Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-29
TRIPPED IN A MOVE.
A Detective in the Gilkins0n Case
Asked 10 Name His Price
BY A HIGH HOMESTEAD OFFICIAL.
The John Myers Umberger Letter Proves
but Mere Fable.
CONSTABLE MURPHY is OUT OF DANGER

l
The mystery deepens about the murder of
Detective Gilkinson and the work of the
Fitzsimmons gang. Every day the case as
sumes a new phase. Both the defense and
the prosecution are straining every
point. The Commonwealth is fearful OF
being brought out in the light of perse-
cutting the murderer, and for that reason are
even afraid to take the man out of Jail and
have his photograph taken. Both sides are
keeping quiet, but startling revelations are
promised at the inquest tomorrow. The
defense attempted coup yesterday, but
only found boomerang which will
strike back at the inquest to-mor-
row. One of the leading citizens of
Homestead is authority for the statement,
and he is willing to make an affidavit to its
truth, that yesterday prominent official of
Homestead approached one of the private
detectives who is cleaning evidence in the
Fitzsimmons affair and asked him:
"How much will you take to work for the
other side?"
Repulse of Private Detective.
The detective was indignant and repulsed
the offer. He afterward told his story and
announced his intention of giving the en-
tire matter in evidence tomorrow.
A search was made in Homestead for
John Myers the writer of the letter which
was published yesterday, connecting Fitz-
simmons with the Umberger crime in
Somerset county. The only John Myers
to be found IN Homestead is a man who
has lived there for six years. He came there
from Latrobe. He was formerly a stone
mason, but he is now the owner of high
hat, clever tongue and a suit of black
broadcloth. AT present he is earning liv-
ing and making housewives happy by ped
ding clothes-wringers and washing ma
chimes. About murders he says he knows
but little, and in an interview last night
said:
81 did not write the letter that was sent
to The DISPATCH last night. 1 do not
even know who could have written the let
ter. All 1 know is that 1 have seen Fitz-
simmons peddling silk umbrellas in and
about Homestead. I never was in Somerset
county. 1 was not acquainted with the
man. / did not see Fitzsimmons taken
from the lookup to the station, but 1
remember of talking in crowd about see
ing Fitzsimmons peddling umbrellas and
someone may have overheard me and then
built up the rest of the story. l expect the
next thing will be the Identification of Fred
Fitzsmmons as Jack the Ripper. 1 know
just as much about his connection with that
crime as do about the preparation of the
Umberger murder"
Has No Doubts of Their Guilt.
Charles McPhail, of the Gilkinson agency,
was talked to on the matter yesterday and
he says: "There is no doubt about the guilt
of the Nicely boys. Fitzsimmons never
committed that crime, and even. though !
Fitzsimmons is a bad man, it is not fair to !
accuse him of murders that he did not COM |
init. believe the letter was only clever
scheme gotten up by the attorneys for the !
Nicelys to secure a reprive. The rifles in
each pistol may differ slightly, but then it
wonld be impossible to tell whether the
groves marked BY them in the bullets would
be the same. The bullets are SO fat
tened that it would be impossible
to tell what the marks were.
OF course all the 3S-caliber bullets
of the same make will have exactly the same
weight even if they were fired from a
thousand different pistols"
Another bit of evidence to be brought
out tomorrow is from an employe of the
Westinghouse machine shops. He was once
shopmate of Charles Clark and was induced
by him to go to Homestead where through
Clark's influence he secured place in the
Carnegie machine shop. He worked there
for several months when, he claims,
Fitzsimmons robbed him of S27.
He then left Homestead disguised.
1t is SAID his testimony will prove damaging
to the Clarks. He claims Fitzsimmons was
very intimate with the Clark family, and on
several occasions took Clark's wife to the
theater.
Fftzsimmons in Need Of Money.
simmons, has notified Officer McAllister, of
Homestead, that he wanted the money taken
from Fitzsimmons on the night OF his ar
rest. He said the money would be OF no
value as evidence, and that Fitzsimmons
needed it badly. The money will be turned
over.
County Detective Beltzhoover said that he
had no eviden ce against Fitzsimmous on
the Umberger crime, and also denied that
Laura Snowden was a daughter Of Mrs.
Fitzsimmons. This was also backed
up by Boiler Inspector Burwell
of the Hartford Insurance Com
pany. His home is in Cleveland.
He is intimately acquainted both with Miss
Snowden and Mr.. and Mrs. Stevens, an
uncle and aunt of the girl. They live in
Cleveland, and Mr.. Burwell SAYS Laura
Snowden much resembles Mrs. Stevens.
He also says the Snowden family lived in
Rochester and aiterward in California.
Two weeks after the Schmitt robbery
Clark and Fitzsimmons visited the Carne- !
gie Steel Works. The latter wore a high
silk hat which has been identified as the
one which was found in the room supposed
10 have been occupied by Fitzsimmons in
'he Clark homestead.
Constable Murphy Improved.
Constable Murphy's condition is much
improved and the danger point in passed.
yesterday Drs. McCann and Clark re-
moved the abcess which had formed on his
mp, and also took away some of the flesh
about the wound on his breast As q result
Mr.. Murphy rests much easier. The doctors
10 longer fear blood poisoning. He will,
however, be confined to his bed for at least
en- days, which will prevent his appearance
It the inquest.
From Braddock last night it was learned
hat Clark was not unknown there. Clark f
md Thomas Dougherty roomed together a
here, with man named Barber. Dough- I
rty missed a pocketbook containing large |
um OF money. He reported the matter to O
;hlef Donovan, but as there was not
efficient evidence against Clark the matter
Fas dropped. -
Detective Beltzhoover attended the sale :,
'esterday of the effects of Fitzsimmons at