The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-04-09
YOUTH MAKES
A CONFESSION
Clears Mystery Which Surround
ed Murder Of Annie Mullins
GREEK CHARGED WITH CRIME

Police OF Greater Boston Worked on
Case For Nearly Year Before Sc
curing Evidence Leading to Two Ar
rests, Many Persons Being Forced
to Prove Alibis MeanwhIe-Wom-
ans Throat SIashed In a Sand Pit
Cambridge, Mass. April 4.-The
mystery of one OF the most atrocious
murders in the criminal annals OF
Greater Boston was apparently cleared
when Dionysius Spiropoulos, Greek,
20 years old, was arrested for the
murder of Miss Annie Mullins in Ar
lington on the night of March 27, 1908,
and Peter Delorey, Is years old, was
held as an accessory. Delorey, it is
said by the police, told of the crime,
placing the blame entirely upon his
companion.
Spiropoulos, when confronted by
Delorey and after listening to the lat
ter's statement, collapsed, and when
taken to a cell lay moaning and sroan-
ing but refused to make any state
ment. The information which led to
the arrest of the two men is under
stood to have been in the hands OF the
police for nearly a month and ORR
ginated at a farm in Billerica, where
they went after the crime.
Spiropoulos, since the murder, has
been working in a barber shop in
Manchester, N. H., under the name
of James MONTH, while Delorey re-
turned to his occupation as butcher
in Boston. living at 800 Beacon street,
Somerville.
The police will not state what the
causes were which prompted the muir
der, but it is understood that they
have information in their possession
which indicates that the young woman
was enticed into a sand pit, where an
unsuccessful attempt to assault her
was made.
That she walked with them for more |
than three miles before she met her |
death is shown in the story told by |
Delorey to the police. He said:
I'VE met Miss Mullins on the night
of March % near the Porter street
station of the Boston and Maine rail-
road. She spoke to us, apparently
believing us to be acquaintances. We
walked together to Squire's field,
and returned to where we
started
1.-The evening being still early, we
walked back again, entering Squire's
ield by way of Marathon street. Miss
fullfns and Spiropoulos went into the
and pit, while stood some distance
way | heard him strike the girl and ,
card a thud as she fell down. fol- ;
WED by several screams. There was ,
luch noise for some time after, but ,
yas afraid to go near them. After
,hile Spiropoulos came to me with his
ands smeared with blood and threat
ned me, saying that If l ever told
my person of what had happened he
would kill me.
Delorey then told of their flight,
saying that they ran and walked to
3inerica. Delorey later found his way
sack to Boston and resumed his occu-
patton as butcher, while Spiropuolos
went to Manchester, N. H., and with
he hands which Delorey says killed
Miss Mullins he shaved mems faces
and cut their hair as a barber on
Spruce street. Spiropuolos will be
charged with murder, Delorey being
held as an accomplice.
The Mullins murder case puzzled the
police of Boston, Cambridge and Som
srville for eleven months before they
secured the evidence which led to the
arrest of the two men. Following the
fnding of Miss Mullins body in
Suuire's field an extensive investiga-
lion was begun. in which nearly half
/ dozen persons were forced to prove
alibis.
II was shown that Miss Mullins left
he house of her employer, Professor
von Jagemann of Harvard university,
On the evening of Friday, March 81,
without saying where she was going.
Her male acquaintances were made to
clear themselves of any connection in
he case. and in order to verify the
llibi of Benedict Shanahan, a New
Ioundland fisherman, two police Off
GERS went to st. Johns
The autopsy performed after the dis
,overy of the body showed that the
throat of Miss Mullins had been cut
TOUR times. Much doubt existed as to
whether she had been murdered or had
committed suicide. the state police
cropping the investigation with the
statement that IL was a case OF sui ,
hide.