, 1880-07-04
MARY O'CONNOR'S CRIME.

MARY .O'CONN0R'S CRIME.
The KILN. Of Thrce Children by
Their Mother.
New YORK, July 2.-Thrcc children were
killed in Jersey City to-day by their mother,
Mrs. Mary O'Connor, who IS the wife Of
James O'Col1llor, a poor laborer, living i'll an
old wooden tenement house at NJ. II Water
avenue, Jersey City Heights. The woman
is 81 years Of age and the mother Of five
,cili1tlren, all boys. At 8 this morning MI.
O'Connor, who was sleeping on 4 mattress
OH the iloor, was awakened bya cry from one
of his children i'll all adjoining room. lie
sprung llp, and as he entered the room
whence the, cry came his foot Slipped ON
a wet spot. lie lighted a match and dreat!-
ful sight presented itself. David and Francis
were lying OIL the bed will. their t1lroats
cut from ear to ear. Near the door
was the youngest boy, a baby, with
gupi1ls wound in the neck. The blood from
his throat had run across the floor and caused
the father to slip when ne entered the rooul.
In one corner the wife was crouchlng, with
Il razor dripping with blood in her hallu. In
another corner was a bed on which lay the
bodies of two boys. 1t wils saturated With
blood, which slowly dropped TO the tlobr be,
meath. Under the mattress Of the bed used
during the night BY Mrs. OCounor and the
baby was found a bntcher-knite with a long
dull blade. When the reportof the triple Mnr,
der spread throughout Jersey City 1t caused
much excitement, and hundreds OF persons
gathered about the house, whicl wa; guard.
ed by special police officers. 4 : reporter ot
the Tribune was allowed to enter the apart
l,lents occupied by O'CoNnor aud his family
They are III the rear, OIL the second floor u
~, 1H,a two &{fiEn1H NJ
niture. in tle front room the
three murdered children were lying SIDE by
side in little cotfins The cuts OIL the throats
but showed no marks Of agony. The, walls
and some Of the chairs were spattered with
blood, ,,,d bloody footsteps could be traced
across the floor. The tatherof tue murdered
children was wa Kin Sp ad aeW m rear
II was awakened early this morning by a
sort OF groan, and went into the back room
and struck 4 light saw my wife III tue cor.
ner with bloody razor IN her 9 hand anu On IN
4 large pnol Of blood OIL the bed saw the
lifciess bodies Of the two other CHILDREN
stiff III death. ran out and called for
help. The razor was kept in chest which
was locked fanot % e!ve e,,sh 1hny ,nTa;h1a ogrS'.,
deed. We have been married 'twet,%t tye:11s:
She has been sick with chronic dyspepsia
and malarial fever. Yesterday sue com
planned OF feeling worse. Wnet ,;iIsa,, ntse ols
covered the bodies OF my poor cnltie., ~
thought some one had come i'll to murder lhe
"Sttl Subseatieatly, Mr.. o'Connor stated that
his wife had quarrelel with him last nlght'
but when she showed anger lie stopped TALK
ing to her. ..-.. a..
County Physician Converse reached the
police station at 1880 O'Clock in the morning
and found Mrs. O'Connor lying ona lounEc
IL the , prghe osf 6t Of b Gapt ca eenE eEctaea Sf
mcp ri face e was pae, bnt She exibited eol,sid
crable sen-possession: ller hands were coy
cred with bloou anu iirr dress was alse sp.e,
tered with IT,. 10 qnesllons oi tIe
County Physlcinn sne gaHe a1, ahsHe,g ,s't.,5
where her children were ste salus
"Thoy are dead: l. Killed then
with the razor People USED u eau tileiii
little devils, but nov they nave gone to
heaven. She also saad tllal ner papy ii's,
| been SICK and sllc hau nc money Wlta Wll'en
| to get it medicine and food. The woman
was allowed to wash her hands anu was thcn
| taken in 4 coach to police headquarters and
arraigned before JUSTICE felouDc@, III
tie First District Police Court. sho
| tottered when led mo Ine court
| room, and was supported BY ex-Strect Con@
| missioner Witelihan and Patrick Whelihan.
| her two brothers. In answer to the usual
| questions she gave her name anu place OF
| residence.
| "Tuu are accused of killing your three
children" said the Justice, after telling Mrs.
| O'Conner that size could refuse to answer
any questions which would tend to criminate
herself. .--....,
| "Ies, killed them.'' she answered, quiet
]y, looking straieht into the fAce OF the
Justice. 'sThrec of then-1 am guilty"
| "Whcre WIS yonr llusband"' -.
ale and tie children were asleep:N
"What did you kill them for? Were they
| not good cliltlren?''
| "They were very good children. do not
| know what killed them for; wanted to
| send them to lleayeli."
| npr said SHE had not Deell very wei. WAS
+ pretty well Oltt OF my Neiltl S0Mcl!!HeS. stle
| rrrt;nptl NItH was mt able to take care OF