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THE MOLLY MAGUIRES
Of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
Katherine Jaeger
April 2001
Electronic edition copyright 2001 by Katie Jaeger. All rights reserved. This
electronic work may be freely distributed and displayed: (1) without
modification, (2) on a strictly non-commercial basis, and (3) retaining this
copyright notice.
Columbian = Bloomsburg Columbian and Democrat
Gazette = Sunbury Gazette
Herald = Shamokin Herald
Times = Shamokin Times
ESP = Eastern State Penitentiary at Philadelphia.
IntroductionThough many popular histories of the Molly Maguires have been written over the past 125
years, Northumberland County incidents have never been explored in detail by historians,
except for the murders of Frederick Hesser in Shamokin and Alexander Rea near Mt.
Carmel. Schuylkill and Carbon County incidents got most of the attention due to the
highly publicized involvement of Pinkerton detectives and the infamous trials and mass
hangings of 1878. Yet a review of Northumberland County cases shows that the group was
just as violent and uncontrolled here as in the rest of the coal region. Due to a Civil
War increase in demand for coal and years of famine in Ireland, waves of immigrant
miners began arriving in the county through the 1860s, bringing with them an increase in
violent acts attributed to the Molly Maguires. This secret society of Irish miners used
their local lodges of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) as a network for the
commission of various crimes intended to interfere with coal operators’ profit by the
destruction of mining property and equipment, and to take vengeance for poor pay and
working conditions on mine officials themselves. Attacks and robberies were directed at
the general citizenry as well, especially prosperous German farmers.
At the 1877 Alexander Rea murder trial (held in Columbia County because the victim was
found lying halfway across the county line), notorious Molly Maguire Daniel Kelly “the
bum” revealed the workings of the Mollies and Ancient Order of Hibernians, one and the
same in this case. At the 1879 Frederick Hesser murder trial in Sunbury, Northumberland
County AOH Delegate Dennis Canning unveiled more details of the order. Canning was
reticent about the content of Molly meetings, stating that he could speak about the
organization but his oath bound him to keep its proceedings secret. Daniel Kelly,
however, felt no such compunction and made many Molly secrets public. The following
lists of county Molly Maguire incidents, Molly Maguires themselves, and the citizens who
fought them are taken from the testimony of these two men, contemporary newspapers,
court and prison records, and trial transcripts.
Dennis Canning emigrated to Indiana from Ireland in 1863, and then moved to
Kansas. He tried his hand at silver mining in Colorado before moving to Pottsville in
1870 and finally to Locust Gap in 1871. At each of his homes in the U.S., Canning
sought out and joined the local chapter of the AOH, a benevolent network set up by Irish
settlers to assist newcomers with finding work and a friendly community in their new
land. He was elected County Delegate in the summer of 1874, which placed him in the
position of overseeing the two county divisions, No. 1 at Locust Gap, which met in the
“Junction House,” tavern of bodymaster Patrick Hester, and No. 2 at Shamokin, which met
at the tavern of Cassie Mahan in Springfield and the tavern of a Mrs. Nolan of Newtown
in West Shamokin, under bodymaster Peter McManus. Division 1 encompassed all of Mt.
Carmel Township, including the borough of Mt. Carmel and patches. Division 2
encompassed Shamokin, Coal Township, and all of the surrounding patches. The Shamokin
Mollies often sent representatives to the meetings at Locust Gap, and vice versa.
Daniel Kelly attended meetings at both divisions, though his home group was in
Schuylkill County at Big Mine Run.
The general head of the Order of Hibernians in Ireland was the Board of Erin, and the
overseeing body for Pennsylvania was at Pittsburgh. Members of chapters across the
state were known to each other by signs and passwords, called “goods”, which were
changed every three months. The county delegate received the goods from Pittsburgh, and
distributed them to the bodymasters under him. The use of local chapters for commission
of crimes was an anthracite region practice unsanctioned by the wider AOH; normally, any
offense against the laws of the land was sufficient to expel a member from the
organization. In the coal region, GETTING CAUGHT was the criterion for expulsion; any
crime committed without consequences to the Mollies was known as a “clean job” and was
worthy of monetary reward. This sort of crime was the sole means of support for Daniel
Kelly. Dennis Canning testified that he sometimes did expel Mollies from the order, but
never unless a crime was proven against them. [He expelled the entire Shamokin Division
after the bungled Billman Farm robbery of January 1876.] The practice of the
Molly, according to Canning, was to contact the bodymaster from another division,
sometimes within the county, sometimes without, for assistance with a particular crime.
Kelly stated that these plans were rarely made at regular AOH meetings: rather, the
interested parties hatched their schemes at local taverns. After the job, the divisions
aided one another by collecting money to support fugitives, providing hideouts, bailing
each other out of jail or paying for legal defense, and agreeing on alibis to hinder the
work of authorities.
This listing of county incidents contains all crimes perpetrated by known Mollies, not
simply those fitting the classic definition of Molly Maguirism as Irish unrest or “labor
protest”. Many of these crimes were never planned: rather, they were crimes of
“whiskey” or passion, especially those acts of Irish vs. Irish violence. Incidents are
included here if they were committed by members of the AOH, and the AOH network was used
in support of the criminals after the fact. According to testimony of former Mollies,
this list could be much longer; but only those that could be verified by newspaper
articles or in court records made the list. In most cases, newspaper articles are
quoted directly.
The most famous figure in the battle against Molly Maguire violence resided in
Schuylkill County, namely Franklin B. Gowen, President of the Reading Railroad, which
owned most of the Southern Anthracite Field and monopolized coal shipment from it. It
was Gowen who hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to infiltrate the Mollies, and
created the “flying squadron” of the Coal and Iron Police which became the region’s
primary weapon against the group. For the flying squadron, each of seven communities
designated a Coal and Iron Police captain, who investigated cases with local police and
pooled information with the other captains and the Pinkerton detectives. All reported
to Commander Robert Linden of Pottsville. The most famous Pinkerton agent was James
McParlan of Philadelphia, who, posing as drifter James Mackenna, infiltrated
the Shenandoah AOH and attended Molly meetings at Tamaqua, Girardville, Ashland and
Locust Gap. His testimony resulted in the conviction and hanging of numerous Mollies.
Few names of Northumberland County citizens who took part in law enforcement efforts
appear in the well-known Molly Maguire histories; the biographical information given
here was gathered from newspaper accounts, session dockets of the county court, trial
transcripts, Floyd’s Biographical and Genealogical Annals of Northumberland County, and
Herbert Bell’s 1891 History of Northumberland County.
Northumberland County Molly Maguire IncidentsNovember 22, 1866: Robert Easton of Locust Gap beaten and shot. He was inside boss of
the Black Diamond Coal and Iron Company mines at Locust Gap, and had ignored a recent
warning to leave the area. Was sitting in his house reading, surrounded by his family,
when seven or eight men, strangers to him, entered and fired several shots at him. One
shot entered his shoulder. They left, thinking they had killed him. The entire party,
consisting of about 25 men, was seen about 10:00 pm proceeding in the direction of Mt.
Carmel. Herald, Nov. 9, 1866, Gazette, December 1, 1866.
February 11, 1867: A party of highwaymen stopped four Shamokin citizens returning from
market in Ashland, robbed and beat them, and stole their clothing. Reports are these
men were Irish. Herald, Feb. 21, 1867.
February 14, 1867: Charles Dolan shot down John O’Donnell in cold blood at Fulton
Station. Three shots entered his body. He died the next day. The murder was deliberate
and witnessed by some. The killer refused to be taken; he sat for a day and two nights
on the mountainside above the village, with his shooting irons, bottle of whiskey, and
loaf of bread. None were brave enough to organize a band of men to surround him, and
now it is reported that he has escaped. Herald, Feb, 21, 1867. Dolan is represented as
a desperate man whom O’Donnell some time ago offended. Dolan is still at large “by
neglect and mismanagement on the part of the officers of Justice”. Both the killer and
his victim are Irish. Gazette, Feb. 23, 1867.
February 16, 1867: Mr. S. A. Bergstresser of Elysburg was returning home from Mt.
Carmel in his buggy, with several hundred dollars of money. As he was ascending the
mountain, he saw three villainous looking fellows ahead of him in the woods and near a
turn in the road, signaling to each other as he neared them. At once he took his
revolver in one hand and putting the whip to a good strong horse with the other, he
passed the turn just in time to save himself from the scoundrels. They gave chase
through the woods, but came too late. They had evidently not expected a run, but hoped
for an easy capture. Gazette, Feb. 23, 1867.
February 19, 1867: A party of ruffians variously estimated at from five to eight,
entered the house of Frank Getler, a butcher living about 4 miles out along the road to
Mt. Carmel. They demanded his money, upon which Getler offered resistance. One of the
party then fired a revolver at him. When his wife rushed between them, she received
the contents in her shoulder. She was severely but not fatally wounded. Getler at
length broke loose from the scoundrels and ran out to obtain aid. The party then
overpowered Getler’s hired man and proceeded to rifle the house. They found only about
$20 in the house as Getler had deposited about $400 in the bank the day before. They
stole a gun and other articles. Gazette, Feb. 23, 1867.
[Preceding four incidents summarized in Herald (Feb. 21, 1867) editorial by Owen Fowler,
expressing disappointment and outrage at the failure of the police and other authorities
to do anything about these crimes.]
September 24, 1868: Assault upon house of Michael Obrien of Fulton Station by a party
of men from Locust Gap; they beat the house with stones and clubs, and fired shots into
it. This is the second assault on this home within a short period. Herald, September
26, 1868.
October 17, 1868: Alexander Rea, superintendent of the Locust Mountain Coal and Iron
Company, was stopped by a group of armed men as he rode his buggy just east of Mt.
Carmel, who viciously beat, robbed, and shot him to death. It was presumed they were
after the eighteen or nineteen thousand dollars he usually carried on a Saturday to pay
the workers in the mines. The pay had been distributed on Friday, which was unusual.
Rea’s body was found lying across the Northumberland/Columbia County line: the case was
handled by Columbia County authorities.
November 1868: In an attempt on the life of Colonel Claude White of Swatara by a group
of armed men, one of the band, James Finley, was wounded and jailed. Some of these men
are thought to be the killers of Alexander Rae. Finley died, but not before naming his
accomplices. Captured: John Duffy, Michael Prior and Thomas Donohue. They were
charged with the Rea murder. Herald, Nov. 26, 1868.
January 23, 1869: Patrick Hester arrested on suspicion of conspiring the attack on
Alexander Rea, on testimony of Finley, captured in the Claude White attack. Herald, Jan.
23, 1869.
February 20, 1869: Patrick Hester released due to lack of evidence. Duffy, Donahoe,
and Prior tried and acquitted due to alibis and lack of evidence. Herald, Aug. 15,
1872.
(In his 1877 testimony in the trial of Patrick Hester, Patrick Tully, and Peter McHugh,
Daniel Kelly confirmed that Duffy, Donohue, and Prior were not present for Rea’s murder,
though Duffy and Donohue were aware of the plans for it. Columbian, Feb. 23, 1877).
July 24, 1869: Molly Maguires made a dastardly attack on saloon-keeper Thomas Tobin of
Locust Gap. He had lately refused to make a monetary contribution to a fund to aid one
of their members to elude justice. When taken to task for this, he said he’d rather
contribute money toward keeping the hoodlum in jail. At this, he was told he was
“marked”. Two nights later he was attacked, beaten, and kicked unmercifully, and his
right ear cut off. The party left in the direction of Ashland, and on the way met
several residents of the Gap on the road, beating one of the men severely. Herald, July
26, 1869.
November, 1869: Michael Gallagher shot Thomas Edwards, the colored porter of the Douty
House on Shamokin St. Gallagher had gone up and down the street, asking shop owners and
passersby to lend him a revolver; several refused, but a Martin Brennan was seen to
provide him with one. He went straight to the hotel and shot the porter dead. He was
acquitted when Brennan swore he never lent the gun, and Gallagher’s friends James
Mahan, John Lynch and Matthew Kearney said they were with him as they heard the shot
fired, and it was not he who fired it. A Thomas Burk testified that he saw Gallagher do
the shooting; on August 13, 1870, a John Mahan (below) was convicted and sentenced to
two years in the ESP for assault and battery of a family named Burk of Locust Gap. [This
is the same Mike Gallagher who was convicted with Hester (below) of riot in August 1872
for forcing the burial of a Molly Maguire named Brennan in the Catholic cemetery. He
served 3 years, 3 months for that crime. Herald, August 15, 1872.]
March 3, 1870: James Buchanan, a 44-year-old native of Scotland employed as a watchman
at the Burnside Coal and Iron Company Colliery, was murdered while on duty. The
perpetrators were a party of four or five men, unknown, but supposed to belong to the
Molly Maguires. Between 11 and 12 Oclock Buchanan and Ignatius Cohaskie, the other
watchman, heard a noise at the engine house door. Suspecting that it would be forced
open, they placed themselves against it. While in this position, shots were fired
through the door, all of which passed through it. One of the shots entered Buchanan’s
neck just below the left ear, killing him instantly. Another grazed Cohaskie’s face,
and passed through his left ear. Immediately after firing the shots the party left
without being recognized. Buchanan left a wife and two children. “The crime is
aggravated by the fact that the colliery is worked by Anti-Union men, and the general
impression is that it was perpetrated to intimidate them. Gazette, Mar. 12, 1870.
March 5, 1870. John Edmunds of Dewart St. went out to see why his pigs were squealing,
was shot at three times, one bullet grazed his head. He heard a man shout “This is your
warning.” He had refused to honor a work stoppage. Herald, Mar. 13, 1870.
March 11, 1870. J. J. Bloom, a mine boss, was fired at on Shamokin Street, one bullet
went through his coat. “These are both quiet, peacable citizens, and no cause can be
assigned as to why their lives were attempted, unless they have rendered themselves
obnoxious to some overzealous members of the W.B.A.” Herald, Mar. 13, 1870.
May 30, 1870. Dennis Burns stabbed to death by Patrick Smith in Locust Gap. The
killing was ruled voluntary manslaughter due to “excitement and strong drink”. Smith
received a sentence of nine years at the ESP. He escaped and was recaptured shortly
before being taken to Philadelphia. Herald, Aug. 13, 1870.
June 6, 1870: A Mr. Irich, returning to his home in Locust Gap from his work in the
mines, was attacked and badly beaten by men who had been attending a union meeting. How
long will these WBA “ruffians” remain unchecked by their peers? Herald, June 9, 1870.
[Notsy Dietman, murdered in 1874 (below), was married to an Esther Irich.]
July 1870: “The disorderly condition of society in the neighborhood of Locust Gap seems
to warrant a murder or something akin to it, about once a month. On Tuesday night of
this week it appears that three roughs attacked two or three old men and two old women,
at different times of the night and at several localities, beating and wounding
them severely, from the effects of which some have died. The object of the attacks was
seemingly robbery. One of the party, James Mohan, was arrested and brought to jail on
Wednesday. The authorities are on track of the others.” Gazette, July 23, 1870.
Herald of July 21, 1870 says he was John Mohan, committed to jail for his aggravated
assault on a family named Rooney of Locust Gap. Herald of Aug. 13, 1870, quoting the
court documents, says he was John Mahan, sentenced to two years at ESP for the assault
on the Burk family of Locust Gap.
July 24, 1870: Burnside Coal and Iron Works fan and engine house burned to the ground.
This is the third time there has been interference with its operations: one night the
watchman was driven off and the engine disabled, on another night the engine house was
stoned. The attacks are said to be due to ill will against the company because of the
stand it has taken against the WBA. Herald, July 28, 1870. [The Buchanan murder was at
the adjacent breaker.]
1872: In his trial testimony, Peter McManus confessed to the burning of the Excelsior
telegraph depot and the blowing of Big Mountain bridge. (Commonwealth vs. Peter
McManus). The Franklin B. Gowen Colliery, near Shamokin, was burned to the ground. (WPA
Writer’s Project, Vol 77, The Molly Maguires). Twin breakers burned – Anthracite
History Journal, March, 1977.
May 26, 1872: Patrick Hester, Michael Gallagher, Patrick Smith [could be related to
James Smith, the Dennis Burns killer], and John Kelly arrested and charged with riot for
forcibly burying a Molly Maguire named Brennan in a Catholic cemetery. That morning in
church, Father Joseph Koch warned his congregation to avoid the cemetery, as he supposed
there would be trouble because he would have to refuse the burial. A party of Mollies
brought the body up, broke open the locked gate, fought their way through those who
accompanied the priest, and threw Father Koch bodily from the cemetery to bury their
comrade. (Commonwealth vs. Patrick Hester, Michael Gallagher, and others, August 7,
1872.) Sentences for the riot were: Patrick Smith, 3 years, Michael Gallagher, 3
years, 3 months, Patrick Hester, 3 years 7 months. [Owen Fowler made political capital
for the Republican party from these arrests, in his Aug. 7, 1872 Herald editorial “Party
Degradation and Shame”, claiming that county Democrats had made a grave mistake in
electing Hester to the Assessor post for Mt. Carmel township, and almost ruined law and
order in the region by electing him Sheriff. He said Hester had had a candidate for
judge all picked out and would have taken full control of criminal justice in the
county. His election defeat was a “close call” for the safety of all.]
July 15, 1872: A party of some half a dozen ruffians from Locust Gap beat two citizens
on their way home from work at Luke Fidler. John Geywitz, a German miner, was the first
victim. He was knocked down and kicked, but fought his way free. Farther on, Anthony
Harris, an elderly and peacable gentleman, was treated in a similar manner. He was left
lying in the road and his assailants left in the direction of Springfield. The
attackers were known and warrants were issued for their arrest. John Devaney was jailed
by Squire Withington. Peter McHugh, Michael Hoar and John Rafferty [a Patrick Rafferty
was tried Aug. 3, 1870 for assault and battery] had just got out of the lock-up
where they had been confined for destroying furniture in Fegley’s Saloon. Herald, July
18, 1872. [Aug. 1872 County Court Session Docket shows John Devaney, Henry Welker, and
William Delbough received one year each at ESP for this assault and battery.]
1872: Commonwealth vs. Patrick Dolan, alias “Bear” Dolan. Convicted of assault and
battery with intent to kill, sentenced to one year in the Eastern Pen, Nor. Co. Session
Docket, January 8, 1873. This man was involved in several local Molly Maguire incidents.
April 1874: Thomas Gribbons murdered John Keating in a quarrel. They were brothers-in-
law. In the August court sessions, Gribbons was sentenced to two years at the Eastern
Penitentiary, though he claimed all along the firing was accidental. Herald, August 11,
- [Note: Coroner Hesser’s testimony about this murder was said to be one cause of
his being murdered in December.]
July 22, 1874: Forty-nine year old Ignatius (Notsy) Dietman, a partner with Jacob
Kramer in Lambert Colliery at Lancaster Switch, Coal Township, was murdered in a saloon
on Railroad St. in Springfield. His skull-crushed body was found under the Boydtown
bridge of the Northern Central Railroad, two miles east of Shamokin, very near his own
home. It was believed his body was placed under the bridge to make it appear that he
had fallen. He was assessor for Coal Township. “When will our people cease to sanction
crime by their indifference?” Herald, July 30, 1874. [On Tuesday, July 21, 1874,
Dietman withdrew his money from a local bank because he was leaving for California. On
his way home he stopped at the Springfield saloon, known to be a meeting place for Nor.
Co.’s Div. 2 Molly Maguires. There was no money found on his dead body. Louis
Poliniak’s article, “Trail of the Mollies” in Citizen Shopper, Shroyer Publications,
Shamokin, May 22, 1974.]
August 1874: William Keating, a brother of Catherine Gribbons, arrested on charges of
larceny and trying to poison her husband Thomas Gribbons. Thomas Gribbons had murdered
John Keating, William and Catherine’s brother in April 1874: Gribbons and both Keating
brothers had been quarrelling for some years. Herald, August 13, 1874.
October, 1874: Thomas Close was shot and killed by John Flynn at the boarding house of
Joseph Hodge in Helfenstein. Flynn killed Close in self-defense: He was awakened in
the middle of the night by blows from Close, who had snuck into his room. Two of
Close’s brothers had been killed in similar ways in Mahanoy City. Herald, Oct. 22,
- Flynn was convicted of murder in the 2nd degree. Flynn is English, Close was
Irish. Flynn and a fellow prisoner at the Sunbury prison named Ryan, convicted of
assaulting the Northumberland Bridge watchman, escaped from prison on January 21, 1875
by making a rope from their bedsheets. Herald, Jan. 15, 1875, and Jan. 22, 1875.
January 15, 1875: Timothy Boyle of Hazleton, convicted of murdering David Story there,
was captured in Trevorton while mining under an assumed name. Herald, Jan. 21, 1875.
December 18, 1874: Coroner Frederick Hesser, (57 years old, elected Coroner in October
1872) was beaten to death with a wooden club and machinist’s hammer while on his job as
night watchman at Hickory Swamp Colliery. Resided at Coal Run. Buried at Evangelical
Church, Orwigsburg. Herald, Dec. 24, 1874. Shamokin Molly bodymaster Peter McManus was
hanged for this murder in October 1879, and his accomplice John O’Neil received a
sentence of life imprisonment at Eastern State. O’Neill died of scrofula a few years
later. This murder was said to be a reprisal for the conviction of Thomas Gribbons, in
which case Hesser testified. Times, Oct. 10, 1879.
May 13, 1875: Attempt to wreck a passenger train. On the Shamokin/Pottsville line,
someone put a cast iron RR chair and an 8-foot-long log on the tracks near Girardville.
The cowcatcher blew it away. Herald, May 13, 1875.
June 27, 1875: Mr. Frank Smink, an insurance agent, took a spring buggy out to Mt.
Carmel. He got as far as Brady Cut when he turned to come home because it had begun to
rain. An armed robber called him down from his buggy at Boyd Town and demanded money.
When he told him he had none, the man shot him in the shoulder. Mr. Smink does not have
the use of his legs due to paralysis, and because of the shoulder injury, he now cannot
move about at all. Herald, July 1, 1875.
May 11, 1875: Trestle at Locust Gap Junction exploded by drilling holes and filling
them with gunpowder. Herald, May 13, 1875.
December 26, 1875: B.F. Cummings, the railway conductor, asked three men for their
tickets as the passenger train traveled from Shamokin to Mt. Carmel. They said they
already paid, and when Cummings insisted on payment, they attacked him. One man
squeezed the trigger of his pistol three times at Cumming’s chest, but the gun was
jammed. They then attacked and pistol whipped Cummings, at which point A. Strouse
(Shamokin clothing merchant), Samuel Flyberger (fireman) and Patrick Martin (brakeman)
joined the fray. The attackers fired at these men, but the motion of the train spoiled
their aim. They jumped off at Alaska (Locust Gap), and were thought to have harbored at
Pat Hester’s tavern, the Junction House. Later, a posse led by Thomas Alderson chased
them through the woods. Pursuer Patrick Martin fell while climbing a bank and shot
himself in the leg. The villains escaped. Herald, Dec. 28, 1875.
January 12, 1876: The Billman farm in Cameron Township, recently purchased by Nathan
Henninger, was robbed of $2075 by a party of six or seven armed men. Henninger, in
defending his eleven family members present at the time, shot and killed miner Philip
Hughes of Shamokin and wounded another man, probably Thomas Galvin
of Shamokin. A confession by farmer Gilbert Reitz, a conspirator, led to the arrest and
conviction of Michael Haley, George Levans, Philip Delaney, James Delaney, and Martin
Farrel of Shamokin. A John Kelly of Lanigan’s Patch was arrested in Carbon County, held
at the Pottsville jail and charged with the crime, but he was acquitted in a July trial
because Reitz could not identify him as one of the participants. Thomas Galvin escaped.
The others received sentences ranging from 6 to 10 years at the ESP. “Commonwealth vs.
Farrel et al.”, March 1876. This bungled robbery resulted in the expulsion of the
Shamokin chapter of the AOH, and together with the arrests and convictions of 1876
across the coal region, brought about the end of Molly Maguire crime in Northumberland
County.
The Molly Maguires of Northumberland CountyCharlie Boyle – of Locust Gap. Had a boarding house that was occupied by Daniel Kelly
and other Mollies. His brother John Boyle was married to Bridget Hester, Patrick’s
daughter. John and Bridget Boyle moved to LaSalle, Illinois where Hester harbored
shortly after the Rea murder. [Note: a Timothy Boyle of Hazleton, wanted for the murder
of David Story in that city, was captured in Trevorton Jan. 15, 1875, mining under an
assumed name. Herald, Jan. 21, 1875.]
Kate Boyle – of Locust Gap, aged 17. Convicted of perjury in 1876, sentenced to two
years at ESP, pardoned in 1877. Nor. Co. Session Docket, 1876.
Edward Brennan – Of Shamokin. Perjured himself on behalf of Michael Gallagher at his
1870 trial for the Douty House killing, saying he had seen Gallagher when the shot was
fired and he was not holding a revolver.
Kate Brennan – Of Shamokin. Perjured herself on behalf of Michael Gallagher at his
murder trial. Harbored Michael Haley and Philip Delaney in her Market St. home the
morning after the Billman Farm robbery in January 1876. Wife of Michael Brennan.
Sister of Mary Hester. (Commonwealth vs. Michael Gallagher.)
Laurence Brennan – Of Shamokin. Perjured himself on behalf of Michael Gallagher.
John Brennan – Of Shamokin. (alias John McFarland). [See Board of Pardons Clemency
Files, State Archive File 13-1127, 1876, Carton 8]
Martin Brennan – Of Shamokin. Key witness for the defense at Gallagher’s trial, said he
had not lent him the revolver used in the shooting. Was Michael Haley’s “butty” at the
Mineral Mining Co. mine off Market St. in 1876, gave Haley his alibi in court for the
early morning hours after the Billman Farm robbery.
Michael Brennan – of Shamokin. Brother-in-law to Philip Hughes (killed in the Billman
Farm robbery), mined the same breast as Peter McManus and knew the plans for the Hesser
killing in 1874. (Commonwealth vs. Peter McManus.)
James Campbell – Of Locust Gap. Held the office of County Secretary of the AOH
(Mollies) when Canning was County Delegate. “Commonwealth vs. Peter McManus”, Aug.
- Brother of Brian Campbell of Ashland, one of the Rea murderers who was never
apprehended (Testimony of Daniel Kelly, Rea murder trial,1877).
Dennis Canning – Of Locust Gap. County delegate to the AOH, overseer of both divisions.
Moved to Locust Gap in 1871, was elected County Delegate in the summer of 1874. Planned
the burning of Big Mountain bridge and Llewellyn’s breaker with Peter McManus (Shamokin
Times, Oct. 10, 1879). Convicted in 1877 in Schuylkill Co. for conspiracy to murder
Jesse and William Major, and for conspiring an attack on “Bully
Bill” Thomas in Mahanoy City. Sentenced to 14 years at ESP, seven years for each
conviction. Half the term was taken off in exchange for evidence given against Patrick
Hester in his trial, and a full pardon was granted in August 1879 for testimony against
Peter McManus in his trial. (Herald, Aug. 1, 1879; Commonwealth vs. Peter McManus,
August 1878.)
Jack Dalton – Of Locust Gap. One of the murderers of Alexander Rea, was the only one of
the group who knew Rea and signaled to them when he spotted Rea coming up the road.
Fired one of the fatal shots. Died in 1872. (Columbian, 2-23-1877)
James Delaney – Of Locust Gap. Younger brother of Philip Delaney. Born in PA.
Laborer. Convicted of stealing a revolver that was left at the scene of the Billman Farm
robbery in January 1876. Sentenced to one year at Eastern Penitentiary. Age 33 at time
of incarceration. ESP Admission and Discharge Books.
John Delaney – Of Scotch Hill (Shamokin). Brother of Philip. Perjured himself at his
brother’s trial, giving Philip an alibi for the time of the Billman Farm robbery.
Philip Delaney – Of Scotch Hill (Shamokin). Born in Ireland. Named by Reitz as the
ringleader for the Billman Farm robbery: was “butty” to Reitz at Big Mountain Drift and
hatched the plan to rob the farm. Received the longest sentence, 10 years at ESP. Age
35 and had syphilis at time of incarceration. ESP Admission and Discharge Books.
William Delbough – Of Locust Gap. Received one-year sentence at the ESP for the July
1872 assault and battery of John Geywitz and Anthony Harris.
John DeVaney – Of Locust Gap. Received one-year sentence at the ESP for the July 1872
assault and battery of John Geywitz and Anthony Harris.
Charles Dolan – Of Shamokin. Shot down John O’Donnell in cold blood at Fulton Station
in February 1867, over a grievance he had with him from a former quarrel. The murder
was witnessed by many, and authorities made no attempt to capture him. He
escaped. [May be related to Barney Dolan, bodymaster at Big Mine Run and/or Patrick
Dolan, below.]
Michael Dolan – Of Shamokin. Testified as a defense witness for Michael Gallagher in
his 1870 trial for the Thomas Edwards killing.
Patrick Dolan – Alias “Bear” Dolan. Lived at various sites across the coal region,
sometimes at Locust Gap, sometimes at Mt.Carmel, Ashland, and Big Mine Run.
Participated in the 1870 attack on the house of Michael O’Brien and joined Daniel Kelly
in robbing and beating Anthony Early. Was the one who cut Thomas Tobin’s ear off in
- [Columbian, Feb. 16, 1876]. In January 1873, convicted of assault and battery
with intent to kill (victim unknown), sentenced to one year at ESP. [Nor. Co. Session
Docket, Jan. 1873.]
Thomas Donohue – Of Locust Gap and Ashland. Arrested in November 1868 on the testimony
of James Finley, who was shot during an attack on Claude White of Swatara and identified
him as helping with the attack and being one of the killers of Alexander Rea in October.
Acquitted in the 1870 Rea murder trial due to alibis and lack of evidence. Participated
in the stealing of three barrels of whiskey from Jerry Hall’s stable in Ashland.
(Columbian, Feb. 23, 1877.)
Maria Dooley – Of Locust Gap. Daughter of Patrick Hester, wife of John Dooley.
Received and kept the purse of Alexander Rea after the murder. Her mother-in-law’s
tavern in Locust Gap was a boarding house frequently occupied by fugitive Mollies;
Daniel Kelly stayed there for a time in 1868. (Columbian, Feb. 23, 1877)
Tagne Dougherty – Of Shamokin. Named by Peter McManus as one who stood guard while
Frederick Hesser was being killed in 1874.
John Duffy – Of Locust Gap. Arrested in November 1868 on testimony of James Finley, one
of the Claude White attackers. Accused of helping murder Alexander Rea in October.
Acquitted at his 1870 trial due to alibis and lack of evidence.
Michael Duffy – Of Shamokin. Testified as an eyewitness in Michael Gallagher’s trial
for the 1870 murder of Thomas Edwards. Swore Gallagher didn’t do it.
Martin Farrel – Came to Shamokin from Locust Gap just before the Billman Farm robbery,
in which he participated. Arrested in Pottsville the day after the robbery. Sentenced
to nine years in the ESP. Aged 29 at time of incarceration. Born in England. ESP
Admission and Discharge Books.
James Finley – Of Locust Gap. Wounded by Claude White of Swatara during a highway
robbery in November 1868. He died of his wounds, but not before naming his accomplices
John Duffy, Michael Prior and Thomas Donohue, and tying them to the Alexander Rea
murder. He said Patrick Hester planned the Rea murder.
Anthony Gallagher – Of Mt. Carmel. Testified as a defense witness for Patrick Hester,
Peter McHugh, and Patrick Tully in 1877. Said he knew Daniel Kelly as a fellow Molly
Maguire, and that his character was bad and that his testimony against these men could
not be believed.
Michael Gallagher – Of Shamokin. Arrested in November 1869 for the murder of Thomas
Edwards, the colored porter of the Douty House. Acquitted because his Molly friends
swore alibis. Arrested in May 1872 for riot at St. Edward’s Catholic cemetery in
Shamokin, when he and a group of Mollies beat Father Koch and forcibly buried a Molly
named Brennan there. Sentenced to 3 years, 3 months at ESP.
Thomas Galvin – Of Shamokin. Named by Gilbert Reitz as one of the January 1876 Billman
Farm robbers. Never apprehended. Probably the one who was shot and
wounded by Henninger during the robbery. Probably the one who made off with the money.
Daniel Gribbons – Of Locust Gap. Brother of Thomas. Testified at the Rea murder trial
that he was a member of Division 1 from 1867 to 1870, and that Hester was bodymaster for
the latter part of that time. (Columbian, Feb. 23, 1877.)
Thomas Gribbons – Of Shamokin. Sentenced to two years at ESP for the murder of John
Keating, his brother-in-law, in an April 1874 quarrel. Frederick Hesser had held the
inquest over the dead man, and his testimony in court got Gribbons sentenced. The
Hesser murder was planned as revenge for this conviction. Times, October 10, 1879.
Michael Haley – Of Shamokin. Named by Peter McManus at his trial as one who requested
the1874 “job” on Frederick Hesser. Arrested in 1876 on suspicion of the Billman Farm
robbery, but initially released due to lack of evidence. Arrested again when
named by Reitz and identified by Henninger. Sentenced to 7 years at ESP. Coal miner.
Aged 28 when incarcerated. Had epilepsy, bodily condition described as “delicate” when
admitted to ESP and “poor” when discharged. Served 2 years, 4 months.
Barney Harvey – Of Locust Gap. Robbed an office at Boston Run with Patrick Tully and
Patrick Lafferty. Testimony of Daniel Kelly, Columbian, Feb. 23, 1877.
Owen Hester – Brother of Patrick, who sheltered him at his home in Illinois just after
the Rea murder. Returned to live at Locust Gap where he became a Molly and took work as
an engine man for the railroad. Columbian, Feb. 23, 1877.
Patrick Hester – Born in County Roscommon, Ireland in 1825, came to the U.S. in 1846.
Initiated into the Molly Maguires at Thomas Donohue’s stable in Ashland. Bodymaster of
the Locust Gap Division under Peter McHugh and then Dennis Canning. Owner of Junction
House tavern at Locust Gap. Democrat, elected Assessor for Mt. Carmel Township in 1866.
Arrested in January 1869 on testimony of the Claude White attackers for conspiring the
murder of Alexander Rea. Released without trial on February 20 due to lack of evidence.
Arrested on May 26, 1872 on charges of riot for forcibly burying a Molly named Brennan
at St. Edward’s Catholic Cemetary. Convicted for this crime Aug. 7, 1872, sentenced to
3 years, 7 months in the ESP. Ran for County Sheriff in 1872, defeated just prior to
the riot arrest. Returned from prison to Locust Gap. Arrested again and tried along
with Patrick Tully and Peter McHugh in 1877 for the Rea murder, executed in March 1878
at Bloomsburg, Columbia County. Planned, requested, or took part in the following
crimes:November 1868 – Had an illicit whiskey distillery in the woods behind the
Junction House in Locust Gap. Officers came and searched his house because Hester’s wife
Mary had told them about it: she was angry and had been quarreling with her husband for
two weeks due to the affair he was having with the wife of Michael O’Brien. On November
16, Patrick Hester drove his wife out of the house. (Testimony of Hester’s daughters
Maria and Helen at his murder trial. Mrs. Hester, upon hearing this testimony, cried
bitterly in the courtroom. Columbian, 2-23-1877.)
November 1868 – Planned the assault on Claude White and would have participated in it,
except he missed the train that would have brought him there on time. Instead, he met
Mollies in Barney Dolan’s tavern to plot the Rea murder that took place the next day.
1869 – Called on Barney Dolan’s chapter at Big Mine Run to request men to cut the ear
off Tommy Tobin in Locust Gap.1870 – Requested the assaults on the house of Michael
O’Brien in Locust Gap. Presumably this had something to do with the affair
Hester was having with O’Brien’s wife. (Columbian, Feb 23, 1877.)1870 – With Daniel
Kelly and others, stole three barrels of whiskey from Jerry Hall’s stable in Ashland.
(Commonwealth vs. Patrick Hester et al.)
Michael Hoar – Arrested for the July 1872 beatings of John Geywitz and Anthony Harris.
Had just been released from county jail where he’d done time for destroying furniture at
Fegley’s saloon in Shamokin.
Bridget Hughes (nee Brennan) – Of Shamokin. Lied to Coroner Taylor about the
whereabouts of her husband Philip Hughes on the night he was killed during the Billman
Farm robbery. Sister to Martin, Michael, Edward, and Laurence Brennan.
Philip Hughes (alias) – Of Shamokin. Named by Peter McManus at his trial as one who
requested the 1874 “job” on Frederick Hesser. Shot and killed by Nathan Henninger
during Billman Farm robbery. Worked at Cameron Colliery. Body buried in the
poor-house graveyard, because Father Koch of St. Edward’s refused burial in the Catholic
cemetery. Had an old bullet wound in one of his arms and was thought to have been
implicated in unlawful activities before he came to Shamokin. [Gazette, Jan. 21, 1876].
Brother-in-law to the Market St. Brennans.
Matthew Kearney – Of Shamokin. Swore alibi for Michael Gallagher in his trial for the
murder of Thomas Edwards, saying he stood right next to Gallagher when the shot was
fired and Gallagher had not fired it. (Commonwealth vs. Michael Gallagher)
Patrick Kearney – Of Shamokin. Swore alibi for Michael Haley at the Billman Farm
robbery trial, claimed he saw him at home on the evening of the crime. (Commonwealth
vs. Farrel et al.)
Daniel Kelly (original name Manus Cull) “Kelly the Bum” – No permanent address.
Notorious Molly informer who boarded in Shamokin and Locust Gap, as well as many other
coal region towns. Had no legitimate work, as he made a living by Molly Maguire
crime. Was first a member of the Molly Maguires in Ireland, then came over to join his
mother in Wilkes Barre in 1865. His 1876 capture in Schuylkill County for assault and
battery of mine watchman Abel White led to his confession (to Captain Thomas
Alderson of the Coal and Iron Police) of his involvement in the Alexander Rea murder,
and the naming of his accomplices. At the Rea murder trial, he confessed to a wide
range of other Molly crimes, as follows:
In Wilkes-Barre, as Manus Cull, worked with a Molly Maguire named Peebles who kept a saloon. Peebles would let Kelly know when a drunken man was leaving his place; Kelly
would then rob him and split the take with Peebles. In Sunbury, electioneered for pay
for both the Republican and Democratic parties: robbed the Democratic party coffer of
funds, splitting the money with accomplices Graham and Callaghan. Robbed a man named
Davy Sheehan of his watch and money. Arrested, but escaped from the courthouse and
changed his name.
In Hazleton, robbed a man named John Travers, and left town under banishment for that crime.
In Shamokin, took a shot at Weimar Young and robbed and beat Anthony Early, robbed Saul Foster at knifepoint.
Boarded at the house of a Mrs. Farnsworth with Patrick Tully and Peter McHugh at the
time of the Rea murder: after the murder they abruptly left without paying their three
weeks’ board.
On the road from Centralia to Mt. Carmel, with six others, robbed and murdered Alexander Rea.
In Ashland, with Patrick Hester and others, robbed Hall’s stable of three barrels of
whiskey, and at the request of Ashland bodymaster Thomas Donohue, beat up the Chief
Burgess of Ashland. In Mill Creek, beat the Tax Collector at the request of Barney
Dolan, bodymaster at Big Mine Run. (Above taken from testimony of Daniel Kelly,
Commonwealth vs. Patrick Hester, Peter McHugh and Patrick Tully, 1877.)
Daniel Kelly was imprisoned in Pottsville three other times, for a total of 51 months,
on charges of assault and battery and malicious mischief. In March of 1878, he was
released in exchange for testimony at the Rea murder trial and the Schuylkill
County trial of Charles Sharp for the murder of George K. Smith. In 1898, he was seen
in London by a daughter of defense lawyer Wolverton: he recognized her on the street and
told her to send her father his best regards. He’d gone to South Africa following the
trial, struck it rich on the goldfields and retired to London. (Francis P. DeWees, 1877,
also Anthracite History Journal, March, 1997).
John Kelly – Of Locust Gap. Convicted of the May 1872 riot at St. Edward’s Cemetary,
received a sentence of one year at ESP. Arrested again on Jan. 27, 1876 in Beaver
Meadows, Carbon County, and charged with participating in the Billman Farm robbery,
and with assault by shooting at Nathan Henninger. Was lodged in the Mahanoy City
lockup, but escaped “as he was taken to the cars” on the way to Pottsville. Then he was
picked up again in Lanigan’s Patch, on charge of stealing two watches from a man
named Muldoon. “Kelly is a particularly hard and suspicious looking character, and
belongs to Lanigan’s Patch, where he was known famously as “the Mucker” an alias that
suits his appearance to a charm.” (Gazette, Feb 18, 1876). Acquitted of burglary and
assault and battery on June 8, 1876 due to lack of evidence. If he was present at the
Billman Farm robbery, may have retained some of the stolen money. Was never named by
Gilbert Reitz as being one of the robbers.
Alexander “Aleck” Lafferty – Originally from Wilkes-Barre. Named by Daniel Kelly as a
member of the Locust Gap Mollies who attended the planning session for the Rea murder,
but left the group on the road before the murder was committed. Accompanied
Patrick Hester on his trip to Illinois three days after the murder, then left Hester,
telling him he was headed for Wilkes-Barre. (Letter from Patrick Hester to his family
from LaSalle, Illinois, 11-23-1868, offered as evidence at his murder trial.)
Patrick Lafferty – Of Locust Gap. First became a Molly Maguire in Luzerne County, near
Wilkes-Barre. Robbed an office at Boston Run with Patrick Tully and Barney Harvey.
(Columbian, Feb. 16, 1876.)
Roger Lafferty – Of Locust Gap. First became a Molly Maguire in Luzerne County,
originally kept a tavern in Parson’s Station, about a mile from Wilkes-Barre. “Got into
a law scrape up there, but he made his escape from the court house and came back to
Schuylkill County.” (Testimony of Michael “Muff” Lawler, Commonwealth vs. Hester et al.)
Attended the planning session for the murder of Alexander Rea: left the tavern on the
evening of the murder to buy powder and ball and loaded the pistols for the job. Did
not go with the others when they left to kill Rea. After some were arrested for the
crime, met with Patrick Hester and warned him to leave for Illinois. Never apprehended.
George Levans – Of Shamokin. Laborer. Named by Gilbert Reitz as one of the Billman Farm
robbers. Gazette, Jan. 24, 1876. Born in Scotland. Sentenced to 8 years at ESP. Aged
24 at time of incarceration. ESP Admission and Discharge Books.
Cassie Mahan – According to Dennis Canning’s Hesser trial testimony, some Division 2
meetings were held at her tavern/home on Railroad St. in Springfield (Coal Township).
Mother of James, John, and Peter, below.
James Mahan – Of Shamokin. “Swore before God” that Michael Gallagher had not fired the
shot that killed Thomas Edwards. He himself was shot and killed at his home in Luke
Fidler.
John Mahan – Of Shamokin. Convicted in August 1870 of a nearly lethal assault on the
Burk family of Locust Gap, thought to be a retaliation against Thomas Burk, who
testified against Michael Gallagher in the Douty House murder trial. Sentenced to one
year at ESP.
Peter Mahan – Of Shamokin. Attorney for the defendants at the 1876 Billman Farm robbery
trial, and for Patrick Tully for the murder of Alexander Rea, as well as for several
Shamokin Molly assault and battery cases.
Roger McGuire – of Shamokin. In 1869, was present at the meeting where the Rea murder
was planned. Bought Rea’s stolen gold watch from Daniel Kelly, and later smashed it on
a rock when he realized it could become evidence of the crime. Named by Peter
McManus as one who stood guard while Frederick Hesser was being killed in 1874.
Peter McHugh – Of Locust Gap. Was Northumberland County AOH Delegate before Dennis
Canning, during the time Alexander Rea was murdered. Once represented Northumberland
County at a state AOH convention in Philadelphia. Arrested for the July 1872 assault
and battery of John Geywitz and Anthony Harris. He had just been released from the
county jail for a conviction on destroying furniture in Fegley’s Saloon in Shamokin.
(Herald, July 18, 1872.) Convicted of the 1868 murder of Alexander Rea, executed for it
in March 1878 in Bloomsburg, Columbia County. Was said to have been the one who
insisted that Rea be killed instead of just beaten. Apologized for the killing on the
gallows.
Peter McManus – Began as a lieutenant of Patrick Hester at Locust Gap, later became
bodymaster of Shamokin division. Lived at Brady (Ranshaw), Coal Township. Convicted of
the December 1874 murder of Frederick Hesser of Shamokin, executed October 10,
1879 at the age of 50. His sworn and signed confession appears in the Public Press,
Northumberland, October 10, 1879. He confessed to the burning of the Excelsior
telegraph depot and the blowing of Big Mountain bridge, and probably planned the burning
of the “twin breakers” in 1871. Dennis Canning testified they planned the burning of
Llewellyn’s breaker together. Consistently denied being the killer of Hesser, claiming
the killer was a Shamokin man named Frank Rhoads. Buried in Minersville, Schuylkill
County.
William Muldowny – Of Locust Gap. Named by Daniel Kelly as one of the planners of the
Rea murder. Went out with the others to rob him, but left the group along the way,
saying he was lame. Died before the case came to trial.
Cornelius “Con” O’Garrah – Of Locust Gap. A member of the Molly Maguires from 1868-
1870, left the order when he got married on the insistence of his bride. Testified
about Alexander Rea’s stolen watch at the 1877 trial.
John O’Neil – Of Shamokin. Convicted with McManus for the 1874 murder of Frederick
Hesser. Sentenced to death, given a 30-day reprieve at the last minute by Governor
Hoyt. Sentence commuted to life in prison [ESP] due to the efforts of Father Koch of
St. Edward’s parish, who attested that he was mentally feeble. Brother of Pat O’Neil.
Testified as a defense witness in the 1870 trial of Michael Gallagher for the Thomas
Edwards slaying. Died of scrofula in ESP in 1882.
Pat O’Neil – named by Peter McManus as helping to plan the Hesser murder. Never
charged.
Michael Prior – Of Locust Gap. Arrested in November 1868 for participating in the
Claude White attack, and charged with the Rea murder on testimony of James Finley.
Acquitted due to alibis and lack of evidence.
Robert Hagerty – was Secretary of the Shamokin Division under bodymaster Peter McManus
(Dennis Canning testimony in Commonwealth vs. McManus).
John Rafferty – Of Locust Gap. Arrested for the Geywitz/Harris beatings of July 1872,
just released from the county jail where he’d served out a conviction on destroying
furniture at Fegley’s Saloon in Shamokin.
Patrick Rafferty – Of Locust Gap. Arrested but not convicted of the July 1870 beatings
of elderly citizens of Locust Gap (Burk and Rooney families).
James Smith – Stabbed Dennis Burns to death in Locust Gap on May 30, 1870. Killing
ruled voluntary manslaughter due to “excitement and strong drink”. Escaped and
recaptured before being sentenced to nine years at ESP.
John (Jack) Smith – of Locust Gap. Was present during the conversation at Barney
Dolan’s saloon in 1868 wherein the Rea murder was first proposed. Said he would “leave
the order” if someone couldn’t be found to rob Rea’s payroll. Was one of the men who
robbed Claude White. [Columbian, Feb. 16, 1876]
Patrick Smith – Of Locust Gap. Convicted for the May 1872 riot at St. Edward’s Cemetary
at Shamokin, sentenced to three years at ESP. Named by Daniel Kelly as one who helped
Patrick Hester flee to Illinois after the murder of Alexander Rea in 1868.
Edward “Ned” Skivington – swore Dennis Canning in to the Locust Gap Molly Chapter in
- (Commonwealth vs. McManus) Participated in planning the Rea murder but went to
work in the mines that morning to “throw off suspicion”. (Columbian, Feb. 23,
1877.)
Henry Welker – Of Locust Gap. Convicted of the July 1872 beatings of John Geywitz and
Anthony Harris. Received sentence of one year in ESP. (Northumberland County Session
Docket, 1876.)
The Authorities
The Coal and Iron PoliceCaptain Thomas Alderson, Shamokin. Had reached the Civil War rank of Lieutenant as a
member of Company K of the 46th Pennsylvania Regiment (mustered in 9-4-1861, mustered
out 1-16-1865) before returning to Shamokin to begin a police career. In 1875, he
became Shamokin’s representative of the flying squadron of the Coal and Iron Police.
Captain Alderson led the posse that chased some Mollies through Locust Gap after an 1875
incident on the Mt.Carmel-Shamokin passenger train, and led the investigation of the
Billman Farm robbery. His extraction of Daniel Kelly’s (Manus Cull’s) full confession
and testimony about the Rea murder led to the 1877 Bloomsburg trial which resulted in
the hanging of Patrick Tully, Peter McHugh, and Patrick Hester. The 1879 conviction of
Peter McManus and John O’Neil was also a result of his investigative work. Through the
end of the century, Alderson played a leading role in the Coal and Iron Police’s
intervention in dozens of outbreaks of coal miner violence.
B.F. Boughner, deputy sheriff of the C & I Police at Shamokin in 1875.
E.W. Bridge of Shamokin, assisted in the arrest of Michael Graham as an accessory to the
Rea murder. Was also a district land officer for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad.
Local OfficialsConstable Jacob Beisel of Cameron. Assisted in the hunt for Gilbert Reitz after the
1876 Billman Farm robbery.
Squire Thomas M. Helm of Shamokin. Justice of the Peace. Processed the Billman Farm
arrests and helped coordinate the manhunt for Gilbert Reitz in January 1876.
Coroner Frederick Hesser. Elected 1872, conducted inquests on the James Mahan and John
Keating murders, which led to the conviction of Thomas Gribbons.
Murdered in Dec. 1874 at his night watchman post at the Hickory Swamp Colliery. This
killing was thought to be revenge for the Gribbons conviction.
Thomas Roach, of the Sunbury Police. Wrote letter to the Sunbury Gazette defending his
handling of the Billman robbery investigation, stating that his being Irish had no
bearing on how he handled Haley or conversed with Farrel in jail, or his willingness to
arrest Galvin. “And let me inform [Taylor] that all Irishmen are not Molly Maguires;
and that the coal region is full of honest, law abiding Irishmen, who detest that bloody
organization, and are ready to assist the law in bringing its members to justice; and
are opposed to every form of crime and lawlessness.”
Uriah Sober, chief of Shamokin Police in 1875 (source: Shamokin Times).
Jailer Strine. Managed the County Prison at Sunbury.
Coroner John Taylor. Elected 1875. Conducted the inquest on Philip Hughes at Billman
Farm. Wrote a letter to the Sunbury Gazette, slinging mud and blame at Thomas Roach of
the Sunbury police, claiming he let Reitz “slip through his fingers”. Intimated that
since Roach was Irish, he wouldn’t arrest Haley and Galvin, and had advised Farrel not
to provide evidence against the others.
Squire Weikel of Mahanoy. Assisted in the hunt for Gilbert Reitz of the Billman
robbery.
The "Washington Rifles"A group of sixty Civil War veterans of Shamokin’s Company K (with Alderson) formed
themselves into a private militia intended to contain Irish violence in 1870, as a
response to the growing number of Molly attacks in that year. These men had worked
together even before the war: Company K was made up of men from the old “Home Guard” who
had enlisted all at once in 1861. They had little success as Molly hunters; they failed
to capture anyone in the 1875 chase after a shootout on the Shamokin/Mt. Carmel train,
and they took part in the unsuccessful manhunt for the Billman Farm robbers in 1876.
Their officers were:
John McEliece. Was Justice of the Peace in 1870, served as a prosecution witness in the
Rea murder trial in 1877, at which time he resided in Locust Gap. Captain.
Michael Peffer. First Lieutenant.
John McDonnell. Second Lieutenant.
The BenchWilliam M. Rockefeller, judge. Elected 1871. Presided over all the county Molly
Maguire trials from 1871-1878. Was criticized by Benjamin Bannan, editor of the
Pottsville Herald, for equating the Molly Maguires with the MBA, when in fact, they were
not one and the same. Was known for his stiff sentencing practices: he always gave
Molly Maguires the maximum sentence.
Thomas H.B. Kase, District Attorney, Democrat. Prosecuted the Billman Farm cases.
Served until his sudden death from “galloping consumption” in November 1876.
Solomon B. Boyer and J.H. McDevitt. Defense counsel for Gilbert Reitz. Boyer was
brother of Reitz’s wife Angelina. Brought Reitz’s case to the Pennsylvania Board of
Pardons, effecting his release after six months of his three-year sentence.
Peter Mahan of Shamokin. One of the Mahan family active in the Shamokin Molly Maguires.
Defense counsel for the Billman Farm robbers, part of the defense team for Tully, McHugh
and Hester at the Rea murder trail.
The DoctorsDr. S. G. Merzel of Cameron. Made the post-mortem on the body of Philip Hughes at the
Billman Farm.
Dr. Robins of Shamokin. Physician most often called to treat the victims of Molly
attacks or to perform post-mortems; also responded to the scene of hundreds of mine
accidents. His practice was located on Sunbury Street with a pharmacy in the adjacent
building. Dr. Robins created Shamokin’s first lending library in 1878 from over 500
volumes of his own collection. It was housed next door to his pharmacy.
Dr. Weaver of Shamokin. Often accompanied Robins to the scene of mine accidents or
Molly attacks.
The ClergyFather Koch, Catholic Priest of Shamokin (St. Edward’s Church on Shamokin St.). One of
the signers of the 1874 “Declaration of the Seven Pastors”, a statement of the Catholic
Church’s opposition to the secret societies, listing ten objections. Declared the AOH
was controlled by men of infamous character who had repeatedly broken the commandment
“Thou shalt not kill”. Was the victim of the 1869 riot at St. Edward’s cemetery (over
the burial of a Molly named Brennan) that caused the arrest of Patrick Hester and
others. Refused to allow Philip Hughes’ burial in the Catholic cemetery in 1876.
Escorted Peter McManus to the gallows in 1879; but was single-handedly responsible for
getting a stay of execution from Governor Hoyt for John O’Neil, on the grounds that he
was mentally feeble. Born 2-5-1840 in Lorraine, France, educated there. Answered a
call by Bishop Wood of Philadelphia for priests to serve the growing parishes of
Pennsylvania. Ordained 1863 by special dispensation from the Vatican, because normally
they did not ordain 22-year-olds. Served 20 churches and parishes around Pennsylvania
until taking over St. Edward’s parish in 1866. Supervised the planning and construction
of the current church (now Mother Cabrini). [From J.L. Floyd’s genealogy]
The PressD.D. Domer, of Shamokin. Editor of the Shamokin Times, started in 1878. This was a
Democrat paper, somewhat congenial to the Mollies, with a wide Irish circulation. Sent
a reporter to Philadelphia in 1881 to visit the Shamokin prisoners at the penitentiary,
who noted they all subscribed to the Times.
Owen Fowler, originally of Shamokin, then of Sunbury. Before 1874, editor of the
Republican paper Shamokin Herald. Made political capital from the 1872 riot conviction
of Democrat Patrick Hester, saying that Hester’s defeat in his bid for the office of
County Sheriff was a close call for the populace. After 1874, editor of the Sunbury
Gazette, a Republican paper which equated the Workmen’s Benevolent Association and the
AOH with Molly Maguirism.
Elmer Heffelfinger, of Shamokin. After 1874, editor of the Shamokin Herald. Covered the
denouement of the Molly Maguire phenomenon from 1876 through 1879.
J. J. John, of Shamokin. Editor of the Coal Mining section of the Shamokin Herald.
BibliographyBell, Herbert C., ed., History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Brown, Runk &
Co., Chicago, 1891.
“Commonwealth vs. Gilbert Reitz” in Northumberland County Session Docket, 1876, Court of
Oyer and Terminer, March 16, 1876, Felony Burglary, and June 7, 1876, Felony Conspiracy
to Rob.
“Commonwealth vs. Martin Farrel, Michael Haley, Philip Delaney, George Levans, and
Thomas Galvin”, in Northumberland County Session Docket, 1876, Court of Oyer and
Terminer, March 16-22, 1876.
DeWees, Francis P. The Molly Maguires: The Origin, Growth and Character of the
Organization, Lippincott, 1877.
Eastern Penitentiary Admission and Discharge Books, entries for March and June 1876,
Pennsylvania Archives File 6-1867.
Floyd, J.L. Genealogical and Biographical Annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania,
J.L. Floyd & Co., Chicago, 1911.
Kenny, Kevin, Making Sense of the Molly Maguires, Oxford University Press, New York,
Pennsylvania Department of Justice, Board of Pardons Clemency Files 1874-1900, Pardon
No. 8377, Pennsylvania Archives File 13-1170.
Poliniak, Louis, “Trail of the Mollies” in Citizen Shopper, Shroyer Publications,
Shamokin, Pennsylvania, 1974.
Poliniak, Louis, “The Coal and Iron Police” in Citizen Shopper, Shroyer Publications,
Shamokin, Pennsylvania, 1976.
Reporter’s Transcript of “Commonwealth vs. Patrick Hester, Peter McHugh, and Patrick
Tully”, in the Columbian and Democrat, February 16 and 23, 1877.
Stenographer’s Report, Transcript of “Commonwealth vs. Farrel et al.”, Court of Oyer and
Terminer, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, March 16-22, 1876.
Stenographer’s Report, Transcript of “Commonwealth vs. Gilbert Reitz”, Court of Quarter
Sessions of the Peace, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, June 7, 1876.
Stenographer’s Report, Transcript of “Commonwealth vs. Peter McManus”, Court of Oyer and
Terminer, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, August 12-15, 1878.
The Columbian and Democrat (Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania)
The Shamokin Herald, Shamokin, Pennsylvania.
The Shamokin Times, Shamokin, Pennsylvania.
The Sunbury Gazette, Sunbury, Pennsylvania.
WPA Federal Writers’ Project, History of Northumberland County, Vol. 77, “The Molly
Maguires”, 1935-38.