Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-11
DRIVEN BY DESPAIR,
A Young Man Commits Forgery to
Support His Dying Sister,
MOTHER, AND TWO SICK BROTHERS.
He is Committed to the County Jail Under
an Assumed Name.
PATHETIC STORY OF A BRILLIANT MAN

PATHETIC STORY OF A BRILLIANT MAN
A heart-broken mother and her two boys
who are just recovering from an attack of
typhoid fever, occupy second-svory back
room in large house at 199 Fulton street,
Allegheny. Her eldest son, who has been
the only support of the family for five years,
who was the husband, father and loving
brother, had been missing since December
IS, and yesterday his mother learned that
since December 21 he has been occupying
cell in the county Jail, charged with forgery
and false .pretense.
The case is particularly sad one, and
there was cause for committing crime, or
rather mitigating circumstances if the boy
is really guilty of the charges against him.
Marian C. Turrell was a professor at the
Holy Ghost College in this city until about
year ago, when his health failed, and the
doctor ordered him to travel or secure out
door employment. His sister Glare was
teacher and her health failed also, and
she was compelled to give up her
position. They had been the only
support of their mother and two younger
brothers. The family were in very straight
ened circumstances, and one by one the ar
ticles of furniture that once filled beauti-
full home were disposed of to provide
necessaries of life for the family until now
only one room is furnished, and the family
are compelled to give up that room. The
reason is not given, but it is presumed that
the owner has not received rent for the same.
When young Turrel was compelled to
give up teaching he secured employment as
a book agent for Kunz s. Co., of 62 Fourth
avenue. He was not a success, that is, he
could not earn enough to support the family
and provide his invalid sister with the
medicine and delicacies that she required,
and from a lack of these necessaries she is
now dying in a hospital, having been re-
moved to the institution week ago, when
all hope of ever hearing from the missing
son and brother had been exhausted.
STRUGGLES AND A LETTER.
A sewing machine in the room showed
how Mrs. Turrell had been enabled to pro-
vide for her two boys during their illness,
and BY careful nursing she saved the life of
the eldest, bright lad of Il, when the doc
tor said he could not recover. She worked
hard, hoping to hear from her son, but the
only missive that came was one dated at
Kittanning and mailed on December q, at
which time her son was in jail awaiting
trial for the crime mentioned above. He
evidently expected to be released, as he
would not write to his mother telling her of
the charges against him. The letter is as
follows:
KITTANNING, Pa, December q, 1888.
DEAR MoTHER-I was unable to come down
on Wednesday evening, although was exceed
ingly anxious to concerning Clare. hope to
be with you next week. Snow has been falling.
Old winter seems to be setting in to stay. No
doubt YOU experience the same. Did Carrie
apply for the school? But it is futile to ask
the question, as l can both ask it and get the
Nv health is good, Notwithstanding slight
cold IN the head which has troubled me ever
since left you
That the Great Healer may lay His finger
upon our suffering cherub, that the All Power.
full Father may be with you all to guide and
guard is my earnest prayer.
Most affectionately,
Your son,
NJ.
When q DISPATCH reporter called at
Mrs. Turrell's residence last night, he was
ushered into the only occupied room in the
house, and the first words the woman
uttered were; "Do you bring me news of
nv poor boy?" She then burst into tears
and could not speak for several minutes.
The room, which served as a kitchen,
dining room and bed room, was we'll fur
nished. The two sick boys were asleep on
bed lounge. A large picture of hand
some young man hung on the wall, and di-
rectly opposite was picture of beautiful
young lady. They were the pictures of
Mrs. Turrell's son, who is in Jail, and
HER DAUGHTER, WHO Is DYING.
in the hospital. The little boys were Sleep
ing quietly and knew nothing of their
mothers great grief.
The story of her sons crime is given in
her own words:
81 thought he was dea6until this morning,
when Burgess Mccormick, of Tarentum, called
and told me that he was in jail. He had gone
to that place after he left home and began to
collect money for a Catholic university at
Washington, D. c., and also a Catholic church
at MeyeIsdale Pa. He had credentials from
McEyoy. These, they claim, were forged,
and 1 guess they were. BE gave his |
name as John McDermott and was sent
to jail. He would not divulge his name and |
residence, but only said he was the only support
of widowed mother. My poor boy knew it |
would break my heart if knew what he had |
done, for he never did anything wrong in his |
life 1t is hard to believe him guilty of crime.
would rather have received news OF his death; |
anything but that he had taken what did not |
belong to him. He was driven to desperation, |
no doubt, because he knew how we were situ- |
ated and poor Clare was so ill and the boys sick
with typhoid fever. He did it for US but oh |
wish he had let us starve rather than have COM |
mitted crime"
maybe it is not your son that is charged |
with the crime. Possibly mistake has been |
made" said the reporter.
There is no mistake; the description the |
gentleman gave of him to-day is SO perfect |
that it is impossible to be mistaken"
NOT so EASILY BORNE.
"Will you visit the jail in the morning to see |
your son? He may be able to make an ex-
PLANTATION"
Visit my son in jail? Oh, no, could not see |
him behind the cold bars. 1t would kill me |
and him too / do not know what to do l !
have forgiven him and will now try and bear |
my trouble. Mr.. Kunz, who employed my son,
agreed to take my little boy to work in his |
Office and if he is able to go out tomorrow l |
will let him go and we may get along"
When asked about her previous history,
Mrs. Turrell said:
"My husband, w. ID. Turrell, was a farmer
and we lived very comfortably in SusQuehanna
county until five years ago. Marion supported |
himself from the time he was IA years of age |
and educated himself with his own money. He |
is only 26 years of age and my invalid daughter
is %. When my husband died Marion secured
the OOsitiOn of nrincinal in the (Irnenw0Od |