The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-02

Shenandoah, Sept. a--Gen. Goblin sat by
the corner window In his headquarters
business Office the parior OF the Ferguson
house. one day this week. looking medi-
tAtiveiy out into the street where the
usual congregation of Hunk" and Hike
strikers were lounstng.
''I was up here In this very place just
about 25 years ago and on somewhat
similar mission" said he. "only things
were more exciting than they are now. II
was in the most critical time of the Mol
lie Maguires and was here in command
OF a regiment OF the National Guard, for
serious trouble was anticipated.
The net which Detective McParlan had
been weaving for a year about the Mollies
was Just beginning to be drawn in and
there were some pretty big and some very
ugly fish I'm H.
tinued the general pointing TO the oppo-
site corner OF the street, where a group
OF Lithuanian strikers were loungfng and
peacefully smoking their pipes. well.
one day pointed out man who was
standing there TO some OF my officers and
said: You see that ed-headed Irishman
with the coonsidn cap on his head and
his breeches tucked IN his boot tops7'
Now IL that scoundrei gives you the
chance by any act that will justify you
In taking action 1 want you TO kill him.
Don't mince matters. just kill him. He Is
the worst OF All this bloody handed gang
OF murderersf
A PrNKERToN MAN.
The officers took due note OF the man
and II he had given them the chance ]
have no doubt whatever that they would
have obeyed instructions. Capt. Iindon
was up here at the time
HE was the representative OF the PINK
,erton Detective Agency with full author
ity under the direction OF his supcrlors
at headquarters, OF course. This was so
generally known that there was hardly
any disguise about II. OF course ] knew
H. and the same night after pointing out
the man ON the corner 10 my officers
told capt. Lindon what had done
You know that red-headed bhck-
giard with the coop-skir cap and his
breeches in his boots that is always loaf
ing around the streets said 10 bndon:
he's one OF the very worst Of the gang
and I've told my officers TO Kill him on
the slightest provocation'
'Iindon did not say word for n few
moments and seemed to be quietly think
ing over what had told him. Finally he
said
so you told them to kill hm9' he said
at last.
Yes; that's just what / told them.
and what's more they'll do It, too, II he
gives them half chance When he's out
OF the way there'il be one Of the most
desperate of the dirty gang OF murderers
removed
Capt. Lindon seemed 10 agree with me
and changed the subject. talking about
one thing and another for awhile and then
ne went out.
THAT night the red-head with the COON
skin cap disappeared. ] never saw him
again IN Shenandoah and thought he
must have had suspicion that the
climate here was rapidly getting un-
healthy for him. i never saw him after
ward until the trial OF the Mollies at
Pottsville.
SECRETS OF THE MoILIEs.
'one day when went into the court
room / saw him In the witness chair tell
ing in answer to the questions OF the law
ers. the wonderful story of how he got
into the blackest secrets OF the Mollies Tie
was clean then and In the good clothing
he wore looked quite different man. But
j recognized him at once and never until
that moment did I dream that the red
headed reprobate in the coonskin car
known for year or more all through the
Mollies Mcguire country as McKenna, was
no other than McParlan, the Pinkertor
detective Who had lived all that time IN
the worst gang OF murderers ever knowr
in this or any other country.
And he did destroy them, root and
branch Eleven OF them were hanged tr
one day. six In Pottsville. four In Maucf
Chunk and one In Wilkes Barre. Twenty
one OF them were hanged In all before
the mills OF the gods. grinding slowly but
exceeding small. had their grist all In
Very many OF them we're sent to the pen
itentiary for varying terms. Among those
who went 10 the penitentfary were sew
eral women. all OF these for perjury.
"The defence IN nearly every case
where a Moflie was brought to trial, be-
fore McParlan took hand In the game,
was an alibi. When the Mo1iies IN one OF
their meetings voted 10 murder some
mine boss or mine superintendent or any
body else against whom one or more OF
them had a grudge, they drew on some
other lodge OF their Internal order for the
assassins.
There generally we're four assassins IN
q murder party and they always came
from some place remote from the scene
OF the contemplated butchery. Nobody In
the place knew them and they knew no.
body. They did not even know by sight.
IN nearly every instance. the victim they
were designated to slaughter. They would
hang around until he was pointed out 10
them by some OF the local gang who
would instruct them minutely In his hab-
and shoot him down in cold blood
Their murders often were done in
broad day light and the murders were
frequently seen by many. but they could
not be identified because they were
strangers.
ALIB1s PREPARED.
'And then preliminary 10 all the
murders was the preparation. well IN ad-
vance OF an elaborate and detailed fabric
Of aiibi evidence. Witnesses In great
numbers were ready 20 swear they saw
the accused IN this that. or the other
place many miles from the scene az the
time TIE crime was committed
They tried the alibi game several
times too often IN the general roundup
which followed McParlans evidence II
was thought McParlan's testimony might
be Offset by the abundance OF other evil
:snce or that he might be shaken in
fross-exa niinafion. Bot he made a won
ferful witness. His little notebook with
o1nce and cfrr1Ir1s r~ca roreftsffv ~