The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-01-19
THE NEW JERSEY TRAGEDY-SUR-
RENDER AND CONFESSION OF A
MURDERER. ...

u
RENDER AND CONFESSION OF A
MURDERER.
We published in our paper Of the 18th
inst, an account OF the brutal murder OF
two children--one girl. aged II years.
and the other a boy Of 9 years--in Bur
gen county, New Jersey, by man named
Cation, during the absence of their parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. O'Brien. in whose house the
murderer boarded. The New York Her.
aid has the following additional particulars.
with an account Of the surrender and con-
iession of the murderer: 1s
"The children we're buried on Sunday,
attended by large funeral. Both OF those
innocents were buried side by side. Mean.
while the mother OF the childred was in
formed of The sad affair, which had such
an effect upon her mind that she has be-
come almost crazy. Search was made for
the murderer. but without success. Tele.
graphic dispatches we're sent TO Philadel-
phia and Baltimore with orders 10 arrest
him if he should be found there. On
Monday morning, TO the surprise Of the
whole community, Cation delived himself
up to Mr.. Hopper. citizen Of Kinderka-
mack, who Immediately conveyed him to
the Hackensack prison. Here he made
the following statement:
was born near Clonmell. county Tip.
perary, Ireland, and am now about fltv.
five years of age. murdered the chill.
dren Mary and Daniel O'Brien, with a
knife or axe. 1t was Timothy O'Brien's
fault. If he had gave me my money |
would not have killed them. had a bad
mind at the time, but am now sorry for
what done. did not like to live with
Timothy O'Brien. was not in my right
mind at the time murdered the children.
| never asked O'Brien for his daughter in
marriage The little boy followed me.
and if he had not done so would not
have killed him. killed the little girl first,
and then the boy followed me, and killed
him. killed them both with small knife,
Gack knfe:) after which fled to the woods,
where rem aimed all day and in the even
ing. when they were searching iort the boy,
| was within few yards Of where they
stood. | saw them when they found the
boy, and then returne ed to the woods.
went TO the graveyard where they were
buried, and cried on their graves. | cried
a great deal over them, and was crying 9
long time | visited the place during the
night. and returned to the woods during
the day. | wandered through the woods
and did not eat any thing. | did not at.
tempt TO kill myself with the knife. am
very sorry for what done. but if it was
not for Tim, (meaning O'Brien, } he would
not have been without the children; he
would not give me my money when
wanted it.
When asked if he had determined tc
kill them for some time past, he said hi
did not know. When delivered mysel
up | had f8 sterling in my pocket, and I
knife. which MIR. Johnson took and ha
now with him.
The prisoner had deep incsiop in hi
throat, which appeared as if cut with
knife in attempting to commit suicide
The wound was bandaged with piec
of linen. 1t is believed that he attempted
to commit suicide, but had not the courag'
to finish the deed. He told several peopl'
on his way to the prison, that he tried tc
drown himself in pond. but could no
keep his head under the water; also tha
he intended 10 kill the whole family
When brough, into prison his clothes were
wet, which served to corroborate his story
Of self destruction by drowning.
On Tuesday the Mayor of Jersey cit!
received despatch from the Mayor o
Lancaster, Pa, stating that two suspicion
men were In custody there. but the con
fession of Cation removed any suspicion
entertained that they had anything to d.
with the tragedy.