The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-22
FAMILY SECRET FOR YEARS.
a WIFE DISCLOSES HER HUS.
BANDS CIsIMES.
The Woman Says He Confessed Muir
der and She Charges Him With
KObbing New York Bank

The Woman Says He Confessed Muir
der and She Charges Him With
| kobbing q New York Bank
The Philadelphia correspondent OF
( the Now York World says that after
many years Of apparently happy mar
| rled life, respected by neighbors and
friends, Mrs. Rosa Mckinney has re-
| yealed most remarkable story, in
| which She charges that her hus sband
| admitted to her that, while robbing u
house in Irvington- on- the Hudson, N.
Y, he committed murder. Fear Of
her own life, she says, moved hor to
inform the police. Since his arrest
stolen bonds and other property have
boon found In their house, and some Of
the articles have been identified as be-
longing to John Wendell, of No. 442
Fifth avenue, New York.
Mrs. Mckinney told her remarkable
story to The World correspondent to-
day. She said:
L have been'married twonty years,
and during that time | have had no
happiness. My husband always kept
mo in deadly fear Of him, and it was in
fright that l ran from this house last
Monday night and went to the police
and told the story Of my husbands
crime. If he should get out of prison
would not stay here another minute,
for l know he would carry out the
threat he often made to kill mo. About
the killing OF q man at Irvington in
1874 know nothing except what my
husband told mo. This was not told
mo until sOmo time after our marriage.
After that l did not know OF him
doing any wrong until in November,
l,il
delrs house as caretakers. Before
that time my husband had worked for
numerous families in Now York, in
Guiding Lawyer Parsons, as coachman.
Leaving this place, we went to Ireland,
and my husbands folks urged him to
buy a little farm. He did so with bOr-
rowGd money, and to this | lay all the
trouble.
"After that my husbands great de-
sire was for money, and when ne saw
his opportunity in the Wendell house
he said it was the chance Of his life. |
tried 10 coax him not to commit the
crimo and was on the point of going
to Mr.. Wendell and telling him about
my husbands intention, but my hus
band threatened to kill mo if opened
my mouth, and as he had once shot at
me feared him. One day he entered
Il room where bonds and coupons were
Nept in a tin box aud he took them
out. Then he stole some other things
and we hurried out Of the house. He
had had trouble with the Wicndells
ana had tbrea:ened to leave. For a
fcw days we stayed in town, and when
my husband failed TO SEQ anything in
the papers about the rJbhcry he made
plans for trip to Ireland. There We
remained until last November, whom,
having sold the farm, we returned to
this country and came to Philadelphia.
UP TO our arrival horc not one Of
the bonds or coupons was turned into
cash, and my husband and ! planned
to go into q little business, such AS
milk, butter and eggs, at the house. L
coaXed him to return tho bonds and
other stolen property. He had no idea
then as to how to dispose Of the cou-
pons and bonds, but in March last he
found out and realized 81, 500 on q
ST., 700 bond. Then he disposed OF
another through an auction firm for
81 400, but he had not collected th;.t
amount when he was arrested.
with SO much money in his posses
sion feared him moro than ever, and
lie treated INC iiUra cruelty than ever.
On the night | exposed him he had
made me sit in a corner, and threaten
ing to kill me il | moved he demanded
to know how much money would take
and leave him and never open my
mouth about his doings. When did
not answer he walked into another
room, and as | thought he had gone
after a big rifle be always kept in the
house, | became fearful that ho in
tended to kill me and rushed out Of the
house. dc had simply driven me to
deperatlon, and | could not stand it
any lOngor."
The rifle Mrs. Mckinney referred to
and box Of cartridges that weighc d
about twenty-five pounds wore seen by
The World representative in the be d
room Of Mckinney and his wife, where
they had been kept ever since tho fam,
| lily returned from Ireland. The bed
room contains an expensive set 0
furniture, with dainty cushions and
other furnishings. An especially )
pretty apartment is tho parlor. with
extravagant plush furniture and costly
carpet and collection OF pictures II
| heavy gold frames. The dining room
is furnished in oak. Tho McKinnc,
home Is only two stories high, but it Il
with pretty white and blue striped
awnings at all the windows.
After Mrs. Mckinney had told hc
story to Special Officers William G
Pastre and Mcfarland ut the police
station, the officers went to the Nc
Kinney residence and wero admitted
by tho husband. He was told that hi
wife was st tho police station complain
Ing that ho had threatened hcr life
and that he had better go there ant
fix it up with her. The officers had NJ
right to arrest him in his house, nnG
wore dcsirous Of getting him out. Nc
Kinney said he would not go TO his
wifo and that he was aware that the
officers could not arrest him. Then h,
said that if the officers had nothing
else to soy they could leave.
Officer Pastre did not want to MAKE
q movo that would lose them the
much-aCcused man, SO they left the
house. Mcfarland wont back to tht
station TO tell Mrs. Mckinney to return
home, and PaStrc remained near tn,
house to watch the husband. In few
minutes the latter appeared at hi
| lnnlfnl and 1ntun th,