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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 24, 1908)
n A DT i i AN 'S LINDEN MOUNTAIN MYSTERY i3y GEORGE BARTON How Famous Detective Un-1 earthed Great Quantity of Loot Guided by the Crook He Outwitted All Guilty Ones Receive the Penalty, Through Work of Clever Sleuth Overcomes All Obstacles. On tlio night of Octobor 11J, 1879, Pnvmnntnr AlrPlurn nnil lilu limlv guard, Hugh Flannghon, employes of c . " . linp"nu-l0 1,0 'rc8Ilw othor man bolovoB lilm guilty of n crlmo. No ono knew this better than Robert .T. Linden, Ills assistant, Capt. 1'. J. Dougherty, said: "Shnll wo nrrcBt Hlzzolo?" "No; wo must got olthor a confes sion or sufficient evidence for n conviction." At this critical stage of tho gamo tho local authorities who had henrd of tho movements of Linden and his assistants, rearrested Ulzzolo. Lin den was not given to profanity, but Homo of tho things ho said on that oc- Charles McFnddon, n rnllroad contrnct or, woro wnylnld In tho Luzorno moun tains, Jimt outsldo of Wllkosbarro, Pa., robbed, and foully murdered, Tho two men left Wllkosbarro In a ono-horso buggy nnd arranged their Journey ho that thoy might reach Minor's Mills In tlmo to pay off tho Italian laborers who woro working on tho railroad near that place Thoy hnd $12,000 In a leather satchel which was fastened to tho bottom of the enr rlago with a couplo of straps. The thought of porsonal dangor novor en terod tho minds of olthor of tho men. Thoy know every foot of tho ground, and, moreover, woro acquainted with nearly ovory mnn, woman nnd child within a radius of flvo miles. Their coming to Minor's Mills was always tho occasion of much Joy among tho Italian laborers nnd tholr wives and children. In fnct, McCIuro nnd Flunnghan worn looked on na mlnln- turo editions of Santa Clans, except thnt Instead of coming onco a year, thoy mndo. tholr wolcomo visits twlco a month. Thoy wero ns punctual as tho clock Itself, nnd tho workmen know to tho in I mi to when to oxpoct tho paymaster uml his assistant. As a consoquence, when thoy failed to up pear at tho usual tlmo on October 110, tho people wero vory much disturbed A tologrnm from WllkoBbnrro stated they hnd left that city 12 hourB boforo. A gonornl alarm was sent out and u dologntlon of men started for tho mountains. Soino of tho most promt nent citizens of Luzcrno county head oil tho searching party. Thoy know that tho paymustor and his assistant carried n largo sum of money and thoy woro also awnro that certain parts of tho mountain woro ns lawless as tho most uncivilized section of tho Unllod Slates. Littlo wonder that thoy woro tlllod with gloomy forobod Ings. Thoy hnd not gono far bsforo their worst fearH woro realized. Tho horeo bolonglng to McCIuro nnd Finn ngban lay dead In tho road. Tho an! mal hnd boon wounded and ovldontly oufforcd great ngony boforo It died, for it lay thora weltering In Its own blood. Soino yards further up tho road thoy camo to tho broken shafts of a carriage, Thoy continued tholr ;ioarch, norv Ing thomsolves for tho shock that wns Ktlll to come. It camo only too soon Tho dend body of Paymaster McCIuro was found dangling from tho bar of tho buggy, whoro It had beeu caught and hung mmpondod for hours. An examination proved thnt tho dead man had boon shot In tho back In four dls tlnct places. It was us If a volloy hnd boon fired from ambush. Tho horror of tho. affair was Increased flvo min utes later when Flnnaghan wns found, faco down, prostrnto In tho rond. llfo loss. Ho ovldently'hnd boon shot and fnllon from tho wagon Tho Inquost demonstrated nothing of value. Tho funeral of tho mur derod men, which took plnco from Miner's Mills, was lnrgoly attended au or mo Italians wno worked on tho railroad woro prosont. Ono of theso wns Michael Hlzzolo. IIo scorned to bo vory much affected, nnd, pulling out his handkerchief, wopt bitterly. IIo cried out: "My goodness, who could hnvo donu this awful crime? I will hnvo to help to run down tho murdorors, and when wo got thorn wo will string them up without mercy." Within 24 hours Ulzzolo wns Arrest ed chargod with tho murder of Mc CIuro nnd Flannghan. Hut, "unforlunntoly, tho arrest was made solely on suspicion. Thoro was not n shred of evidence on which to hold tho mnn unless It wns tho fnct that ho lived In u shanty on tho moun-taln-sldo. Tho expected hupponod. Ho wns dlBchnrged from custody. In the munntlma Charles McFuddon, tho employor of tho murdered men, de termined that thn assassin should not go freo, if ti plentiful expenditure and tho employment of tho bcBt dotoctlvo Blcill in America could provont It, Accordingly, ho sent for Cnpt. Rob ert J. Linden. Within 24 hours Linden wus In Wllkesbarro. Ho had been given full powor nnd unlimited money, Ills first act was to put Miko Hlzzolo undor Hiir volllnnco. Aftor that ho made un ex haustive investigation of tho scouo of tho murder. At Its conclusion he wns convinced of tho guilt of Ulzzolo. Hut ho lackod tha proof thnt would sntlsfy a Jury In fact, was without n Hpock of ovidonco of any Kind. A man cannot bfc convicted merely becausp uomo a trial nnd an acquittal n fiasco, a mlscarriago of Justice Ho went to Thomas Qulglcy of Minor's MIIIb. "Mr. Qulglcy, you want tho moun- tnln mystery solved?" "Surely." "Thon go ball for Mlko Hlzzolo." Qulgloy wont Hlzzolo's bail in tho sum of $2,000, nnd tho Italian wnB re leased from custody. Ho was delight ed. To his mind ho hnd boon trlod and virtually acquitted of tho crlmo. ark, N. J but eventually drifted to Wllkcsbnrro, whoro ho secured em ployment with tho railroad contract ors. Two days aftor Hlzzolo was dis charged from custody ho wont to PotighkecpBle, N. Y., where ho start ed a commissary department for tho bonoflt of his fellow Italians who wero employed by Mr. McFadden, who had a railroad contrnct in that section of Now York. Mlko still had a passion for making monoy quick. His pros pects looked good. Hut all tho whllo Linden hnd two employes nt tho elbow of Miko Hlz zolo. Hoth of theso folloWB woro Ital ians. Ono pretended to bo half-witted nnd mnnaged to bo In tho company of Mike nil tho whllo. Ho not only worked with him, but ho nto nnd slept with him. Hlzzolo on his part not only gava tho man bis confidence by day, but ho pourod his Incoherent dreams Into his willing car by night. Detailed reports woro sent to Llndon with religious regularity. A fow weeks after tho crlmo Hlz- Linden's purpose. Tho Italian looked nbout him nervously. Ills glaro rest ed upon n largo portrait of Allan Plnkorton, tho founder of tho agency. The eyes of tho veteran detective looked down on tho murderer accus ingly at least ho thought so. He turned nround nnd was greeted with tho motto of tho agency, "Wo Novor Sleep." IIo wns very uneasy now. Llndon re-ontorcd tho room carrying a legal-looking document In his hand. It wnB a warrant for tho nrrest of the Italian. Linden looked very solemn. "Michael Hlzzolo, stand up!" Tho suspect arose, curious and fear ful. "What Is It?" ho cried. Linden put his broad hand on the man's shoulder. "I arrest you for tho murder of Mc CIuro nnd'Flannghnn." Hlzzolo sank to tho floor n shapeless heap of crushed humanity. It was somo moments beforo ho re covered his nerve. When ho did so, tho detcctlvo said: "You aro not compelled to tell mo a In 1 FIGHTING THE WHITE PLAGUE. Ho must havo hnd a smattorlng of lnw In fnct, possessed that "littlo learning" which Is u "dangerous thing," bocnuso ho said moro than onco to his confidants: "A man enn't bo tried for murdor twlco. Onco ncqulttcd, ho's n froo mnn." IIo failed to realize that his hearing boforo tho aldormnn was nut n trlnl. nnd thnt his dlBchurgo wns far from an acquittal. Hut from tho moment ho wns released hla uvory footstep wns shadowed; ovory houso that ho on torod wns marked; ovory word that ho uttorod wns ovorhenrd, nnd ovory penny thnt ho spout wan noted in n littlo red book kept by ono of Lin den's rubber-shood sleuths. Ulzzolo seomed anything but n des perado, Ho wns nbout 24 yoars old nnd rather agreeable looking, except for hla roso, which had a discolora tion which won for him from his coun trymen tho nickname of "lied Noso Mlko." IIo camo to Amorlca from Calobrltto, in tha provlnco of Avol- llnon, near Naples. In hla own coun try ho waB npprontlcod to a barber. Hut ho was restless nnd dissatisfied with this employment nnd wanted to comu to the United States, whoro, ho had heard, mouoy was to bo picked up on tho streets. On IiIb arrival In Amorlca ho worked for awhile iu Now. zolo's slstor was marrlod and ho mndo her a present of G00. A month lntor ho presented his brothor-ln-law with $1,000 to sot him up in tho bakery bus!, ncss. Also, nt sundry tlmos ho dis played great rolls of greenbacks, which woro cortalnly not tho profits of his business In Poughkcopslo. Finally, about tho 12th of January. Hlzzolo mndo olaborato plans for n trip to Italy, Ho arranged to sail on tho 20th of Jnnunry. Llndon resolved that tho Itnllnn should novor leave Amor lea. Ho had amplo ovtdenco. IIo re solved to nrrest him nt onco. So ho laid a trnp to ontlco Mlko to Phila delphia, thun bringing him within tho Jurisdiction of tho court. Tho Itnllnn respondod. As ho nllght od from tho trnln, Linden camo for ward to meet him, Hlzzolo wns somewhat taken aback at tho sight of tho detcctlvo, but his nerve did not doaort him. "What do you wnm?" "I want you to help mo out on a littlo cn80 I'm Interested In," was tho Bignincunt rosponso. Thoy drove down to tho Phllndol puui ouico oi (no I'liiKorion ugoncy. Llndon Immediately escorted his man Into hla private olllce. ' "Walt horo," ho said, "I'll bo back in a minute," miko folt uncomfortable. That was anything. You enn keop quiet If you wish." "Oh, no," ho cried, "I must confess. I can't keop quiet nny longer!" And thoro In thnt littlo room, In passlonnto wordB, ho poured forth the Btory of tho ntroclous doubla murder on the Luzorno mountains. "It was grood for gold," Bald Mike, "that was at tho bottom of It nil. Tho Bchomo to waylay and murdor Mc CIuro nnd Flnnaghnn was first con cocted on Sunday, Soptombor2. Qui- soppt Hovonlno nnd Vlnconzo Vlllclla nnd I thought what a good tlmo wo could have iu Italy If wo could get this monoy. Wo tnlkcd It over for a long time, and finally concluded to carry out tho scheme Wo scoured tho woods thoroughly to find n good place to conceal our firearms and tho money iu cubo wo succeeded. Aftor looklns about for moro than two weeks wo finally located n place that suited our purpose Then I bought n rifle nt a store In Wllkesbarro, nnd wo woro ready. On tho morning of Friday, Oc tober 19, I Baw McCIuro go away from tho works, I followed him to Minor's Mills. VUlella and Hovonlno did not como to Miner's Mills that morning but remained in tho woods. Aftor leaving Miner's Mills, I passed Mc CIuro on tho road." "What did McCIuro say to you?" "Ho said 'Hello, Mlko!"' "What did you say?" "I said 'Hello,' nnd nodded head." "Then what followed?" "As soon as McCIuro and Flannghan passed mo in tho cnrrlago I quickened my pace, but they naturally paid no attention to mo. Wo wero now close to whoro tho two other men wore In ambush, nnd I began to got a little nervous." "Who fired tho first shot?" "Hovonlno. Ho did tho principal shooting. Ho wns an expert Bhot. He wan on tho right sldo of tho road go Ing up.' "Who was shot first?" "McClure." "Who fired tho next shot?" "Hovonlno." "Whero nro these men now?" "Thoy nro both In Itnly. They loft threo weeks aftor tho murder." "How far up tho road wub Vlllella from Hovenlno?" "About GO yards." "When did you shoot?" "I shot from tho rear. I fired four shots altogether nt tho men In tho ourrlage. After McCIuro and Flnna ghan had been Bhot tho horso started on n dead run. Vlllella got frightened aid ran through tho woods to tho shanty, whero ho deserted us without warning. At ono tlmo It looked as it tho horso was going to get away and wo thought wo had only killed the men for nothing. Hovonlno was lleot footed, howovcr, and ho chased the horso at a break-neck speed. He finally caught up and grabbed him by tho rein. IIo then shot him in tho head. Thon wo cut tho strap that hold tho satchel fast to tho carriage, and hurried to tho woods to tho hiding place Tho money wub burled as well as tho weapons, nnd I nrrlved nt my shnnty a littlo beforo 12 o'clock. You know the rest, how I was Buspected, and how I wus followed to Poughkeop- slo. Tho troublo camo when wo quar reled ovor tho division of tho spoils Tho other two men wero so nnxlouB to get back to Italy that wo took sev eral Ups to tho woods and dug up pnrt of tho money until now nothing remains thoro but tho silver money nnd the weapons that wero used to commit tho murdor." Llndon determined to test Rlzzolo's story nt once The Italian told him precisely whoro 'tho money and tho rifles woro burled. Linden Btartcd for Wllkesbarro at once, nccompanlcd by tho self-confessed murderer. Thoy reached Wllkesbarro at eight o'clock in tho evening. It wns too Into then to got a train to Laurel Hill, where tho monoy was hidden. Tho night was dark and stormy, but tho detective re solved to pursuo his search In splto of nil obstacles. IIo rnado up his mind to walk to Laurel Hill rather than risk being followed. IIo was accompanied by ono of hla detectives and tho prls ouor, who wns not handcuffed. When thoy reached tho first Iioubo on tha sldo of tho mountain ho borrowed n minor's lnmp nnd then began tho Jour noy over tlio mountains. Sovcn miles from Wllkesbarro nnd two miles from tho scene of tho murder, nt Laurel Hun creek, they found tho various artl clos Just whoro Mlko 3ald thoy had been hidden. Ho was tholr guldo from tho beginning to tho end. Ho know ovory Inch of tho country, which was weird beyond tho wildest stretches of tjio Imnglnntlon. Tho rlflo wns found as woll as the Bllvor money. They woro hidden bencnth n heavy rock. Tho money was In a largo bag, and wrapped In tho paper packages Just as It enmo from tho bank. Tho satch el In which tho money wns cnrrlod by McCIuro and Flannghan was found In nnother plnco, burled nbout a foot deep between two rocks. All of tho things wero burled In such a way that thoy could bo renched readily by tho removal of a lot of leaves that woro strewn ovor them. Linden directed thnt each nrtlcle should bo put back exactly whoro It had been found, oxcopt tho coin, which ho put in n satchel nnd took back to Wllkesbarro with him. Irony of fnto Mlko Rlzzolo was tho messenger who curried tho satchel containing tha coin which wns to bo used ns evi dence to send him to tho gallows. It wus vory heavy. Thoro was 1291.50 In dlinos, flvo-cont pieces nnd pennies, Thoy walked over tho railroad track back to Laurel Hun, which was reached shortly aftor midnight. Through tho kindness of a telegraph operator at Laurol Hun thoy wero fur nished with an engine which took them back to Wllkesbarro. Littlo moro romnliiB to bo said. Rlz zolo wns tried, convicted and exe cuted. Requisitions woro Usued for his accomplices, but through somo flaw In International law they could not bo honored. Later, howovor, through tho activity of tho govommont, both re ceived long forms In an Italian prison. Thoso who wero best ncquaintod with Cupt. Llnden'B achievements in tho great mountain mystery declare that It wub as keen and artistic a specimen of dotoctlvo work has been dovel. oped In any country In modern tlmca (Copyright, by Y. Q. Chapman.) A Moneter Tuberculosis Exhibit for New York City. Now York By November 15th tho greatost exhibition on tuberculosis that has ovor been gathered will do oponed to tV.o public In New York City. Tho exhibit, which formed part of tho recont International Congress on Tuberculosis, will be shown under the nusplccs of tho Tuberculosis Com mittee of the Charity Organization Society, nnd the Department of Health. Tho exhibition consists of charts,, photogrnphs, maps, models, diagrams,, nnd all sorts of paraphernalia that havo to do with tho prevention, study, or treatment of tuberculosis. Exhi bits nre shown from 15 different coun ties, and from 200 nssoclatlons nnd. Indlvlduals. All in nil, tho oxhlbltlon. Includes nenrly 5,000 units. It will toko 50,000 squaro feet of floor space nnd 110,000 square feet of wall space for tho display of tho oxhlbltlon. Ton special cars nnd ovor 1,200 packing cases aro required to transport it. During Its three weeks' stny in. Washington, this exhibit wns vlowcd by fully 200,0 . people Tho exhibit of the Charity Organization Society, which forms but ono smnll unit of this ontiro exhibition, has been view ed by ovor a half million peoplo iu New York City. From theso figures, nnd a comparison with tho attendance of similar exhibitions, 11 is estimated by tho nuthorltloB in chnrgo of the present exhibit thnt probably over a million people will peo thin educa tional display whllo It Is In Now York City. Tho oxhlblt, as It will bo shown ire Now York City, is unique, not only In tho fnct thnt It is tho greatest of Hi- kind ovor pnthered together, but also because this demonstration, col lected for a puroiy educational pur pose, Is used to Illustrate tho dangor of only ono dlsoaso. Tho entire exhi bition publlshos nnd carries but ono message, thnt consumption can bo cured', nnd thnt tho euro for tho dls cupo Is fresh air, rest and wholcsomo food. These slmplo facts aro empha sized In every concclvnblo way. Chnrts and diagrams show tho fear ful ravages of tuberculosis In vnrlous parts of tho world. In tho Gorman exhibit r. scries of 'small painted wooden pillars and blocks of differ ent heights demonstrate tho com parative mortality from conpumptlon in various groups of tho peoplo. Tho United States Census Bureau shows tho deaths from tuberculosis In a unique way. Indicating by a Hash of olcctrlc light that some ono is dying from tuberculosis In tho United States every two minutes and thirty six seconds; 23 ovory hour, and 548 ovory day. Somo of tho most Interesting ex hibits nro thoso showing tho treat ment of tuberculosis. Ono fact is omphnslzod, howovor. in ovory Bann torlum, "shack" or dwelling houso of. fered ns a menns of treating con sumption, nnd that is that tho patient must havo an abundance of fresh nlr. Every model of buildings shown Is designed to give a maximum amount of fresh nlr to tho patient both day nnd night. Balconies, houses, tents, and groups of buildings of every soit show this phaso of tho cnmpalgn against tuberculosis. Tho numorous means employed to spread tho "gospel of fresh air, rest and wholesome food" aro shown In pamphlots, books, phonographs, and small exhibits. Hundreds of tonB of literature aro bolng prepared for freo distribution nt tho coming oxhlbltlon. Evoryono who attends will bo able to locolvo Information on nny side of tho tuborculosls problem In nny of Iho American or European lnnguages. Among tho Individual exhibits which will be shown In Now York aro eight, which rccontly received from tho International Congress on Tubor culosls prizes ranging In value from $1,000 to $100. Besides these, 44 of the oxhlblts to bo shown woro recipi ents of gold medals, nnd 43 of silver ones. Tho exhibition will romnln In Now York City for ono month. At tho end of thnt time It will bo broken up into Bovoral units, tho vnrlous states, countries and Individuals who havo contributed to It taklns their respec tive parts with them. It Is probable, howovor, thnt part of tho exhibition will bo shown In several othor largo citlos of tho country. Nebraska Association for Study nnd Prevention of Tuberculosis, 40S City Hall, Omaha. The Tuberculosis Evhlbit. Tho tuberculosis oxhlblt created great Intorost among tho tenchors as sembled here About 0,000 peoplo vis ited tho exhibit nnd nttended tho dnlly lectures. People crowded tho hnll each ovonlng to nttend tho Una trntod lecture and the (speeches by promlnont men of Lincoln nnd other citlos of the state which Immediately followed tho pictures. Among thoso who contributed lectures woro Chan cellor E. Henjamln Andrews, Dr. A. S. Von Mnnsfeldo of Ashland. A. H. Tal bot, Dr. R. C. McDonald of Fromont. SERMON SENTENCES. Friendship cannot llvo save In free dom. Llbornllty Is the saving grace of frugality. It is hotter to be gracious than to bo graceful. You can get fine work only from freo honrts. Mnkors of criticism nro nover gcod takors thoreof. No man can long be a bigot who tries to bo a brothor. Ho counts for most In prayer who counts hlmsolf Inst of all.