New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-19
ROPE FOR A BRUTAL FATHER
CITIZENS OF NEWARK NEARLY LYNCH
A CHILD-BEATER.
QUICK WORK BY THE POLICE SAVES THE FELL
Low FROM SUMMARY PUNIsHMENT-oNE
OF THE CHILDREN BADLY INJURED
BY A FLOWER POT-TIiE
MAN AN EX-CoNvICT.

MAN AN EX-CoNvICT
An attempted lynchng of a brutal husband and
father was barely frustrated by the police In Newark
last night John Mcconnell. laborer. forty-hve
years 3D. lives with his wife and several chiiureh d.
No 15s Hennington-st. The neighborhood Is poor
one and contains OF the lowest class OF people
Mcconnell Is noted for his brutality 10 MS fainiy
when he in liquor and he has frequently aroused
the Indignation OF the neighborhood. Mrs McCoh-
nell a hard working woman, was away from her
home when her husband. who was Intoxicated, re-
turned. He was in an ugly mood, ana MS chiluren'
Willie. six years old. and Mary eleven years olu'
shrank from him. A few words with the chldreh
aroused his rage. He picked up heavy strap WIN
a steel buckle the end, and struck the boy IN the
face cutting him badly with the buckle. Mary see
ing the blow and her little brother covered WITH
blood screamed and caught hold OF her father 10 re-
strain him. Mcconnell then turned on her The
child fed 10 the door. when he seized mower POI
and hurled It at her. striking her on the head Inc
flower pot was broken by the blow. and the child
dropped TO her knees with a deep cash four inches
long on her head from which the blood deuged her
dress She struggled TO her feet and staggered out
of the door. followed by her brutal father
In the mean time. Willie had made his escape from
a rear door The neighbors were In the street ana
hearing the chldrens cries rushed to the house saw
ing Mary from further harm. Mcconnell appeared
at the door when a crowd began to assemble lie
was seized and dragged into the street the angry
crowd were beginning to kick and cuff him. when
man appeared with a cothesline In his hand ana
shouted: Lets Lynch him."
The cry taken up by the crowd, ana the
brute was the centre of a surgng mass when Patrol
man Powiess forced his way to Mcconnell ana
seized him The officer was roughly handled. put
managed 10 get his prisoner TO fence and de-
Tended him with his club. The mob pressed closely,
and fearing he would be overpowered the oflcer
drew his revolver and threatened to shoot He re-
heated the threat three times receiving kicks and
blows aimed at Mcdonnell In the meantime. word
had been conveyed to the Third Precinct station,
and the reserve OF men appeared at the scene IN
a patrol wagon The officers pushed their way
through the crowd. made a Gordon around McCon-
nau and forced the exhausted man TO the patrol
wagon The policemen had TO fight their way
through 10 the wagon. which was driven of TO the
Third Precinct Station. whore Mcconnell was locked
nm The child. Mary, was taken to the station
where her wound was dressed by surgeon.
Ncighbors cared for the boy until the mother re-
turned ,, 49,, A..
nenItentiary where ne served term OF six months
for brutally beating his wife and children. Mrs.
Mcconnell said when she returned home that her
husband earned sl2 or sl4 a week wien ne worked,
hui ne was idle and dsspated most OF the time.
and she had 10 labor hard TO support the children.