The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-01-06
| CRIMINAL SENSATION !
"Bat" Shea Saved From Death by
Legal ElectrOcutlln.
ANOTHER CONFESSES THE CRIME.
Convict McGough Declares That he, and
Not Shea, Fired the Shots Which
Ended the Life of Robert Ross
During an Election Riot.

ALBANY, Jan. 6-The climax Of one Of
the most dramatic and sensational Grim
inal incidents Of the states history was
made public yesterday when, Just forty
sight hours prior to the time set for the
execution of the death sentence of Bar
tholomow Shea, another man confessed to
the murder, and Shea steps from beneath
the shadow of death. The invitations for
the electric killing Of Shea had been is
sued the state electrician was already upon
the ground at Dannemora prison, the gov
ernor had decided not to interfere in the
carrying out of the sentence, and Shea had
resigned himself to his fate, when another
prisoner in the institution, a comrade of
Sheas and participatOr in the election out
RACES when the tragedy occurred, con-
fessed to the crime.
The man who voluntarily confesses to
the crime is John McGough, of Troy, now
serving sentence of nineteen years and
six months for shooting and attempting
to kill William Ross, a brother of Robert
Ross, who was supposed to be Shea's vic
tim. In some way known only to con
victs McGough had contrived to keep in
formed as to the success or the failure of
the applications for Communication made in
behalf of Shea. When Shea was resen-
fenced 10 die on Dec. 23 it is believed that
McGough was ready to confess, but when
he learned that a respite had been granted
he withheld his confession. After the
holidays he learned that the efforts to OBJ
tain communication for Shea had not
ceased and so he made no sign.
On Saturday when Warden Thayer was
made aware that the governor would not
interfere, and arrangements were being
~ Ila'lo loI Che eAGcu1loii' lcGougn SEM Ior
UIie s,, "'rueh ol Uhe prison. Mr' WalVer N
iuaGur' anu Wnch Une warden hau come
Uolu nm lli''U nc "lsheu TO make sGate-
HiehU Concerhlng 60 Ghe murder Oh hoper6
lSo99' I, l nc "arueh nau Mcuough Uakeh TO
Uiio oiiioo' anu Tnc prlso''cr "roue coli-
iuliio''UiOh vi eoouO C"o pages anu sigh-
ing ~ WIN y, ms l'iIl haiie' hanueu IL TO Ghe
""1uIii ~ Uno oul ioo Vi Oiio W"rOTn
anu ms uePlViea Une paper collCalheu d uo-
oiu0u s'''oiiienO uL"O no ShoUouBhL anu
moO @ 'io''' H''i sIoO anu kiileu NoperO hosS'
nc s''UoiiignU o"ll'aiile'i no ueUalis vi Uhe
o'ii0i 'ii''i' 'i'o Ooi' u
-U - M
" "'uon nay ol "e'iC "V onoo 10 Vne Uel-
~ "li', O','.II up ono oi'ill
ooi, iio '''ho'' U.l1 I sUNprnor " Ple''So lo
Wv " i,iI'9''so witch no s"iu Wouiu ar
''o V,lo
IIis it.' ~ - ~
'.ii ,i a. ~ o1 AZ -
ivy NV 'iiG uuN
oLloi , -loteoli SU 'lio ai Ju9U as ne
"''' ~. ,t, ~ 40
upon io'ril,hs Siio ua'ulo u 0iio ooliiiiiu
H' iO''Oion' uooi,'ou W S'ouO " ioSpiVo ~,
louI "eeAs uuIlns "lion Viliio oouiiSei
ool,iu U'IA1 Uno piool means w prlns 'no
lnaUVer petore Vho courVs ;, ior new Vrlai'
Ine oonlessiol' vi -ro"ouBn Mll Drihg
10 llliiu Ule Vr"slo serles vi eNenUs VhaU leu
up TO tne present urala1lc resulIs' Inc
convlction OF ohea ana Ihe great puDHc
sentiment against nus release were que not
entirely TO the lac6 that ne shob hoss, buG
to the aroused puDllc sentiment against
the dlsgracetul VIOLATION OF the purity OF
the ballot that had made the city OF Troy
a byword'
The crimes occurred on March q, 1871.
shea ana McGough headed crowd OF re-
peaters, VINO had worked almost every
polling place IN troy Ihey mad been told
not 10 Try Ghelr games III the Ward IN
which the hoss brothers, William and
Robert, were the head ol the republican
party but announced tha5 they would. IN
anticipating OF thelr Vlslt the Rosses, John
Bolald ana several other cltlzens had
armed themselves with cluDs, ana some
with pistols loaded WIN plahk cartridges.
1t was shortly after tha6 tho melee oc-
a . D. f,I1 .