Daily Republican., 1880-07-03
THIRD EDITION.
ARERRlBLE TRADGEDY.
An Insane woman I'm Jersey City
Murders Her Three Children
with n Butcher Knife.


Murders Her Three Children
with q Butcher Knife.
JERSEY CRY, N. j., July 2.-Mary
0'Connor, As years old, living at No.
As Walter avenue, this city, murdered
her three children at 2 o'clock this
morning, by cutting their Threats with
a razor. She says she first tried to kill
them with carving knife, but she did
not succeed. Edward the youngest lay
in the bed with her. She killed him
first, then went to a crib, in which
were the two oldest children, David,
aged years, and Francis, aged Al, and
murdered Francis, be being on the side
Of the crib nearest her bed. Her hus-
band all this time lay on the floor at
the foot Of her bed asleep. He was
awakened by the dying struggles OF
his eldest child. When he saw what
his wife had done he ran out Of the
house crying.
Mrs. O'Connor has been i'll three
months with malarial fever; had grown
very respondent, and feared the ex.
penses of her sickness would bring her
family to starvation. Her husband, a
sober, industrious man, was, devoted to
her in her illness, and chserfully pro-
cured every comfort.
He tells the following story was
sleeping on the floor Of the front room,
and my wife was in the bed with the
baby, Freddie, two years old, while
frankie and David, aged FIVE and eight
years, were sleeping in the back room.
| was startled by child's cry and a
smothered groan coming from the back
room, SO sprang up and hurried in
there. As passed the door my foot
slipped on the wet boards. II was so
dark that could not see anything, and,
taking a match from the box. lit it.
The sight l discovered set me wild. In
one corner lay the dead body of
the Oldest boy, and across the bed
tick saw the bloody fAre of the baby
and Frank. Their night clothes were
red with the horrible stains, and their
little faces were stiff and stark in
death. In one corner Isaw the crouch
ing form Of my wife, with the blood
stained razor in her hand. She was
looking at the floor. l was paralyzed
with fright and ran to the hallway
shouting " murder! For Gods sake,
help! Police!" / ran down stairs and
up the street shouting to all the neigh
bors that the children were dead.
was afraid to go back to the room, for
the horrible sight seemed to be ever be.
fore my eyes. can't tell why Mary
did this horrible daed. We always lived
happily and never had any trouble.
The mother was taken from the scene
of the murder by several of the neigh
bors and Captain Montague, to the
Fourth Police Precinct station, where
she was secured until daylight, and
thence removed to the police headguar-
ters.
When asked by the Court If she
knew what she had done, she answered,
"Yes, sir T.; could not do for them, so
/ sent them to Heaven. don't expect
to live long, and they are well off now"
When the question was asked what
she killed them with she said, "First
took the knife, bat that was not sharp
enough, so took the razor"
In reply to the inquiry, when she
made up her mind to kill them, she
answered, "Not until that very moment
when ] got up" She appeared very
weak in body, and to all external ap-
pearances seemed to appreciate the sit
ustion. She answered all questions
asked her by the physicians in clear
and composed manner. After they b ad
finished she was held by the Court for
further examination, and remanded to
the county jail.
Large crowds have congregated about
the premises where the deed was com.
mitted, andaaan extra detail of officers
was stationed on the street to keep tie
curious from entering the house.