The Washington times., 1918-12-23
PIPER SAID BANDIT
PALS KILLED GIRL

MUSHROOM, Mich, Dec. 23.-Milo
n. Piper's dead lips have parted
through a lifelong friend and spoke
of the guilty knowledge that for two
years he hid and then by his, suicide
in Jail Saturday night forever sealed
Milo Piper did not kill Frieda
Weichmann, but he knew how she
died. Frieda Weichmann was the
biganous wife OF Milo Piper, he adj
mitted to his friend. but she was
slain because she knew too much.
Several desperate men, named by
Piper, in his, honeymoon trip with
Miss weichmann accompanied him in
robbery along the way. and when
they met the horrified amusement and
righteous fury OF the girl spoke to
Piper in the hard terms OF their. kind.
Rockford, Mich, II was to be his life
or hers. they told him. He could
choose.
Piper chose TO allow the girl to die
and came home to confess all except
his marriage to Frieda WeichInann
and to rest secure in the belief OF his
wife that he was finished with wrong
association
Confessed, TO wife.
Mrs. Piper's significant hint, sob
bed out with impressive emphasis in
the first throes of her Bereavement
corroborates the friends recital But
she will say no more.
81 know he is innocent" she cried,
pounding on the arms of her chair.
81 know. because he told me some
thing I'll never tell; never. He got
into bad company, but he never killed
Friede Weichmann. / know because
he told me-he told me-"
Told you what?" was asked.
Told me what TIL never tell" re-
peated the stricken woman. and she
would commit herself no further.
When Frieda's aunt starte1 an in
Quiry for Piper, who had left with
Miss weichmann, March 1, 1916. os-
tensibly for the marriage altar. Piper
ned from questions to Hamilton, On
tzrio.
"Piper went to Hamilton, Ontario,
to look for several men who actually
exist" revealed the friend today.
They were hold-up men, and their
last Job with Piper was at Rockford,
Mich. in the robbery of the postoffce
there
Every little while on the trip these
men would meet up with Frieda and
Piper, with cash in hand, or Piper
would rob with one, leaving Frieda
with the other. Pipers funds for the
trip, II you remember, have never
been explained. 'Frieda weichmann
wrote to her aunt for all her little
savings, and the aunt sent them Blu:
they wouldn't 60 far in that crowd
Now continued Piper's confidant,
'.the automobile bandits, with the
amazed and frantic Frieda WEIGH
mann in their midst, motored up into
Michigan, and one day the town OF
Rockford awoke to the fact that the
postoffice had been rined.
Killed ~ She Slept.
'Piper told me OF having been in on
the deal. He told me OF the resent
ment of Frieda and Of the more dire
resentment against her OF the men
who feared she would tell. He told
me they threatened then to kill him
or her to clear their way OF escape
: @And them" concluded the friend
| she told me- that Frieda Weichmann
twas shot while she slept, but he DID
not tell the name of the murderer
! Nor. did he say who hid the body In
the ground OF where the grave wal
dug. But Frieda Weichmann was
/ killed rather than Piper because
Piper could be counted on for silence
'If he confessed to the postoffics
authorities, the Federal penitentiary
/ was awaiting him II he told at al
how Frieda Weichmann died. ever
though he denied firing the shot, ht
was guilty Of completely"