New-York tribune., 1891-12-24
NEWS FROM NEW-JERSEY.
PATERSON.

does THE FATHER OR son TELL THE TRUTH
The case Of John n. o'Conor, the Paterson ma
chnist charged by his little stcpson Ernest Berry
with throwing him into the Passac River from the
Fyfh-avc bridge last Saturday night is most mys-
teious affair and tho Is investigated the harder
Il becomes TO determine whether the man actually
was guilty Of a most cruel attempt on tho life OF the
little child or wtetkcr boy six years old has coF
cocied one of the most extraordinary and plansiOio
tales born tho fertile brain of an accomphsc"
romaacer The story told by the little boy ana re-
peatcd since reporters who have been following up
tho case does not vary q hair from his account as
gwen four times after he found in the rSer-frsu
TO his rcScuers, next to the police again at 'e HOS
pital, when no haiascep from dose ot NOR
paine and then in the Recorders courtroom on suhoS
morning. lie has not the look manner OF an uh-
truthful boy, ana everybody who has seen or talked
with him Is impressed with his lo'aoie ana H"A'
nature.
Ho certainly was found the middle Of the Passaic
River at the foot Of the bridge pier he certainly mad
not been there than few minutes: ne hid iei'
his home about three miles away, not more thah an
hour before The boys story If his stcpfather could
not account for his dongs in the two hours that ne was
ahsent from his wife at her home that night, is so
clear and straightforward that ii would probably con-
vict o'Conor before any jury.
Rut the stepfather does account for his actions
during that period, and he sets mp strong alib lie
ieft the house at z 40 p. The mother docs not
An she knows IS thst Ernest and his stepfater let uo
house about the same time. To get to the FItiraVc'
bridge with the tastes: kind of walking, is something
oConor could hardly done before or ;lo O'Clock
lie says he left the house at 40 and his vile aHAeu
him TO bring home rice lie did bring homc
rice He SAYS that he went into Demarests auction
store in Main-st at 10, and bid on some pictureS'
Demarest says that OConor there that nght some
where between and 8. Then he stopped at candy
stand and bought some candy; this is not confirmed.
Next he went 10 Swifts meat store. III haiIst', hc
saws and bought some meat. \ salesman ~ Cowon's
store saw OTonor there that night, although nc eahot
rx the time. From there OCOnor says he Went 70
J. {. Hopper's grocery further along Malnst. ~
was lust about this time that he SAYS ne sci ms "tch
nj s 40 by the clock IN IaVerdcks Jeweity stoIe,
and he asserts moreover that his wife anu hlS sOI
passcd Iioppers store while he was In there ana that
they looked in. In !lOppeT's place OCOnOr Dough'
fae rice bat his wife sent him for IhS Is positive.
And the clerk says further that this WAS somewhere
between :15 and SO. IL was only few minutes
after that time that the boy was found IN the nVer
about three miles away. go , ,,X. t.,,
O'Conor is n Scotchlnan. short and slight WIN
henevolent blue ewes. He has lived Ill Paterson
thirty wears, is we'll spoken of by shopmates ana
Others :gho know him, and until now has borne an
inhIemished character q citizen. " OConor Is u
member OF the United Presby teitan Church, In Sml
81 and one of its trustees. lie Is out on Sl,oUo
hail which was furnished before Judge Hopper ne
continues 10 deny most earnestly the charge maae Dy
the boy.