CONFESSION, ACQUITTAL & FOREVER CHANGED

Continued from: Pat Disappears?

Pat's autobiography states that he boarded a Chicago-bound train in Council Bluffs right after safely returning Edward Cudahy, Jr., to his parents' home. Knowing "John Law" everywhere would be looking for him, he decided the comforts of riding the rails was too great a risk and jumped off the train near Red Oak, Iowa, as it slowed on a steep grade before reaching the depot. In Red Oak he posed as a horse buyer, purchased three, paying for one in full and leaving a deposit for the other two, on order to confuse any suspicion that might arise. Under the cover of darkness the next day, Pat made his escape from Iowa and a few days later made it to his destination undetected.

From Chicago, with stolen identification papers of a well known citizen there, Pat purchased passage to Durban, South Africa where he stayed for several years. His autobiography states he fought there in the Boer War against Great Britain. Newspaper accounts for the same time period had Pat in the United States committing a garden variety of crimes.

Pat Crowe Police Photograph

Whether or not Pat Crowe valiantly fought in the Boer War, or he continued his life of crime in the U.S., in 1906 Pat showed up at his brother's saloon in Omaha and,

"His brother thought it was high time Pat cut out the nonsense. He advised him to see his father's lifelong friend, Father Murphy, at Vail, and be guided by his advice. Pat went to Vail after composing a letter which he gave to the pastor. It was a masterpiece. It admitted his wrongdoing in the Cudahy case and told why. Pat was penitent. He asked his religious adviser to intercede with the Cudahy family for him. He was tired of the dog's life. He wanted to go straight. The pastor promised to submit the matter to his bishop and be guided by his advice.

With a clearer heart than for many a long year, Pat secretly went to Omaha and began making arrangements to surrender to Sheriff John Powers." (Autobiography of Pat Crowe)

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Denison Review – February 15, 1906

A FATEFUL LETTER

Pat Crowe's Letter to Father Murphy Read at Trial.

FREELY CONFESSES GUILT

Letter Begging Father Murphy to Intercede with Cudahy

Causes Great Sensation in Omaha Court.

The trial of Pat Crowe for the abduction of the Cudahy boy is in progress in Omaha and it would appear that the prosecution is making out a strong case against the noted desperado. The following from the daily press dispatch tells of the greatest sensation which has yet been offered during the course of the trial.

Pat Crowe's alleged letter to Father Murphy of Vail, Ia., where Crowe's boyhood was spent, which was offered in evidence Tuesday by the prosecution, was decidedly the sensation of the trial. A battle for life was waged around the letter by the defense to keep it from the jury. In the letter, Crowe made a clean breath of the Cudahy kidnapping and pleaded earnestly with Father Murphy to intercede for him with Mr. Cudahy that he might have the opportunity to reform without going to the penitentiary.

It was mentioned in the letter that Father Murphy had buried Crowe's father, and it was requested that the letter be forwarded to Father Lenihan, who buried Crowe's mother.

When the letter was offered, Crowe was visibly affected, especially by these references to his Iowa boyhood burying his face in his hands, and nervously clasping and unclasping fists.

Undoubtedly Crowe thought that this letter to Father Murphy would be held in the nature of a confessional secret and would never be made public. We can but feel however, that Father Murphy has acted wisely and for the public good. Whatever sympathy there may be with Crowe because he spent his boyhood days in this county it must be confessed that his life has been an evil one and that the protection of the public demands that he be kept from further misdeeds by prison walls.

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Denison Review – February 22, 1906

To the everlasting disgrace of Omaha, Pat Crowe was acquitted in the Cudahy kidnapping case last week. This in spite of the fact that he had made confession of his guilt to Father Murphy.

DOW CITY NEWS SECTION:

Dr. W.J. Conley lectured here Tuesday evening under the auspices of the Baptist church to a good sized audience, and the lecture was enjoyed by all. His subject, “The Irishman, or Give Pat His Due,” was very well handled, and he certainly showed Pat up in good shape. Referring to the recent trial of Pat Crowe at Omaha, however, he said he thought that particular Pat did not get his dues when he was acquitted for all the crimes he has committed, and he rather attributes his release to the fact that there were so many Irishmen on the jury that tried him.

Dow City Baptist Church

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There ended Pat Crowe's life of crime, but not his life in the national spotlight. The "reformed"Pat went on to give lectures across the country, wrote two autobiographies, and strangely, every year until his death in 1938, sent postcards to Edward Cudahy, Jr., on the anniversary of the kidnapping signed, "from your old kidnapper".