Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-08
TRICKY TO THE LAST.
Detective Beltzhoover Returns From
the South and Throws Fresh
LIGHT ON FITzsIMMONS' DEED.
Warden McAleese Discovers Another Letter
Written Months Ago.
THE CONTEST FOR THE $1,000 REWARD

speaks highly of the police officials of that
city and of the people generally. but says
the county or parish officers are a useless
lot. If they had not been, Fitzsimmons
would have had no opportunity to suicide.
"1t was so warm down there" he said
last night, "that took heavy cold and
got sick. That is why came home so soon.
see some papers state that there is hard
feeling between Detectives Murphy and
Finney over which should have the credit
for Fitzsimmons' capture. That is an in
justice to both men. 1 was in the room the
night that Murphy is reported to have used
the language credited to him, but did not
hear him make any such remark.
"How did Fitzsimmons get the knife he
used?"
"Why, he got It right in the parish
prison. A man could get anything there.
Fitz knew all about that place. The parish
prison was built over hundred years ago,
and it is managed like such institutions
probably were at that time. Under the law
down there prisoner can't be held in a
police station more than "a hours.
"fWhen Fitz was arrested he was taken to
the police station. He knew they were
not positive of his identity and asked,
while they were searching him, what
charge was against him. He was told he
was regarded as suspicious and dangerous
character. That seemed to relieve him. His
first show of fear was when the officers
turned back the band in his hat to see its
size. He became as pale as ghost then,
and his bluffing manner changed at once to
quiet watchfulness.
the order to hold him until Murphy ar
rived. Chief of Police Caster entered
charge of fugitive from justice against him
and the day after his arrest he was taken to
the parish prison. But before going Fitz
turned over $40 to the officials with the re-
mark that he might be robbed down at the
parish jail. He kept $40 in his pocket, but
only 80 cents were found ON him after his
death. AS he had only been there couple
of days and could not have spent the money
for necessities, it seems plain to me how he
got the knife with which he ended his life.
'The way he did the job everyone knows,
but one could form no idea of the nerve he
must have had without seeing the horrible
gashes in his throat. The night Murphy
got there he put two men to guard Fitz. 1t
was necessary because there was no system
about the place and the prisoners roved
around inside at will The next morning
at 9 o'clock the two watchnlen
went home, supposing the prison Off
GERS would continue the watch. In
the few minutes that elapsed between
their departure and Murphy's arrival Fitz
walked about the corridor overlooking the
prison yard. When Murphy arrived he
was shown through the yard, and it is
believed that when Fitz looked out the
window and saw Murphy he realized that it
was probably the last chance he would have
for some time and took advantage of it as
has been described
Avery Lucrative Position.
s"The Coroner down there is Just like the
other county officials. He is Frenchman
and has the reputation of being the best
in the State. He still keeps his
practice and gets So, 900 year for his work
Is Coroner, besides charging $50 extra for
every post mortem he holds, and they say
he never loses chance to hold one. He
demanded $40 from me for a copy of the
records in the Fitzsimmons inquest, 500 of
which was to pay for the post mortem.
county will have to pay it 1 sup
pose because the record here cannot be
Strengthened out without it.
GAS to the reward, it is nv opinion that
Murphy, Finney, United States Secret
Service Detective Wild and the two police
men who actually arrested Fitzsimmons
hould each get share of it. As for my
part, am county employe and never
hought of the reward and don't want any
If it, because am not entitled to it. No
more is any other county officers. But 1
I'm positive that Fitz could have remained |
n New Orleans for the rest of his life, as
ar as the officers there were concerned, |
without fear of arrest. His appearance was
% changed by his beard and change of hat |
hat he did not resemble the description or
sent from here. If some officer |
/ ON here had not gone to New Orleans, |
Eitz would not have been captured. He
vas on the alert for every move"
Speaking Of Murphy, Detective Beltz-
loover said he must have large heart to
'romise the dying man to intercede for
frs. Fitzsimmon's pardon. While he was
making protestations of forgiveness. and
ood feeling to Murphy's face, the muir
erer was writing letters denouncing him as /
perjurer and liar behind his back
shrewdness of the Dead Desperate.
"Fitz was cute" concluded Beltzhooyer.
He knew the feeling down there against
italians, and he was telling the people the
tory about the Italians attacking his wife
0 well that in few days he would have
onvinced them he was martyr:
Rev. E. r. Donehoo received telegram
n Saturday from c. A. Fitzsimmons, a
rother of the murderer In this message
Ir. Fitzsimmons said: "Am leaving for
Jew Orleans. Body properly cared for
;xpress nv sympathy to Mrs. Fitzsimmons,
lucy is we'll" The telegram was read to
Irs Fitzsimmons at the penitentiary, and
,emed to comfort her. She evidently is
ssigned now, and her only comment was:
Poor little man, wasn't he braye?"
Another letter written by the murderer
itzsimmons was found at the Jail last night
v Warden McAleese. When the cell he
ad been occupying was being cleaned out
fter his escape lot of odds and ends were
undled up and placed in a drawer in the
flee. Last night Warden McAleese was
,oking through the receptacle and came
cross a letter. 1t read as follows:
Birth, growth. maturity, decay, death
lch is the normal history OF man. Twenty
ears of growth, 80 years OF maturity and 20 |
ears OF decay. This, in total, would consti- |
lite the Biblical time allotted to man, the
lree-scorc and ten. bnt for the fact that we
Dor under the load OF ancestral transgres. |
Ons of physical and moral law, supple |
ented and intensified by our own personal
and follies, the average life
ms much less.
Quite n Peaceful Picture.
How pleasant the picture! Twenty years
happy childhood and youth, 30 years of
tellectual progress and Achievements with
,mestic and social joys, and then 20 years
slow and almost unconscious decay.
.dly different is human existence as we see
Man in his grandest perfection is full OF :
lilty. The higher condition a nation or
is educated to the more deceit ,
vi hypocrisy characterize that people.
Ever to a lover of grand nature, the arts ,