Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-02-11
ESCAPED THE HANGMAN.

ESCAFEO HE HANGMAN.
Frederick C. Fitzsimmons, the Escaped
Murderer in Pittsburgh. Pa, Eludes
the Hangman's Moose by Committing
Suicide in the Parish Prison at New
Orleans-His Last Letter and Plea for
His Wife.
New ORLEANS, Feb. 5.-Frederlck C.
Fitzsimmons. alias Ambrose G.. Budd
and several other names, who was ar
rested here Tuesday night, charged
with murder and theft in Pittsburgh,
Pa, cut his throat with penknife, at
IL o'clock yesterday morning, in cell
at the parish prison. He died at
o'clock this morning.
Fitzsimmons left long letter ad-
dressed to c. FL. Fitzsimmons, William
Fitzsimmons, Chief of Police Caster,
the press and citizens of New Orleans,
in which he says:
The sunny south and the Crescent city carry
none but the most pleasant recollections in my
memory. have pursued crime with it's fatal
consequences: my liberty is again ieopardized,
and as liberty or death is paramount in my
mind, prefer the latter to imprisonment, dis
grace, slow death and dragging further in the
mire the good name OF honorable and respected
relatives. Ny beloved wife is the daughter Of
one of New Orleans once popular and re-
spected citizens My wife, Lucy Rebecca
Fitzsimmons, was improperly convicted at the
Allegheny county court house of murder in the
second degree through the testimony of per-
Juring detective and perjudiced jury and Judge,
and is still in imprisonment. Knowing that /
am about to hurl myself into eternity, I
solemnly swear that my wife is innocent. eff
fected my escape from {the Allegheny county
Jail because foresaw conviction before the
trial began. The bright,su atmosphere sur
rounding my soul is replaced by gloom and
sad heart that ONLY death can alleviate
Fitzsimmons. after writing the latter
yesterday morning, jumped into bed,
threw a blanket over his head and ap-
parently went to sleep. Half an hour
later one of the attendants in the Jail
heard him grooming, and on going to
the bed, found Fitzsimmons had slashed
his throat three times while under the
blanket. and seemed to be dying from
the loss of blood.
The wound in the dying burglars
throat was fully two inches deep, ex-
tending from ear to ear. Surgeons were
at once called in by the prison officials,
and they set to work to save his life,
although they announced that the task
was hopeless.
Detectives Finney and Murphy. who
were awaiting the arrival of requisition
papers to take Fitzsimmons back to
Pittsburgh, were much surprised when
informed of the suicide. They knew
the nerve of the man, but did not sus-
pect that he would attempt to take his
own life.
The capture of Fitzsimmons was
made on the night of January 81. The
Pittsburgh officers located him here,
and Detective Finney, of that city
came on to identify and take him. He
appraised the local officers of his plans
and told them of the desperate charac-
ter of the criminal he was after. Fin
ney knew the escaped murderer by
sight, but was not known to the latter
Holmes And erson, who was acquitted
of another murder, and who occupied
the cell adjoining Fitzsimmons, before
his escape last September from the
Allegheny city prison, gave the Pitts
burgh police the clew to F1tzsimmons'
whereabouts. On account of the des-
perate character of.the murderer it was
not deemed advisa BILE to attem pit to take
him when he might be on his guard
Besides he was constantly in the COM
pany of some of the worst crooks of
the south. He was masquerading in
the role of peddler, and went through
the streets of New Orleans daily dis
posing of his wares.
Sunday night Detective Finney de-
cided to take his man at all hazards.
Fortune favored him, and during the
day Fitzsimmons entered a cigar store,
where he expected to meet Anderson.
The detective was on him in an instant,
and pinioning his arms to his side,
placed a pair of handouts over the
murderer's wrists and conducted him
to one of the city police stations. There
he was searched. and three revolvers
and copies of the Pittsburgh papers
containing an account OF his escape
from Jail were found upon his person.
Some cigarettes found on Fitzsim-
mons are the exact counterpart of those
smoked necessarily by the murderer
while confined in the Allegheny county
jail prior to his sensational escape.
They were made by himself and
wrapped in 4 very peculiar blue paper,
and some of these cigarettes were left
by the prisoner when he escaped from
jail They have since been in the pos
session of the officers and were consid-
cred very valuable link to the chain
of Identification.
Fitzsimmons was at the head of
desperate gang of thieves who operated
in various parts of the country, but had
their headquarters near Pittsburgh
and were known as the Uniontown
gang. Several women operate with
them.
Fitzsimmons was wanted last March
for numerous burglaries, and when
found in his hiding place by Detectives
Gilkinson and Murphy a terrible battle
ensued Gillxinson was shot dead and
Murphy was badly wounded. Fitzsim-
mons also received bullet in his body
and escaped for a time, but was finally
captured by the Homestead police.
Murphy's condition was for a long time
critical.
David HI. Gilkinson was at one time
a member of the United States secret
service, and he had a national reputa-
ton.
Fitzsimmons escaped from the county
Jail in Pittsburgh before his case came
to trial.
Lucy. the robbers wife, is serving
twelve-year sentence in the Pennsyl-
vania state prison for her completely in
the killing of Gilkinson.
On the Move for the Final Assault on Gar
za's Stronghold.
REALITos, Tex, via LAREDO. Feb. 5.
ALL the forces, state and federal, are
on the move for a final assault on Gar