The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-07-19

Patrick ], Gallagher and J. NJ. Davidson
who are now serving terms in the Western
Pennsylvania Penitentiary at Pit,sburg, Pa,
for self confessed completely in the alleged
poisoning of the non.union workmen In
the Homestead, Pa, mill, have made
another confession in which they say they
were paid to swear away the liberty OF
Hugh +. Dempsey and Robert J. Beatty
both OF whom, they now assert, are inno-
! cent of the crime of which they were CON
victed. They further state, so far as they
know, there was no poison administered TO
| the men in the Homestead mill. Gallagh.
er's confessio was written by himself and
sworn to before Squire. Dayidson's was
given verbally in the presence Of witness.
| es.
| i. X. Porter, who was Dempsey's attor-
ney, is one man who never believed him
guilty, and ever since the trial he has been
gathering evidence in his favor. About six
weeks ago he got letter from Gallagher in
which he asked Mr.. Porter to call at the
prison, as he desired to make statement
Mr.. Porter called a week or so later and in
the presence of Warden Edward $. Wright
and Squire White Gallagher and Davidson
told their stories.
Gallagher said the secret was killing him.
and to relieve his own mind he wanted to
make full confession. He had II written
| out and Squire White swore him to It,
Davidsons verbal statement was simply q
corroboration Of Gallagher's Mr.. Potter,
with the consent ofThomas NJ. Marshall and
| w. J. Bremen, who were associated with
him In the case, gave out the substance of
the confession, suppressing only the names
| of the men who Gallagher says were in the
plot to send Dempsey to prison. Mr.. Porter
read, in substance. as follows from Gala.
ghers written confession, which he showed
was properly signed aud attested:
DEMPSEY and Beatty are entirely limo.
cen' ] never got any powder or poison
from them and never administered any in
the mill. was arrested by Pinkerton de
tectives and was told that if ] did not DC
| what they wanted me TO do they would in
dict me for murder and have me hanged.
They got me drunk and prepared confes
sion for Inc. Twas kept supplied with money
and whisky for ~ days, and detective was
shadowing me all the time was told that
II attempted to get away would be shot
After the story got INTO the newspapers
was given q revolver and was told that |
molested me.
They told me that they were after Demp.
sey because he was at the head OF tile
Knights of Labor and that organization wa.
no good and ought TO be broken up. They
said If would testify against Dempsey and
Beatty they would not push murder
charge against me, and that would go free
At the most, ! would only get GO days tc
satisfy the public. They Kept telling me
not to get mixed in my story, but to swear
to what they said and stick TO it. They made
me rehearse the story frequently until they
~ere satisfied that had it oil by heart There
were other witnesses, who were to take tbei,
| ppa ftpu yna md mi nlye bpir etn nr;a
crate mine
what Dempsey swore to was true He
hired us to make re orts of the number OF
men in the mill. That S25I got from him
was borrowed money and was used to pre-
vent my furniture from being taken from
me. That Il. w, Robinson, the prisoner in
Jail who testified that told him Dempsey
was innocent and that this was a put up jot
told the truth. did tell him that. wa,
, kept supplied with money, provisions ant
clothes while was in the Jail, the same a
when was out
They kept continually telling me to
, swear this case through and stick TO IL so a,
! they could not swear out OF 1t like in the
Critchlow case. II they got this case
| Homestead people was told they had q
: witnesses ready to bolster up my story
They had me so badly frightened and KEEP
t me drunk so long did not know whether
was living or dead half OF the time"
Davidson's statement was about the sam,
! as Gallagher
I If the two stick to the statements the,
have made, the papers will be prepared AMI
an appeal to the Board of Pardons will b.
made at the earliest meeting possible Be
eides this something may be done to prose
cute the detectives whose names are con
nected with the alleged plot. The Pardon
A Board alone can free Denpse and Beatty
because the matter has passed beyond til
jurisdiction of the courts the Suprem
Court having refused the appeal mad
u when new trial was not granted by tn
l. | lower court.