Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-25
The phrenologist has not been seen in that
neighborhood since

and appearance Tailed generally with that
of the smaller man concerned in the UNI
berger murder, but the people he met paid
no particular attention to that, as they were
too deely interested in the news he brought.
He stopped to listen to James L. Hare and
his companions who were piling ties and
taking about young man who was killed
on the railroad the day before.
Knew All About the Murder.
"Are you talking about the Umberger
murder 2? asked the stranger.
No., was the reply. what do you
mean?'
Didn't you hear of the Umberger muir
der yet ?" was the interrogative reply.
Hare knew the Umbergers, and was inter-
ested, so the stranger told him all about it,
and then went on to say that the people OF
Jennertown didn't know how to conduct an
Inquest, and he had to take charge of affairs
and show them how to do it properly. He
further told Hare that he was going to
Johnstown, where he had a number of
stonemasons at work. 1hen he went down
to the railroad, and instead of waiting for q
passenger train, which would be due in a
few minutes, jumped on a freight and rode
out of sight.
Inquiry was then msde among those per-
sons who attended the inquest, but no one
remembered seeing such man, and all
were confident that they would not have
forgotten him if he had acted as master
OF ceremonies. The stranger had obtained
his in formation elsewhere, and had been
hfst with the news at New Florence.
John Beach's Remarkable Confession.
No clew could be found to the phrenolo-
gist. his friend or the New Florence stran-
ger, and the attorneys were giving up this
trail in despair, when, in June last, General
Cofroth, one of the Nicely's counsel, was
staggered to find in his mail confession of
the Umberger murder, signed by John
Beach and duly attested by E. P. King,
Justice of the Peace, in Middlecreek town
ship. The confession was badly written and
poorly spelled, and read as follows;
In connection with my confession 1 will say
that started East IN the tall of 1879 from Gay
We expressed our valises to Scottdale, West
moreland county, Pa, and started after to beat
our way through. We all went together as far
as Achison, Kan. There two Of them left the
to Kansas City. One of their names was Will
lam Burkholder, a nd the other Sipe. 1 forget
the other mems names. They were all from
Westmoreland county fand well acquainted
with each other. When we got to Kansas City
was to get a boat, and we were all to go down
the river as far as the mouth of the Missouri.
left Burkholder and Sipe at a certain place
III the evening until would get the boat. l
got caught in getting the boat and was locked
up for w days and could not meet my partn ers.
Beach Assumes Another Name.
Here 1 changed my name, and have kept my
new name ever since, tor did not want my
real name in the papers, or that John Beach
was caught stealing boat. stayed in Kansas
City Till the next June and then started on a
steamboat East after my partners. l got as far
as st. Louis, stayed there till the next summer
and then started East got as far,as Cincinnati,
O.; stayed there about six months. My next
move was to Pittsburg, and from there got on
freight train to stop at Greensburg, but it did
not stop till it got to Johnstown. Here was
plenty of work of all kinds. and I liked the
place ard gave up hunting for Burkholder and
Sipe.
After was there about four or five months
got acquainted with man by the name of
Miller. He worked about town, did odd jobs
dug cellars, cleaned wells and did errands for
boarding house men. After was acquainted
to Michigan. We're in Detroit and other diff
ferent places; from there to Wheeling w. Va;
from there we went to Cumberland. From
there we started through the country to Johns
town, and on our way met with one of Mlller's
old chums. He was a book agent, ald '1ook-
ing out for something" as he called It, and said
he had some good ones spotted in Somerset
farmers. One was Bernard Miller near Gar
rett, and Umberger, near Jennertown, and
others.
Umberger Killed in a Scuf1e.
We appointed place to meet at, and after
several meetings and about years time we
concluded on Umberger Miller and went in
while the book agent and his men stayed out
side. When we got the money there was big
scuffie Miller shot three or four times with
his revolver. Mine was 22-caliber, seven-shot.
4
East with Burkholder and Sipe. There was no
need of the shooting
When we got out OF the house we all started
for Latrobe. We all went toR ether for several
miles, till we came to the forks of road. Here
we divided the money and threw one pocket
book away, and parted, Miller and taking one
road and the others another way. We kept
the other pocketbook until we got to small
railroad. We ate our lunch, hid our money,
and appointed place to meet at and begged
our way After the Nicely boys were arrested,
we went and got our money, and l started
berand. 1 got several letters from Miller
while he was in Cumberland. In his last letter
he said the Nicelys were in jail yet, and he was
going back to Johnstown to rent billiard
heard of the Johnstown food. and / never
heard any more of Miller, so l came East to
look for him. l suppose he was lost in the
flood.
Haunted by a Mothers Face.
On the train heard a stranger say. "The
lady in black is the mother Of the Nicely boys"
l looked at her. She had the saddesr face 1
ever saw. can never forget that sad look un-
til my last hour. can always see it before my
eyes. I have put of this statement
looks before my face. and the trouble of the
Nicely family, with two boys in Jail waiting to
be hanged innocent. If they can find Buck
holder and Sipe they will tell you my intentions
Of coming East. JOHN BEACH.
Of this and send it to the Nicely family and |
Keep copy OF IT, |
Justice King says he was lying on his |
lounge on Sunday evening, June g. 1890, |
when a stranger walked in and wanted to be |
sworn to a paper. The Squire told him
Sunday was not day for business, but he |
might stay all night and take the
oath in the morning. The man persisted,
,aying it didn't amount to much |
anyway. 1t was getting dark and the
Squire walked out onto the porch, and
asked him il he knew the contents OF the
paper. The man replied that he did, as he
lad written it and signed it himself. Then
he Squire swore him in the usual form.
Carried a Big Roll of Money.
The stranger pulled out big pocketbook
ull of money, the Squire estimating that
here was at least 81, 900 in it. He selected
S5 bill and asked the Justice to change it,
,ut the latter could not, and the stranger
ave him quarter.
The man took the document he had sworn
o, wrapped it in newspaper and tied
tring around. At first he acted as if he were
oing to put it in his pocket and afterward