening
and reading several letters addressed to her
that now lie in the postofice. While
Beltzhoover is satisfied that this young
woman has not been connected with any
crime with Fitzsimmons except that
with which she is now charged,
it is thought that her letters may
possibly bring to light evidence
against other parties who are suspected OF
completely in Fitzsimmons' crimes She
had agreed with Detectives Gilkinson and
A. kLz,,, g. L.
and through them Fitzsimmons was located.
She repudiated this arrangement when
visited by the County Detective the other
day, but yesterday was in better humor
and re-entered into the agreement
Mr.. Rhodes, the owner OF the cabin in
which Fitzsimmons and his wife lived, had
a landlords warrant issued tor the sale of
Fitzsimmons' effects to recover unpaid rent
money. The sale is to take place to-day,
and is expected to be largely attended by
relic hunters. The rug upon which Detect
tive Gilkinson fell and expired, and
which is clogged up with his
blood, was brought to this Office
Yesterday from the cabin. A number
OF articles in the cabin, which will be used
as evidence, will be claimed by the County
to-day. The detectives yesterday found an
interesting point of evidence. A few weeks
ago little girl from McKeesport spent the
afternoon with the little daughter OF Fitz-
simmons, whose parents were away. Dur
ing the afternoon the little visitor remarked
that she would be afraid to stay in such a
lonely place.
"I'm not afraid" said the Fitzsimmons
child, and going to the other room. she re-
turned with two big revolvers. 81 can use
these" she said, land 1 can hit tack at %
yards"
Kitty Kerr Fully Exonerated and free.
Kitty Kerr, who figured SO prominently
in Laura Snowden's letters, came from Erie
last night to see Detective Beltzhoover.
Laura Snowden, in the meantime, had
made statement e1onerating Mrs. Kerr,
and therefore the detective did not hold
her. Mrs. Kerr said Laura had represented
to her that Fitzsimmons was her guardian.
Miss Snowden says Mrs. Kerr did not know
the secret of her connection with the rob-
ber.
In McKeesport it was learned that the
report generally given credence that G. B.
Williams is the man who was implicated in
the st. Clair shooting at Williamsburg
about two years ago is said to be all nom
sense. The man who did squeal on. the
Williamsburg parties is one Jack Williams,
who also lived in the vicinity of
McKeesport. The two men are no
relation whatever, and are not even ac-
quaipted with each other. Excitement IN
the Fitzsimmons case has cooled down
greatly. The house occupied by Fitzsim-
mons has small garret, which was found
yesterday to be stocked with all kinds of
groceries, canned goods, wines and confec-
tions. One of the men who is acquainted
with Fitzsimmons says the reason no pho.