The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-01-04
Ten Years in Jail for Brothers.
Crime.

tepc+d to thirty years in Sing Sing
prison, and has served ten Of them,
for crime committed by his brother
James, will be released now, because
the deathbed confession Of his broth
er. the real criminal. has been indor-
sed as true by the district attorney.
Michael O'Donnell's reputation as
worthless, troublesome character
went far to condemn him, yet he had
ideas Of duty aud elf-sacri6ce of his
own. At any time during ten years
he might have said that his brother
James was guilty Of the crime for
which he was serving, yet when he
knew that his brother had confessed,
months ago, he only said, HE III die
soon, Jim will. Let him die in peace.
Then you can get me out. While be
was under arrest for the crime his
brother was in hiding recovering from
wounds received on the night Of the
robbery with which Michael was
charged.
John R. Fellows, who convicted
Michael O'Donnell, is dead. So is
Judge Randolph B. MARITIME, who
sentenced him. So is Michael Fee
.hau, who, with James O'Do nell and
q man q med Kelly robbed Max G.
Stein, in his saloon at No. 40 East
Sixty-fourth street. in April, 1888.
And Oh the night Of April.8 last, pre-
cisely ten years after the crime was
committed, James O'Donnell confess
ed that he, and no. his brother Mi
chael, vas Feehan q accomplice. Fee
hans friends had applied for his
pardon, and on the day it was granted
Feehan died in Sing Sing. Friends
took up o Donnelrs case year ago,
but.it was not until few days ago
that his innocence was made clear and
the district attorney decided to act.
James Donnell, with Feehan and
Kelly, broke into Stems saloon, rob-
bed the till, and chen the proprietor
came from his rooms in the rear into
| the har. held him nm and went through
his pockets. It was easy work as long
as Stein was terrified and helpless,
and the robbers, believing him help
less from fright, remained in the bar
long enough to help themselves to a
drink.
But Stein got his revolver and open
ed ere. The burglars fred in return.
! Although he did not know it, Stein
wounded James O 'Donnell and Kelly.
They ran, crippled, but able to escape.
Feehan, unhurt and desperate, fired
at Stein and closed with him. After
rough and tumble struggle he broke
from che saloonkeeper and ran into
the arms Of policeman who was hur-
ryipg to the saloon. Feehan thus
was taken red handed.
James O'DoDnell went to the house
of his mother and brothers, at No.
413 East Sixty-th street. He was
bleeding from his wounds. AS be
fed from the saloon one of Stein
bullets lifted his hat from his head,
and he did not stop to pick it up.
He feared that it would assist the
police in tracing him after the trail Of
blood, which lie left for several blocks
ceased. He awakened his brother
Michael.
"You go back and get my hat,
Nike" he said. And 'Mike" went.
James and Michael 0'Donnell'resem
bled each other in those days. The
police and Stein were on the lookout
near the saloon. When Michael
O Donnell was within two hundred
feet Of the place he was arrested.
Stein identified him positively as one
Of the robbers.
Feehan, who pleaded guilty, and
had nothing to gain by his testimony,
having already been sentenced to
thirty years in Sing Sing, swore that
Michael o Donncll was not with him
on the night of the burglary. ODon-
nell, COO, made stout denial of guilt.
There was strong evidence tending to
establish an alibi, but it was regarded
as untrustworthy. Judge MARITIME
gave O'Donnell the maximum sentence.
and the man went to Sing Sing.
Fcchan would not mention James
O'Donnell He would bctray no one,
although he swore that Michael
0 Donncll was not guilty. Michael
C'Donnell would not incriminatc his
brother, though he could have saved
himself by doing SO, for James at that
time could have been produced, wound
ed by STEMS bullets. So Michael
O'Donnell was sent away to do