Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-23

Piper Hangs Self
in Fear of Prison;
Robber, Not Slayer

Nuskegon, Mich. Dec. %. Milo
Fiper's nemesis-the dread thing
that followed him and drove him
Saturday night to hang himself in
his cell at the county jail here
was terror of the penitentiary.
Piper chose death rather than life
within the walls Of a prison. And
The story that Piper decided TO take
TO his grave with him was revealed
today.
Milo Piper did not kill Freda
Weichman so the story goes. lie
knew how she was slain, though.
tor he was there when she died He
knew also that he could not tell
the truth of her death, the events
leading up to it, nor could he lie
about it, For if he told the truth
he must go 10 a federal prison for
robbery; If he lied he was so ire
trievably bound up by ciTcum-
stances that he must go to the state
penitentiary for murder. He chose
20 die.
Milo never could stand Confne-
ment." Piper's aged mother said
one day last week. The statement
lid not sound significant then. With
The revelations of today it means
(. great deal. 1t explains exactly
why Piper's body lies today in the
MuskegOn mOrgue.
The story was told by friend OF
Piper, to whom Piper told it before
he fed away from MuskegOn early
This month to Hamilton. Ontario.
The name of this man may not be
disclosed for the story was told in
confidence. Details Of the story
have been checked up. Here it IS
as Piper's confident told it:
piper didn't kill Freda WEIGH
man He told NE all the story
told it to me with the utmost frank
ness. pledging me 10 secrecy, and
asked me what to do After I heard
It all I advised him to go to Ham
iton, and that is why he went.
In the first place Goldberg,
Sheldon and Denton-the men the
police here have so steadfastly be
lieved were mythical characters
are men in flesh and blood; they
are real But the three were cT1m-
inaIs. as was Piper with them, and
that's why Piper is dead today.
As I said. Piper didn't kill the
girI out there on the railroad grade.
But he was there when she died.
lie admitted that to me, but he re
ueated over and over that he didn'-
fire the shot that killed her. F'reda
We5chman died because she knew
100 much That's the only reason,
and the police theory that she was
put ont Of me way by Piper be
cause he feared to disclose his big
amy to his wife is all bosh.
Piper is not a killer, He couldn't
be-he isn't built that way He
married the girl all right. he ad
mitted that TO me, too. He mar
ried her figuring he could eventual
iy straighten matters out some way,
but he never killed her.
Piper met these Goldberg.
Denton. and sheldon around Union
park in Chicago. as he told the pO-
lice They were crooks, and If they
are still living they probably still
are crooks. He said he got together
Win lutui EIL pldiihGi ~ JOhl LilF
country, pulling off a series of rob
berries. They planned to travel by
automobile. and that's the reason
Piper bought one. They schemed
20 go about from town to town and.
rob country pOstofices, and that is
what they later did on their tour.
But Piper told me that just at
that time he was in the midst of an
affair with Miss Wcichman and he
didn't want to leave her. He put it
up to the rest Of them and I think
it was Sheldon who he declared
said Well. If you love the girl.
marry her and bring her along YOU
can't make US mad
The rest Of them also told Piper
they wouldn't object to having
woman in the party so long as she
didn't sQueal' Piper said. he'd fix
hat part Of it all right, and told
them he decided to take the girl
with him Just at this point, 7 re
member. I asked him how he man
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