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

Michael Donnell, who was SEN
tenctd to thirty years in Sing Sing
prison, and has served ten of them,
for crime committed by his brother
James, will he released now, because
the deathhed confession Of his broth
cr, the real criminal. has heen indur-
sed as true by the district attorney.
Michael ODonuell's reputation as
Q worthless, Troublesome character
went far to coudemn him, yet he hsd
ideas Of duty aud self sacrifice 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, be only said, Hell die
soon, Jim will. Let him die in peace.
Then you can get me out. While he
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
han, who, with james O'Do inell aud
o man q med Kelly robbed Max G.
Stein, in his saloon at No. 40 East
Sixty-fourth street, in April, 1888.
| And on the night OF April8 last, pre-
cisely ten years after the crime was
committed, James O'Donnell confess.
ed chat he, and not his brother Mi-
ohasl, was Feehan' q accomplice. Fee
hans friends had applied for his
pardon, and on the day IL was granted
Feehan died in Sing Sing. Friends
took up . DonnelIs case year ago,
butt was not until q few days ago
that his innocence was made clear and
the district attorney decided to act.
James o Donnell, with Feehan and
Kelly, broke into STEMS saloon, rob-
bed the till, and 1hen the proprietor
came from his rooms in the rear into
the bar, held him up 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 Gre. The burglars fred in return.
! -a.:.heagh he did =o. ESo= :t, Ste:a
wounded James ODonnell erd Kelly.
They ran, crippled, but able to escape.
Feehan, unhurt and desperate, fred
dt Stein and closed with him. After
a rough and tumble struggle he broke
from the saloonkeeper and ran into
the arms Of policeman who was hur-
! rying to the saloon. Eeehan thus
was taken red handed.
James O'Donnell went to the house
of his mother and brothers, at No.
4l3 East Sixty.t third 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 be 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'Doanell-sesem-
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 Donrcll was not with him
on the night Of the burglary. O'Don-
nell, Zoo, made stout denial of guilt.
There was strong evidence tending to
establish an alibi, but it was regarded
as untrustworthy. Judge MARITIME
gave O'Donneli the maximum sentence,
and the man went to,Siog Sing.
Feehan would, not mention James
To- Donnell. He would bctray no one,
although he swore that Michael
Dopnell was not guilty. Michael
Donneli would not incriminate 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
I'ODonnell was "sent away to do
his brother ., ,bit,'' as the rest Of the
v.x.Lf -.