Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-03
NEW JERSEY.

\ Ghastly Sacrffce-ADespoaden Moth
 Deliberately Stays Her Children
 Wishing to Send Them to Heaven.
 JERSEY C1TY, July 2.-Mary O'Connor, married woman, aged thirty-seven years, and wife of James O'Connor, carpenter, was lying on lounge in the captains room at the Fourth precinct station house this morn ing. Her hands were covered with blood and she seemed to be in semi-dazed condition. On the sergeant's desk lay a razor, the blade of which had fresh traces of blood upon it. With this weapon Mary O'Connor killed three of her five children at No. AZ Water avenue, Jersey City Heights, between 3 and o'clock this morning The murdered children were: David, aged eight years; Francis, aged four years, and Edward, aged two years. The family lived on the upper floor of the build ing, in three rooms which show every trace of poverty, and the picture presented this morning was appalling. In the northeast corner of the front room stands a bed, and upon this the mother and youngest child slept In the opposite corner is a crib for the two other children, and a mattress spread upon the floor in front of the crib served as resting place for the father. Back of the room is kitchen and another small bedroom in which slept two other children.
 The story of the murder is as follows About twenty minutes past 8 o'clock this morning O'Connor was awakened by the cry of one of the children, and thinking that the little one wanted drink of water he got up, went into the kitchen and turned up the light, which had been burning low. As he turned to go back into the room he placed his foot on something vet and cold. Turning the light toward the spot he WAS mortified to see the body of the baby lying on the floor and surrounded by a pool of blood. MT. O'Connor does not know how he put the lamp down nor how he got into the street His cries for help brought Officer Haines to his assistance, and the two men ascended the stairs, passed through the kitchen and small passage way into the front room, where Mrs. O'Connor stood at the table with the razor still in her hand and the blood dripping from the blade. In the crib lay the boys David and Francis, their throats cut from ear to ear end similar wound caused the death of the baby. Mrs. O'Connor was taken to the Fourth precinct station. County Physician Converse proceed ed to question her for the purdose of deter mining her mental condition. She answered nationally, although with an effort. giving her name and address. The oOcboT sasAeo Ac1 where the children were, and she said, They are dead; killed them witha razor." She told the doctor that the baby had been sick and that she had no means to provide for 1t. In answer to further questions the woman said that she had been suffering fRom malaria and was frequently troubled with headache. The doctor told the captain that the woman had better be taken to headquarters and sent to jail. From the position of the beds 1t is evident that in order to reach the two older children Mrs O'Connor reached across the prostrate body of her husband, but he slept too soundly to be awakened until the oldest boy screamed.
 Mrs O'Connor, when arraigned before Justice Peloubet this morning, said that she wished to send her children to heaven. First she used a knife, but finding it too dull took