Year: 1875

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 Murder of a Little Girliu n Boston Church

 --shrielks from the Belfry Attract Atten-

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 Another most extraordinary and pe- culiar crime has been perpetrated in Boston. At about half-past three o'clock in the afternoon, as people were on their way, some of them to church services, shrieks were suddenly heard from up in the air, and soon traced to the belfry of the Warren avenue Baptist church. Some gentlemen, who were first to hear the cries, at once entered the church, once inside of which the cries were in audible, though they were still plainly heard outside. These being located in the tower, they rushed thither, burst open the transom door, and ascended the stairs and ladder to the belfry. On the floor, beside the trap, lay beautiful little girl between four and five years of age upon her face, which, as we'll as her clothing, was covered with blood. She was still shrieking, though evidently un- two fearful wounds, one of which had crushed her nose, and the other had frac- tured the bones of the forehead so that the brains protruded.

 She was at once conveyed to the near near by, and attended by physicians wounds mortal. Next, search was made in the belfry, and in the room beneath it. On the floor of the latter were found pools of blood, and under loose board was subsequently, found cricket bat, coveted or stained with fresh blood. This had been used by the boys of the Sunday-school on excursions and pie nics,, and had been kept in the vestry where it had been seen and handled by several persons in the Sunday school that afternoon. The finding of the blood in the lower room and this cricket bat de- cided the fact of murder. It showed that the child had been assaulted in this room, had then been carried up the lad der and in the belfry, and the trap-door shut down upon her. YbgEs

 These facts being established the hor- rified investigators set at once to dis cover, if possible, the perpetrator of the awful deed. Thomas w. Piper, the sexton of the church, twenty eight years of age, was at, once s1lspected and Taken into custody. It is evident that some members of the church questioned his character, for as soon as the deed was known, one asked immediately: "Was that man Piper about the church2" He was asked if he had the keys of the bel fry, and he replied that he had not; that he had lost them last winter, and had not been into the belfry since. The chief of police was on the ground, and, hay ing been informed that the sexton had been known to be in the belfry during the week past, at once searched him, and found upon him two keys, both of which fitted the door perfectly.

 This satisfied the chief that he had the right man, the more so as he stated to @ reporter that he had had shim in custody on suspicion ofthes murder of Bridget Landergin in December, 1873, who it will be remembered was murdered in Dorcester, and for which crime the man CahiQ was arrested in Ireland not long ago, and is still in custody. The chief also stated that the piece of wagon thill with which the latter deed was com mitted was found in the shop of Piper's father. This fact of Piper's arrest for the Landergin murder had been kept secret, and undoubtedly the members of the church knew nothing of it..

 The child so horribly slaug ghtered was daughter of MT. Young, who had amassed handsome fortune in the soda and saleratus trade, and who died short time ago of smallpox. The child's mother resides at Chester Park, one of the most aristocratic parts of Boston, and the child was the sole heifess} to her fathers property. Her name was Mabel, and her age between four and five. Her grandfather was Mir. Hobbs, of the firm of Hobbs, Pope & Co.,, dhemicals and colors. ss gsz zsz Aa

 As to the motive of the murder there are several theories advanced. One is that the girl was to be got out of the way in favor of some other possible heir to the property, but there seems to be nothing to connect Piper with any such crime as that, nor can anything be learned concerning any division in the family of the child's parents on the question of property. Dr. Pentecost, the pastor of the church, does not favor any such theory, and thinks 1t case of pure 6endishness, like that of Jesse Pomeroy. The little child was at the Sunday school in the infant class, in care of an aunt, who missed her after the services, and vainly searched for her all over the church. Concluding that she had gone home with some one else, she started out for her, and was still looking when the dreadful discovery was made.