The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-21
TRIED TO MURDER A BOY.
OCONNoR THROWS HIS sIx-rEAR-oLD
r.a. sIE7S0s ESoH 4 rHrnaE
TIE Little Fellow Lssas On Sunken Sand
Bar IN the Fassaie. and ANer . Battle
with the F1osting Zee II Drawn Up will
q Fair or Renns By q STRANGER.

The Little Fellow Lsuds . Sunken Sand
Mar In the Psssaic. and After = Battle
with the Flosting Zee - Drawn Up with
. Fair OF Reins by . Stranger.
PATERSON. Dec 2o.-John Henry o'Connor.
aged Is years. boiler maker employed in the
Jersey City shops Of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. was arrested at midnight On Saturday
night for attempting to murder his stepson.
Bernard Wattbery. aged 9 yeara O'Connor
lives 9th his wife and the child at Ill Kear-
ney street He was married to Evangeline
Wattberry. widow. aged 80 years. last May.
They did not live happily from the flrst day Of
the union. and OConnor took q dislike to
his little stepson. believing he engrossed
all his wlfe's affections The dislike was
mutual When he tried to get the lad out
for walk on Saturday night II was only By
the most urgent persuasion that he succeeded.
The lad was alarmed at his stepfsther's un-
usual sood nature. Hs had previously half
starved Benny. Is the boy was called. feeding
him ON bread only. He would have died Of
starvation. II 10 said. had his mother not taken
their walk Saturday night he led the boy three
miles out Of the city to the Fifth avenue
bridge. Bernard objected to crossing II. fear
ing his stepfather meant him harm.
O'Connor then took the lad in his arms. car.
ried him to the centre of the bridge and threw
him Of The boy fell into the water twenty
feet below with q scream. He landed on .
sunken sand bar near the centre bridge pier
and called for help. The cries for help were
heard By three boys in the neighborhood.
They notified Vivian Alyea.. who was going
across the bridge. to his homo in Bergen
county. He took the reins from his horses,
tied them together. and threw O moose to the
boy. Bernard placed the .noose about his
waist and was drawn up to the bridge almost
unconscious and badly bruised By the masses
OF ice flowing down the river.
.Alyea wrapped the exhausted boy In horse
blankets and took him to the Alyea home
stead. The police and ambulance were called.
and Bernard was taken to St Joseph's Hospi-
tai where he lies In y .precartous condition.
O'Conpor returned to town. had his shoes
blackened and clothes brushed. and went
home. His wife was worried about her boy
and asked him to institute q search He
changed his clothes first and then refused to
leave the house until he had read to
his wife what he called an exciting and inter.
eating story. The story was about a. prince
who had married widow with one child. Her
offspring consumed 80 much OF her love and
attention that the prince became jealous. and
stealing the child. put him. to death. The
crime was never discovered until after his
death. After finishing the story he accom-
panied his wife. who was now thoroughly
alarmed. to the police station. They reached
IL just rs the police were starting in search Of
him. The mother was informed of the where
abOuts Of her child. and OConnor was imme-
diately locked IN for attempted murder.