Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-26
R0BBER BY INSTINCT,
Victimized His Father, Was Cast
Adrift, but Years After Returns
and Makes Reparation.
FITZSlNl0NS' CANADIAN RECORD.
Distributed Watches and Jewelry With a
Lavish Hand Among His Young
Lady Relatives.
FITzSlMMONS' CANADIAN RECORD.
PRESENTS HIS BROTHER WITH $1,000.
Others Beside the Clarks Are Believed to Fave Bee,
Accessories.


selves with mystery, the detectives are hard
at work on the Gilkinson murder case.
Detective Perkins, who has charge of the
matter. is out of town-no one knows where.
County Detective Beltzhoover is in the
neighbcrhood of Homestead with number
of his associates, gathering information
about Fizslmmons and his gang. A num-
Der of persons are under suspicion there of
being accessory to the murder. 1t is not
believed that Fitzsimmons went straight
from Bull Run to the house of the Clarks
on the night of the tragedy. For this rea-
son a number of arrests are expected and
doubtless more people than the Clarks will
find temporary homes In the Jail. The de-
tectives are also moving on the robber gang
and arrests of members can be expected
every day.
As for FitzsImmons, the chief of the rob-
bers, his history reads like romance. He
was as lavish in his gifts as ''Sinbad the
Sailor" and made reparatlon in the mag
uiticent manner of Monte Cristo."
Robbed His Father When a Boy.
a dispatch from BrockvIle yesterday tells
the history of his early life. and while it
does not say he was robber from his cradle,
1t does record his father as being one of the
first victims of Frederick FItzsimmons'
thieving habits.
Although he apparently wore a cloak of
honesty, he first showed the under colors
before he was 90 years of age. AT that time
he went to Toronto, and succeeded in ar
e. ,l ctr
boat excursion. The boat got off safely, and
so did FitzsimmoDs with the proceeds, leav-
ing the wild waves and time to wash away
the memory of the expenses.
Nearly a score of years ago the town Of
Brockville was set nearly wild over series
OF success iul robberies Among the others
who suffered was Robert Fitzsimmous. His
store was robbed of a large amount of
liquors and groceries. The robbery there
was repeated several times. A watch was
set and one night two men were caught in
the store. One proved to be Fred Fitzsim-
mons 1t was aiterward developed that all
the other robberies were those of Fitzsim-
mons and his partner.
Turned Adr1ft by His Father.
similar actions followed that his father sent
him adrift. 1t was reported he had gone 10
Nlexice and his name was almost forgotten
save when the old men about the grocery
stores would speak of him, and with a shake
Of their heads predict for him bad end
Their doubts were all dispelled however
when little over two weeks ago he returned
with plenty OF money and apparently achanged
man. He seemed the essence of honor. To
relatives. particularly the Young ladies' he gave
leWelry as freely as II II were but bon-bons.
Although his gifts were no doubt part of his
proceeds in the steals, he gave out the story
that he had reformed, and now owned large
estates in Mexico. lie told his story in
straightforward manner that even his uncle
believed HIM to he thoroughly truthful And,
by the way, that uncle is the present post
master at Brcckville and an eX-mem-
her of the Provincial Parliament To
Clinch the story of his changed nature
he even went so far that when his fathers
estate was divided he handed $1,000 to his
brother. II. I. FItzSimmoEs. He said he
coudne make reparation to his dead father,
but asked his brother to lake the money to
make up for what he (Fred) had stolen almost
score of years before.
a WeIl-Organized Band of Thieves.
The gang organized and ruled by Fitzsim-
mons reaches over several States and every
member has been located, bu. some OF the
hiding places and fences have not been dis
fA
spoiled one of the mosr brilliant plans ever
laId to make a wholesale capture of an organ
ized gang and thousands of dollars. The plan
had ete same general outline the famous
Panhandle case. On the stroke of the CLOCK
arrests were to b. made and houses searched
in at least three States. But as for the details
OF the plan, they cannot be gwen out as it
would give too many suggestions to the de-
iense.
The arrest of Joe Williams in jefferson o.,
on Tuesday night is considered an important
one Williams is man about 50 years of age,
and was sewing machine agent near Home.
stead. H almost constantly in the COM
pany of FitzSiTmOns. He was engaged with
The latter IN stealing sewing machines, and, it
Is alleged, was also connected with the Skellev
robbery well as that of the Schmidt store in
Homestead. some of the stolen goods were
found with him. Williams refuses to leave
the State without requsiJion papers. therefore
the hearing in his case has been fixed for
april 3
Opening of the Inquest.
Coroner Mcdowell yesterday commenced the
inquest into the death of David H. Gllkinson
None of the meat of the testimony was given
owlug to the fact that Detective Murphy's
wounds have become SO painful that he could
not be present Only the shell of the testimony
was taken. The story of Detective BeltzhoOver
and the story of the capture of the criminal at
Homestead by DIR. GLADDEN. and officers Nc
Allister and Calvin were retold. They were the
same as has already been published in THE
DISPATCH. Magistrate Gripp testified to
having issued variants for the arrest of Fitz-
simmons and also search warrants for a num-
her of places, but could not recall whether he
had issued a search warrant for the house in
" hich the shooting occurred. The inquest was
adjourned until Monday at O'Clock.
= large crowd collected at the Coroner's
Office IN the hope of seeing the murderer, but
lie was not brought over from jail. The de-
IectIve force of both cities were largely repre-
scented, Prominent among the crowd was X. z.
Duff. business associate of the late detective.
3 l.sa
81 900 to be used toward securing the conviction
of the murderer He is willing to put up more
II necessary
Concerning Laura Hill, it was also developed
yesterday that she had formerly kept house
AT Rochester. Sne then roomed on Sixth
street, where she had 4 number of gentlemen
callers. Among them was FitzSlmmons, who
was represented as being an installment agent