The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-06-12

He Is the Center Of Interest Tor His
Work That Was Responsible for
the Present Sensational Trials at
Boise, Idaho - Lived for Years
Among the "Mollies," Where His
Life Literally "Hung by Thread"
Philadelphia.-Whi there Is but
slight resemblance between the horri-
BILE crimes committed in the mining re-
gions of Idaho and Colorado and the |
bloodcurdling deeds perpetrated in the
mining regions of Pennsylvania a gem |
GRAFTON ago, there is this extraordinary |
link between them, that the same man |
was instrumental In procuring the |
most important evidence for the gov |
ernment in both cases.
James McParlan easily the greatest |
Of living detectives, did more than any |
other one man to break up that terri |
bic organization known as tho Molly !
Magures James McParlan, "a years
later. drew from Harry Orchard in the
Idaho penitentiary a confession Of
more awful crimes than the Mollies
ever dared to contemplate.
For more than 20 years the Mollies
fourished in the anthracite mining re-
gions of Pennsylvania. The urganiza-
tion was started before the civil war.
1t took its name from the ancient
band Of Irish Ribbonmen, who, dis
guised as women, made forays. They
were named from Cornelius Mcguire,
baron of Enniskllen, who in 164l took
part in the Irish rebellion. The spirit
which animated the Pennsylvania So
ciety was however, entirely different
from that of its prototype.
Membership in the Mollies was not
confined to miners. There were saloon
keepers, tradespeople, artisans, Office
holders and men OF no occupation in
the organization. BY whom it was
started, and for what purpose, have re-
mained secrets. It's motto was
Friendship Unity and True Christian
Charity" and the meetings of the
lodges and OF the county conventions
were opened with prayer Then, after
prayer, the business of making plans
for assassination would be taken up.
1t was not, however, until in the
early Cos that murders became fire.
quent. Some boss of a mine, some OBJ
noXious policeman who had clubbed a
drunken Molly, some miner who had
incurred some displeasure OF a mem
ber of the order or some citizen who
had spoken of it disrespectfully would
be either beaten within an inch of his
life. or murdered occasionally. But
the crimes were sporadic. During the
civil " fhnu innrnagnH rnpfI1xs In
number, and by 1871 there was reign
of terror in the whole anthracite re-
gion, extending over five counties.
During that year and the year follow
ing there were As murders and in
Vulnerable assaults and crimes against
property.
McParlan Becomes Molly.
Gradually the enmity Of the Mollies
was directed toward the mine owners
and the railroad corporations One
boss after another, who had made him.
self unpopular with the miners, was
murdered. Mines were blown up or
filled with water Railroad property
was burned or destroyed. Finally
President Gowan, of the Philadelphia
,
seeing that the city and state authori-
ties were powerless, determined to
call on the Pinkertons for aid. They
sent McParlan to the scene. That was
in 1873. when McParlan was 20 years
old.
McParlan came from the Pinker
tons Chicago office. He was born in
ireland, had come to this country
when a young man and had had con
siderable experience with the world
Short and slightly built, but muscular
of fair complexion, with dark hair
broad forehead and gray eyes ant
wearing glasses, he presented a gen
tlemanly appearance. He had beer
coachman, policemen, clerk in liquor
store and had finally gone into bust
ness for himself. The Chicago fir,
wiped him out. Then he went to worl
for the Pinkertons
Following his instructions to loarI
all he could about the Mollies, McPar
Ian went to Pottsville, Pa. He changed
his name to McKenna. He got ac
quainted with everybody. He wa
looking for work in the mines. HI
could sing a good song, dance a JIG
pass a rough joke, be polite and at
tentive to the girls, drink his share o
whisky and pay for IL, and was alway
ready for row or shindy of any kind
He was just a rollicking, impulsive
generous. careless, unreasonable, quar-
relsome, devil-may-care Irishman.
He got job in mine. He insiste
on working in his best clothes 500
his coat was thrown aside, then hi
vest. and finally his shirt. He pei
spired and suffered under the unwon
ed toll. He soon learned, however
that it was not as the skillful miner O
as the industrious laborer that admii
sion to or influence in the Mollies wa
20 be obtained
So he gave that up and cajoled