The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-09
THE LINE OF A CROOK.
Fitzsimmons' Story Told Just Before He
y Killed Himself

NEW ORLEANS Feb. 6.-Frederick c.. Fitz-
simmons, alias Ambrose G. Budd and sew
oral Other names, the murderer of Detective
Gilkerson, of Pittsbnrg, and who Killed
himself in prison here, told the story OF his
crimes a few days before he committed
suicide, He said the STORY required some
considerable attention, tor the sake OF ms
wife. who was an innocent party IN the
whole transaction. His wife, he said, was
the daughter of an old-time planter, who
had dieu since the war, but the name ne
refused to dlyulge, rs he SAID he &c
would not benefit any one just now. she
was a distant ~relative CT Andrew Jackson.
and ia well connected i'll this state, and at
the nlesent lime has some relatives who are
in moderate circumstances residing In this
city. Her father was first a captain on a
%sea-gOsng vessel, and at the close OF lae war
was the captain Of a steamboat, ana next
conducted Il plantatlon1non one Of the a1lshea.
The prisoner stated that hs himself was y
Canadian by birth, and the second young
est son of a large number OF brothers and
sisters, his father having cen mar lad four
times. and he was doubtless thu black sheep
Of the flock. His father and mother were
both dead and the balance Of his family fe-
sided at Brookville, Canada. His father
was a successful merchant, mayor OF the
city and school trustee for a numbes OF
wears of Brockville. His uncle. VIM. Fltz-
M had been q member OF parlla-
ment for years for the constituency OF
Leeds, in G%reenville, Ont, and Is at the
present time a past master OF the masonic
fraternity. He was always well supplied
with money. and at the death Of his father
fell heir to $4,000, and was the owner OF a
valuable piece of property at Hamstead,
Pa. He followed the avocatlon OF paddllnR
fake iewelry for a number OF years through
the country parishes, and realized a nice
income from IT..
About three years ago he went to 1--we at
Pittsburg and secured a country home for
himself, his wife and fye-year-old child.
lie secured employment IN some OF the
large mercantile houses, and finally started
in business for himself by selling goods on
the installment plan. Ihls business proved
not to be a success, and he won't into the
brokerage business. which also proved to be
a failure. and he lost considerable money.
He became dishenrtened with his mistor-
tunes and fell from the path OF reotltuoe
and became q thief and burglar. lie
claimed that he was assisted in this work
by a female named Laura Hill or Snovden.
He robbed a store of a lot of silk and the
woman secreted the plumber for him, and
he next robbed q jewelry store and stole q
lot of ~jewelry. The woman was with him
in this also. and when she WAS arrested she
weakened and gave him away. She Just re-
lated enough to secure his conviction in
both cases and her own acQuittal.
On the day Detective d. A. Gilksson was
killed Fitzsimmons said he was asleep at
his house. 1t was about $3.50 o'clock III
the afternoon when Giikeson and Detective
p, j. Murphy called at his house. the for
mer acting rs spokesman, when his (fltz=
simmons wife answered thu rap at the
door, He introduced himself as MIR.
Brown and began questioning her, and she
became somewhat frightened at the mem
actions, as she thought they were compau-
ions of a lot of Italian workmen having
pipe near the house. and that thor inten
tions toward her were evil. The men finall,
entered the house, and when thcy inquiret
about her husband she refused to answe
their questions, and ono of the men, will
an oath. twisted her around and shove'
her aside. The woman's shrleks nwok
FitZsimmona, and rs he rushed INTO tn
room, followed by his child, he saw hi
wife staggering around the room.
He then drew his revolver, while the de
~tectiyes drew theirs, and the shooting be
gan. and Detective Gllkeson fell dead q
his feet. He was \ applinR with Detectiv
Murphy. who had him down, when he erie
out to his wife to give him her pistol, whlc
was onsthe mantelpiece in the room. Ihl
pistol he had given to her to defend her
self in case of any trouble when he was nt
at home. and when she gave it to him b
continued to fire at Murphy aud wounde'
him. His wife was also wounded in tn
arm by one Of the dstectivas' bullets. Ate