Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-29
FITZSINMONS WRITES
To a Pittsburg Detective Who TsSti-
fed Against His Wife,
THREATENING TO KILL HIM.
The Murderer Accuses the Officer Of Psrurirg Him
self in Giving bis TsstinOuy-Hs Warns
BIN That BE Will Hound Him to
Dsath-Ths Letter Mailed From
a Town in New York.

PTTTsBURG, Pa, September 2S.-Mur-
derer Fitzsimmons has been heard from.
He has written letter to Detective
Murphy in which he threatens to kill
him. Considerable surprise was mani
tested about police headquarters in City
Hall when it was learned that letter
had been received from the murderer,
and everybody seemed to be keeping
the matter as quiet as possible. The
letter is as follows, as nearly as it can
be given:
SEPTEMBER, 81. 1891.
p. J. Murphy, Detectire:
~ will hound you until the day die for
periuring Yourself to convict my innocent
wife, Lucy. If / ever get the drop on you
I will kill you and may God in His infinite
wisdom have mercy on your soul You
have periured yourself before God and
your country and you will pay the penalty
at the hands Of one you have wronged.
Look out for me.
''F. G. FTTZsIMMoNs.
"P. S.-Murphy, 1 will kill you"
The letter was probably mailed from
Salamanca, n. Y. All that can be seen
on the stamp is "Sala, n. Y, R. p. i"
As can be seen by the envelope 1t was
put in the railway postoftice.
In some manner the receipt OF the
letter leaked out about City Hall. A
reporter went to hunt the matter down
and met Detective Murphy on Smith
field street, near Fifth avenue. When
the Detective was asked about the let
ter he said that he heard there was a
letter at the postoflice for him, and he
was on his way TO get it. The writer
went with him, and told him of the ru-
NOR to the effect that it was from Fitz-
simmons, on account Of the peculiar
makeup of the envelope.
''It may be from him." said Murphy,
"but l guess l cannot give it TO the
newspapers il it Is"
BY this time the detective and news
paper man were in the carriers depart
ment of the postoffice and Murphy ask
ed FIR the lett9r. In minute the letter
was handed to him. About one-third
OF the left hand corner OF the envelope
had been cut off. 1t looked as il there
had been return directions on it, and
printing cut off. The stamp was pasted
over the middle of the place that was
cut. Murphy glanced at the address,
which was as follows:
''P. j. MURPHY"
detective Agent, Pittsburg."
1t was stamped September 81 and re-
received here to-day.
1t only took q second, and Murphy un-
consciously said:
That's Fitz's handwriting
1t was plain that the big detective
was nervous. He tried to open the
letter at one end and then the other,
but evidently fearing he might tear the
treasured epistle he borrowed a knife
and opened it. Then he got over in a
corner and read it intently evidently
three or four times. He then folded 1t
ND and wanted to become very uncom-
municative. When asked il it was from
FitzsimmonS he said:
81 have not read all the letter"
When pressed further he said 1t was
not from FitzSimmons, and then said
later:
"Well, if the letter is from Fitzsim-
mons 1 will show it to you"
"Well, if 1t is not from Fitzsimmons
let me see the signature, said the
writer.
"No, I WON'T" said Murphy, 'it's a
private letter"
"But only want to see the signature,
that will not harm any one. Then l
will be satisfied"
''There it is" said Murphy, opening
the letter quickly and then closing it,
and there before the writer's eyes was
the name of Fltzsimmons signed.
Notwithstanding this, Mr.. Murphy
showed the letter to several gentlemen
who are anxious to catch the fugitive,
and one Of them gave the above as the
contents of the letter as near as he
could remember.