Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-09
DRAWING IN THE NET.
Fred Fitzsimmons Drawn Deeper Into
the NeShes of the Law.
HOW CLARK OFFERED TO SQUEAL.
He Now Denies All knowledge of Budd's
Many RObberies.
CORNERED HIM ON THE SKELETON KEYS

The trial of Fitzsimmons, the Clarks, and
Cora Wyatt for completely in the Schmft
3ewelry store robbery was continued befort
Judge Slagle in Criminal Court yesterday
The rooms, as usual, were crowded and the
interest in the case seemed to increase as the
trial proceeded. There were great many
ladies IN court. A marked feature OF the
trial Yesterday was the attempt of the Com
rnonwesIth to support the evidence OF Laura
Snowdeu who is also indicted in this case.
On the opening of the trial Mr.. Mckee, the
druggist a Homestead, TO whose store Laura
Sncwden went after leaving Schmitt's store
on the day of the robbery, testified to her
visit. She told him she had gone to school
with him Mt the Orphans School in Mercer,
and he remembered that this was true. S. Fl.
Aiken, telegraph operator, testified that be
had sent telegram on January 81 to l..
Snowden, lis Colwen street, Pittsburg. The
witness said he testified under an order
from court. j. d. Flynn, manager of the
Western Union office in Pittsburg, testified
20 the receipt of the telegram, and Samuel
ellison, q messenger, to its delivery.
Laura SnowGen was recalled and identi-
fed copies Of the telegram to Mr.. Reardon.
She said she knew she was indicted In the
case. To Mr. Robb she said she had been in
troduced to Fitzsir1mons while he worked
for Joseph Horne & Co. by Mr.. Holting, man.
ager of the store. Martin Holting was
lofsced on the stand and said he had intro
duccd them in the store.
George Duiton, of the McKeespo-t branch
OF the Singer Machine Company, said ne had
gone to Clarl<'s house after FitZs1mmons on
March 10, and met Clark there, who told him
Fitzsimmons would be back in two weeks
When asked how he knew, Clark replied
that was for him to know. Clark said FltE-
simmons was dangerous man and no one
r.lan could take him; he always went armed.
The visit was not about the Schmltt robbery
and it was not mentioned.
a child
and responded, frightened to tears. Judge
slagle G,Iieted her before he would permit
her to be placed on the stand. The chlld-s
story WAS that she knew the principal de-
fendant and saw him at his home on March
10 he had a satchel like that which was
shown here in court. She WAS at the house,
because Mrs. Fitzsimmons had asked her to
come and stay with her little girl while Mrs.
Fitzsimmons went TO DuqueSne.
said Clark offered to Talk.
Charles Schmitt, brother of the jeweler,
Is a grocer in Homestead. He testified that
Clark came to his store and said he had
heard his name was mentioned in connec-
tion with the robbery. If his name was
withdrawn Clark said he would tell some
thing; otherwise he would not
william Tunstall, Chairman of the Home
stead Police Committee, testified to con-
versations he had had with the Clarks, but
told nothing important.
Attorney Robb submitted the watches
satchel. tools, the Snowden telegram, ETC.,
n evidence, and the Commonwealth rested.
NJ. Cox opened for the defense In his
address to the jury he called attention to
Mrs. Devers being released and Laura
snowden not being tried with the Others
He said that the Clarks and Cora Wyatt
could not be held on the charge of entering
q building, and they would prove that they
knew nothing of the stolen goods being
buried in the cellar.
Charles NJ. Clark, one of the defendants,
was placed OF the stand. He gave his record
since he came here from Cumberland, Nd
where he was born. he had worked at the
Homestead Steel Works, for Miller, Sterreut
6 Co., Eor the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
and the Westinghouse Company at Wilmerd-
ing, whore he was employed when arrested.
The only time when he was idle was in last
December when he was sick.
The afternoon session of the trial began at
O'Clock. The examination of @. NJ Clark
was continued. He testified that he knew
Fftzsimmons and had first met him in Feb
G. Budd, and while living in Allegheny
Fitzsimmons had boarded with him. Con-
tinuing the witness said: "Fitzsimmons
was an lnstanment agent, he dealt in dress
goods, jewelry and umbrellas and in other
goods and was frequently away from the
room. At another time found him selling
came IN at night and he always told
me he had a good day. 1 worked at
the Homestead s teel Mills, and was away
from home except from Saturday night until
Monday morning. Afterward 1 was ap-
pointed census enumerator of the Second
ward, Homestead, and then went to work
IOr IDe W eSIlDGnOuSe AlTprake company.
The Robber Plays the Nurse.
Fttzsimmons took dinner with me one
Sunday, and when 1 was sick last December
he came to the house frequently, and on one
occasion he waited on me for two days be-
tween December 70 and january l. don't
know whether he was on a vacation or not
The morning of the day preceding the
night OF the Schmitt robbery was at home
In the afternoon Cora Wyatt and came to
Pittsburg, and 1 stopped at the First Ave
nue. Hotel, whore 1 met a friend from Cum
berland, Nd. Later in the cay called on
Mrs. Snaffer, No. 1873 Second avenue
to get pug dog she had promised me. and
in the evening at GEO O'Clock l left for Home
stead. Nicholas Berron was with me. 1
met Fitzsimmons on a Saturday afternoon
He took me TO hotel which ne said he was
going to sell on 4 commission of $500. He
had some business cards with him, and
printed on them was the name Ambrose G.
Budd.' did not know him by any other
name than Budd, and did not know that he
was married and never heard him call any
one his wife"
we're found was here shown to the witness.
lie said he had never seen it before. Con-
tinuing, he said: 81 knew nothing about
goods being buried in the cellar. / got a
list OF the stolen watches and was told by
Constable McBroom that would get Part
of tho reward if found any Of the watches
at Wilmcrding, where rattle of jewelry was
TO occur. IneveT gave FitZsimmons a CODY
Of that list, or never referred of the rob
berry TO him. afterward burned the list
had. When Detectives GilkinSon and MUIR
phy called at my house / told them l did not
know where FitZsimmons was. Gilkinson
asked me 80 describe Fitzsimmons. told
him he looked like an English Jew. The
night FitZsimmons was arrested l was up
stairs about O'Clock and heard q noise
downstairs. / called down Who is there?'
and the reply was, Me, Budd.' went
down; he told me he wRs nearly starved and
wanted something to eat, and he told me he
had been shot. 1 told him he couldn't stay
IN the house. l gave him some meat and
bread and wrapped it il some paper and put
1t IN his pocket and then told him togo. My
wife cried down from the head of the stairs !
For Gods sake go and give yourself up
lie went out tho front door and that was the
last 1 saw OF him until he was in tho
lookup"
Knew Nothing of the Burglary.
The witness told of his conversation with
Officer nuEbor, who said he had warrant |
for the arrest of Fitzsimmons. The witness |
tolo the cflcer that Fitzsimmons was a dan
gerous man. In conclusion the witness said;
II personally had no connection with the |
robbery or the circumstances attending it'' |
The cross-eEamination was then COM
menced. The witness said he had come |
30 Pittsburg january 81 He was |
closely questioned to how many |
watches ne had carried at one time |
;lt Wilmerding. He said he had only carried |
Two Of different kinds, one of his own and |
cuIity for 4 loan OF money.
Mr. RoOb then pulled a key from his |
pocket and said: 'Didn't you have this kew |
on you when you were arTested?' The wit |
moss said he haG not.
nir. 2Obb-ThiS is skeleton key?
HltNsSs-NO.
Mr. Robb-You made great many skel-
ctOn keys"