The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-11-18
CAPTAIN LINDENS
MOUNTAIN MYSTERY

How Famous Detective I'm
earthed Great Quantity of
Loot Guided by the Crook
He Outwitted-All Guilty
Ones Receive the Penalty,
Through Work of Clever
Sleuth - Overcomes All
Obstacles.
On the night Of October 10, 1879,
Paymaster Mcclure and his body
guard. Hugh Flanaghan. employees OF
Charles McFadden, railroad contract
or. were waylaid in the Luzerne noun
tains, just outside of Wilkesbarre. Pa,
robbed, and foully murdered.
The two men left Wilkesbarre in a
one-horse buggy and arranged their
journey so that they might reach
Miners Mills In time to pay off the
Italian laborers who were working on
the railroad near that place. They
had $4,000 In leather satchel which
was fastened to the bottom OF the car
riage with couple OF straps. The
thought Of personal danger never en-.
tered the minds Of either OF the men.
They knew every foot OF the ground.
and. moreover. were acquainted with
nearly every man, woman and child
within a radius Of FIVE miles.
Their coming 10 Miners Mills was
always the occasion OF much joy among
the Italian laborers and their wives
and children. In fact. Mcclure and
Flanaghan were looked on as minla-
turo editions OF Santa Claus, except
that instead OF coming once a year,
they made their welcome visits twice
month They were as punctual as
the clock itself, and the workmen
knew 20 the minute when TO expect
the paymaster and his assistant. AS
a consequence. when they failed 10 ap.
pear al the usual time on October 20,
the people were very much disturbed
A telegram from Wilkesbarre stated
they had left that city 12 hours before.
A general alarm was sent out and a
delegation OF men started for the
mountains. Some OF the most promi-
nent citizens OF Luzerne county head
ed the searching party They knew
that the paymaster and his assistant
carried large sum Of money and
they we're also aware that certain
parts Of the mountain we're as lawless
as the most unciulIzed section OF the
United States. Little wonder that
they we're filed with gloomy forebod.
ings. They had not gone far before
their worst fears we're realized. The
horse belonging to Mcclure and Flan-
aghan lay dead in the road The ami
NAL had been wounded and evidently
suffered great agony before 1t died.
for It lay there weliering in its own
blood Some yards further up the
road they came 70 the broken shafts
Of a carriage.
They continued their search. nerv-
Ing themselves for the shock that was
still TO come. II came only too soon.
The dead body Of Paymaster Mcclure
was found dangling from the bar OF
the buggy. where 1t had been caught
and hung suspended for hours An
examination proved that the dead man
had been shot in the back in four dis
tinct places It was as II volley had
been fired from ambush The horror
OF the affair was increased five min.
utes later when Flanaghan was found,
face down. PROSTATE IN the road. life
less. He evidently had been shot and
fallen from the wagon.
The inquest demonstrated nothing
OF value. The funeral of the muir
dered men. which took place from
Miners Mills. was largely attended.
All OF the Italians who worked on
the railroad we're present One Of
these was Michael RIzzolo. He seemed
TO be very much affected, and. pulling
out his handkerchief, wept bitterly.
lie cried out:
My goodness. who could have done
this awful crime? / will have to help
10 run down the murderers, and when
we get them we will string them up
without mercy"
Within "a hours Rizzolo was arrest.
ed charged with the murder Of Nc.
Clure and Flanaghan.
But, unfortunately, the arrest was
made solely on suspicion There was
not shred of evidence on which to
hold the man--unless it was the fact
that he lived in a shanty on the noun
taln-side. The expected happened.
He was discharged from custody
In the meantime Charles McFadden,
the employer Of the murdered men, de
termined that the assassin should not
go free. II a plentiful expenditure and
the employment of the best detective
skill in America could prevent It.
Accordingly he sent for Capt. Rob
ert ]. Linden
Within "a hours Linden was in
WiIkesbarre. He had been given full
power and unlimited money. His first
act was to put Mike Rizzolo under sur
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