The San Francisco call., 1896-04-19
FLYNN DECLARES
HIS INNOCENCE,
The Accused Man Says He
Is a Victim Of Cir
CumStanceS.
NO FURTHER EVIDENCE.
The Police Rest Their Case on
the Testimony Of the
Child's Mother.
FITZGERALD MAKES DENIAL.
Preliminary Hearing Tc.Morrow Pro.
vided Mrs. Browning Is Able
10 Be Present.

child born to q Mrs. Browning last Mon
day morning, and of which he is said to
be the father. continues to protest his
absolute ignorance and innocence of the
crime.
The accused man now goes little fur
ther than this by declaring that if crime
was committed in the Browning house
hold that lady's sister is either entirely
responsible or has some guilty knowledge
of it.
Flynn further says that he defies any
one to prove that he was in the remotest
way instrumental in causing the death of
the child found in the vacant lot on Market
street, near Twelfth. He admits that the
circums tances are against him, but con-
tends that in time everything will be made
clear.
The police have so far Jailed to discover
any additional evidence against Flynn.
They endeavored yesterday, but without
success, to find the owner of the satchel,
which the unnatural murderer, whoever
it may be, sought to convert into coffin
for the newborn child of sin.
There was nothing to show that it be-
longed to Flynn. and there was equally
little to connect the ownership with either
and Captain Lees relies solely upon the
statement of Mrs. Browning that Flynn
was the father of the child, and that he
took it from the house for the avowed pur-
pose of committing it 10 the care OF some
founding asylum.
"As | have before stated" said Flvnu
yesterday, II am the victim of most pc
culiar combination of circum stances 1t
is difficult, of course, for people to under
stand that l only entertained a platonc
friendship for the woman because l as
sisted her financially at various times.
~ first met Mrs. Browning about twelve
months ago. We kept company for quite
a while, and then one day she told me that
she was not physically able to be more
| than friend. wanted to marry her. not
that entertained any particularly strong
| passion, but that l was a widower with
two children, and needed some one to care
| for them. Then 1t was that she told me OF
her condition.
knowing that she was the mother of
two children, one girl OF l6 and the other
boy some years younger. and believing
that she needed help, | assisted her when
ever could. At various times l have
given her money-$10, $15 or $40, accord
| ing to the size of my own purse. | did
this solely because | felt sorry for her,
though it is evident now that my kindness
was misplaced.
''On the night the child was born 1
called on Mrs. Browning and found her i'll.
She said that she had been sick since Fri
day and Immediately went in search of
a physician. 1 found Dr. Quigley and
giving him my card requested that he go
Immediately to see Mrs. Browning. The
story of how he visited the house and deliv-
cred the mother of the child has already
| been told and of course, need not be gone
over now. l can only repeat what l said
last night, that l know absolutely nothing
of any child being born to her, except
what has been told me. Il the child aban-
doned was hers then the responsibility
rests with her.
''To me it is very plain. The child was
left in the vacant lot and then traced to
her by the laundry mark on the towel, or
else the attending physician reported the
matter to the police. In anv event she
and her sister saw that they were in for it
and at once concluded TO shift the whole
responsibility on me. How successfully
they have done this is readily seen.
"Some comment has been INDUCED in.
so / understand, over the fact that re-
Gently changed lodging houses. 1t is true
that did change my lodging-place, and |
was forced to, on account of not being able
to pay the rent. This is an embarrassing
thing to say. I know, but it is none the
less true. Now about the satchel OF. valise
in which the baby was found On the
night / visited Mrs. Browning had lust
81, and l got it on pawning my two
| satchels.
81 owed my former landIady, on Third
| street, 81, and she kept my mail as sort of
guarantee. I expected some important
letters and the only way that could get
them was by paying the balance of the
rent. l pawned my valise for So, paid nv
| landlady 81 and started for Mrs Brown
! ing's with the balance in my pocket. AS
/ only owned two valises it is impossible
for the one containing the baby to belong
to me. OF course, can't see how [ am 70
get out of this at the present time, but
am sure that in the end all will be made
clear"
A CALL man visited a gentleman yester.
day who has known Flynn for several
years and been clearly identified with him
in several enterprises. His name, by his
request, is suppressed until the prelimi.
nary hearing, Monday or Tuesday next.
| He said:
! 81 have known John T. Flynn init.
matelY. / regarded him and he me as a
brother. Yet were he guilty of the offense
charged would not shield him. would
not shield my own son were he guilty OF a
similar crime.
Il know him to be charita BILE, even
when he needed the small sum which his
limited means would permit him to con-
| tribute to worthy cause. know him to
| be of kind and cheerful nature, making
| life pleasure rather than a hardship. I
have known him to protect a boy OF ten
der years who was being abused by burly
ruffian. He did not only protect the child,
! but volunteered to prosecute the man and
| convicted him.
81 remember an instance when he called
] on me and asked me to give him 80 cents