The Portland daily press., 1889-10-25
The man WHO KILLED MCKENNON
introduced himself to the Police by
the Above Description.
He Is Now Under Arrest But Has
Little to Say.
The Story of the Killing As 1t Was
Reported in Boster.

BOSTON. October 24.-About 1890 o'clock
this morning young man entered Police
Headquarters and inquired of Deputy;Super-
intendent Burrill If Superintendent Small
was to be seen. He was directed to the
latters office, and. opening the door, walked
in. Inspectors Watts and Houghton and
Clerk Ryan were inside, talking with the
Superintendent. Going up to the latter the
man said:
81 am the man that killed McKennon last
night and came to give myself up."
These words startled the group gathered
in the office, but the fellow was Immediately
placed under arrest and given into the hands
Of the two inspectors by Superintendent
Small. He is about 20 years of age and small
and slight, being but little over five feet in
hight had smooth face and was rather
shaboily dressed: He would say very little
about what he had done, evidently having
been told not to talk. His name, he said,
was John j. Toner, although he had been
called Jack Bean for long time by those
who knew him. His fathers name was
for their calling him Bean, but his mother
had always told him his name was Toner,
and she and his sister had always gone by
that name. When at home he lived with
them at No. II Camden street. The greater
part of his time, the police say, however, has
been spent at the West End.
He claims that he stabbed McKennon in
self f-defence, and his small stature justifies
that statement somewhat. The deed was
done with common pocket knife, he says,
which he threw into the street Immediately
afterward and then ran away. He took sup
per at home and slept there Wednesday
night This morning, however, he decided
to give himself up and not try to escape. He
would say nothing about the assault, and
seemed very nervous. and excited. although
he tried to appear calm and self-possessed.
Toner is well known to the police, and
about two years ago was sent to the house of
correction for larceny. He has two brothers
one bootblack on Howard street, and the
other bears an unenviable reputation, having
lately served four months in the house of
correction for breaking and entering house
at the West End. His name is Thomas Be-
han, or Toner.
A warrant will be issued for Toner'S ar
rest, on charge of murder, today, and he
viii be arraigned in court tomorrow. The
young man claims that he never saw McKen-
non before Wednesday, nor had anything to
do with him.
The story of the murder, as near as can be
learned, is that after Toner and McKennOn
had quarreled in a pool room on Dock square
over bet on the New York running rrces,
they walked across Dock square into Fame
uil Hall square, at the corner of North
Market street ana BenuallS S lane. Mcken-
non stopped and waited for Toner who fol-
lowed him, to come up. When the latter
reached him, McKennon asked him why he
was following him. The man said:
IL want that 50 that you took from me in
the pool ROOM"
McKennon replied that he had won the
money from him in an honest manner and
that he intended to keep it,
This angered the other man and he replied
"If you don't give me that So will get even
with you for it.
Tie young man once more requested his
$2 and this time he made movement as If
to draw something from his pocket. McKen-
non made a step backward.
"If you attempt to use anything on me-"
he said. 81 will strike you. and you'd better
not follow me any further"
Toner advanced to where McKennon was
standing and said:
II am going TO kill you if you don't give
me that S."
McKennon made move to strike the fel-
low, but before he could follow up the
movement the young man pulled a jack
knife from one of his pockets, and, rushing
upon McKennon. drove it up to the bilt right
under the left ear.
A colored man employed as carrier in the
market saw the stabbing and gave the alarm.