Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 August 1888 — A LIFE FOR A LIFE. [ARTICLE]

A LIFE FOR A LIFE.

“Blinkey” Morgan Expiates in Awful Agony the Murder of Detective , Hnliigan A Brief History of the Crime, and Biography of the Criminal. ' [Columbus (Ohio) spscial.] Charles Morgan, better known as “Blinkev" Morgan, was executed in the annex of the Ohio Penitentiary at Columbus.- The execution was witnessed by thirty persons. Morgan was on the scaffold when the spectators entered the axecutlon department. He looked like a hightoned gentleman dressed for an evening ball. The warrant was read, and Morgan refused to say a word, but stood like a statue as the ropes were adjusted. When all was ready, the cap drawn down, and the rope began to tighten, Morgan spoke In a loud tone, “Good-by, Nellie,” and passed through the trap. The work was not a success. The body writhed in the greatest agony and the legs jerked, while the arms swung and the hands clutched. He slowly strangled to death. He was as game a criminal as ever stepped upon a scaffold. Charles, alias “Blinkey,” Morgan was born in New York State. In 1878 he was convicted in Philadelphia for robbing a safe, and was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. After serving his term he went to Cleveland, and there became associated with Jack Connelly, an oldtime thief, and through him with Nellie Lowry, the daughter of Connelly and the wife of Charles Lowry, a noted bank robber now serving an eleven-year solitary confinement sentence in a Philadelphia prison for tne Osceola, Pa., bank robbery, in whicu one of his accomplices was Eddie Havill of Chicago. Morgan also became acquainted with the late Tom Foster, one of the most notorious safe operators and desperadoes in the country, who was shot dead by a police officer in Cleveland about two years ago while resisting arrest. After a safe robbery at Wellington, Ohio, by Foster, Lowry, and Morgan, and a hot encounter with the police aud a posse, in which Tom Morgan, one of the gang, was kille 1, and another of the gang and several of the pursuers were wounded, Lowry and “Blinkey" Morgan went to Canada, staying there for quite a while. After robh ng a safe at Ingersoll, Lowry and Morgan were pursued and overtaken by several railroad men. Morgan drew his pistol and, telling Lowry to make off while he “held the fort," faetd the pursuers and literally shot his way through them, effecting his escape. Lowry was captured. Morgan went to the jail where he was confined, and working from the outside got his pal out. Some time afterwurd Lowry had a row with a police officer in Toron o w ile drunk, drew his revolver, fired at the officer, and killed a hockman. For this he was sentenced to a long term in the Kingston prisoft. While there he became acquainted with a young Detroit burglar named Matt Kennedy, who was serving a term .for a safe robbery near Windsor. While in jail at Sandwich they attempted to escape, and in so doing shot and killed a jailer. It being proved that Kennedy did not do the shooting, he got off with a long term in prison. Years afterward he met Morgan. The two escaped from prison and went to Detroit, where they stayed a long time under the protection of a noted gambler. They also passed considerable time in Cleveland, wheret they stopped at the house of Nellie Lowry. He was next heard from thrfllugh tt?e robbery of the safe in the jewelry store of Mr. Green, of Greenville, Mich., *5,00*1 worth.of property being taken. This plunder was carried by Nellie Lowry, and sold there. Mwgffifer-staid in the vicinity of the Lowry house untijUUfshCleveland fur robbery, which occurred thA pight of Jan. 29, 1887, when the fur store of B&e.ict & Ruedy, on Superior street, Cleveland, was burglarized, and $7,000 worch of sealskin garments taken. After the murder of Hulligan, a reward of *16,000 was offered for the capture of the criminals.

Detective Hulligan traced the plunder to a small town outside ot Cleveland, from where it had been shipped to Allegheny City. This officer, together with Capt. Hoehne, wont to the latter place, and the day after their arrival arrested a young man who gave tlbe name of Harry McMunn. He was afterwards identified by Cleveland shopkeepers as having been hanging around their stores, and aiao as having had a prominent part in the shipments of the goods. Requisition papers were served and the prisoner was taken aboard the train by Capt. Hoehne and Detective Hulligan, being shackled to the latter. Chief of Police Murphy, of Allegheny City, and several detectives went to the depot with the Cleveland officers. Had they not dope so a rescue would have been attempted at the depot. The presence of so many officers, however, frustrated the scheme. McMunn behaved quietly, and seemed apxiousto make the officers as little trouble as possible. The prisoner and his captors were in the smoking-car. At 2 o’clock in the morning five men entered the car. There was no recognition between the prisoner and them. At Ravenna, thirty miles trom Alliance, they stepped across the aisle to where McMunn sat shackled to Detective Hulligan, and, drawing their pistols, said, “Give him up!” Both Hulligan and Hoehne drew their weapons, and rapid firing commenced. Both of the officers were shot several times, but would not yield. Finally one of the rescuing party took a coupling-pin from a newspaper and struck both officers on the head, knocking them senseless. Hulligan was dragged to the ear door, where the shackles were broken, and McMunn was free.

Morgan’s picture was identified by the trainmen, who had seen him the night of the attack on the officers. Mr. Pinkerton suggested that a watch be kept on Nellie Lowry and all letters addressed to her be intercepted. A few days later two letters were stolen from her house. They were from a thief who threatened that if she did not right an injustice that had been done him he would communicate with W. A. Pinkerton, and give him the full particulars of the affar at Ravenna. He gave ris address as general delivery, postoffice, Kansas City, and demanded fin immediate answer. These letters were sent to Mr. Pinkerton by Capt. McHannon, and the former at once communicated with Chief of Police Spears, of Kansas City, asking him to watch lor any mail addressed to the person who had written the Lowry woman. That same day a thief known to the police all over the country was arrested at the Kansas Ci ty Post office. He was badly scared, and with little persuasion told that the rescue of McMunn, alias Kennedy, hud been devised at Cleveland by Nellie Lowry, whom he characterized as the head and brains of the gang. He told of those who participated in the crime, the leader of the gang being "Blinkey” Morgan. His accomplices were Pat Hunley. a Dayton, Ohio, thief, Bob Dickerson, also a notorious Ohio criminal, aud two others. This information being sent to Mr. Pinkerton was forwarded by him to the Cleveland police, togethorwith photographs token from his own rogues’ gallery. • It appeal's that after the rescue the gang separated, McMunn, Hanley and Dickerson going to Europe. When last heard from they were in Londou. Morgan,, on account of his peculiarly marked appeai-ance, thought beet to stay in this country. He organized a new gang and made his headquarters with a sister of Nellie Lowry at Alpena, Mich. The Cleveland police sent word to tho Sheriff at Alpena, telling him who the men were, and Detective Reeves and Capt. Hoehne went on to assist in their capture. Coughlin and Robinson, two of Morgan’s new gang, the former a cousin of Nell Lowry’s, and the latter a distant relative of hers, started to leave Alpena by bo it. The Sheriff got these men "and then slipped back to get Morgan. The latter at < nee opened fire, one of his bullets striking the Sheriff in the thigb, inflicting a wound from which he died throe weeks later. Morgan was captured, however, and taken to Cleveland, identified, anl Oct. 3, 1887, he was taken into court at Ravenna for trial. Tho witnesses for the State, one aft r, another, gave testimony which connected Morgan with tho burglary and subsequent murder on the Cleveland and Pittsburgh train. Notwithstanding this fact, Morgan’s attorneys refused to call a single witness in his defense, not even attempting to prove an alibi, and at the conclusion of the testimony for the prosecution, Morgan’s counsel! announced their willingness to submit their case without argument, which was done. The jury, after having been oat ons hour and twenty-five minutes, returned a verdict of “guilty of murder in the first degree.” Morgan protested hiainno. cence to the last. \r