Year: 1878

Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette


The mystery connected with the murder
of the three persons near Wheeling the other
day, has been partially cleared up by the ac-
ton of John Wallace in confessing the
crime. Wallace on Friday sent word to the
jury that he desired to make a clean breast
Of it. He was brought before them and
cautioned that what he said would be used
against him. He then told his story, as fol-
lows:


THE CONFESSION.


II will tell it ALL Some time ago was
down in Littleton and met Henry Villers and
fell in conversation with him. He asked me
what I thought of brother Georges wife. I
told him I thought she made George good
wife and was a mild and gentle woman. He
wanted to know if I thought her
overbearing and abusive to people,
told him that [ thought she
was and was kind of deceitful. He said
she had insulted him when he worked for
George last fail, and I told him of how she
had spoken lightly and slightingly of both
me and my wife. He told me that day in
Littleton that he would give me, or anybody
else $50 for killing George Wallace's wife,
and said he would help do it. I told him I
didn't like her, but nothing more
was said about the matter until last Tuesday,
the 10Th inst, wnen was in Littleton. and
again met Henry Villers. He spoke of a
fight he had with Enoch Roberts, and said
to me: s'Will you help me to do that to day
what we talked about some time ago?'' I
know he referred to killing Georges wife; I
said would, but said nothing more to him
about the matter until after night. I saw
Mr.. Conway in the afternoon; he asked me
up to supper and I went. After supper,
about dark, George and 1 started for Little
ton we walked into town and stopped
at the post Office; we stayed there until about
O'Clock: we then went up the railroad toward
MI. Conway's, walking on up as far as the
water-tanl1, and there sat down and talked;
at 8 O'Clock George went on to Conway's,
and went back to Littleton.


CoNCoCTING THE PLAN.


II went to Whites store, and in few
minutes was joined by Henry Villers and
some others who came in. [ sat on the
counter; Henry Villers stood close by me,
and said: viii you help me to do that to-
night?' I said would. He then said: I'll
go with you and we'll do it tonight and
asked me who was staying with Georges
wife. l told him Mary Church. Then he
told me 'to go first and take one OF the par
ties out of the house and kill them, and he
would kill the remaining ones,' and said.
You will find half pint flask of whisky at
the corner of the coal-house. near the water
station The 8 O'Clock train then passed
and we all went to the door. Villers, my
self, and some others walked to Pender-
grast's store, but Villers stopped there and
went back to the doctors. I walked on up
to George Lemaster's house, but did not 90
in. I then went to the railroad and went
directly out into the country, and up to
Georges house, expecting Henry Villers to
follow me. When I got to the house I
knocked at the door, but no one answered,
and then I went around to the window and
knocked at it. Georges wife asked who is
there? told her it was me, and she said
come round to the door and come in. I
went in the house and she asked me what I
wanted. told her that Hen Church's wife
was very sick, and wanted her to come over
as soon as she could She got up and dressed
herself and the baby. Iasked her if there
was hammer about the house. and said ]
wanted one for Henry Church. She said
there was one in the chicken-h house, and went
to get it, and gave it to me.


THE MURDERS COMMITTED.


"We started for Church's, I carrying the
child, and she following. I carried the child
until we got to a point about half way be
tween the house and where she was found
dead. She took the child here, and carried
it to where she was afterward found. Wher
we got to the fence and went to cross it
took the child on my left arm, and, as she
was crossing the fence, I struck her on the
back of the neck with the hammer. He
cried here, and said: Have mercy OF
me!) She fell. on the side of The
fence was on, and I struck her twic.
imore with the hammer on the head.