The evening times., 1899-01-09
POLICE SAY LOVE LED
TO THE C0RC0RAN MURDER
MARY MoNAHAN ARRESTED
The Deed Alleged fo Have Been
Committed by the brothers of
the Infatuated Woman.

Wilkesbarre. Pa. Jan. 9.-Charged with
being the perpetrators of the Duryea muir
der of which NJ. F. Corcoran, hotelkeeper
and politician. was the victim, Miss Mary
Monahan and her two brothers, John and
Thomas. have been arrested. Miss Mona
han WAS Corcoran's housekeeper, and the
police assert that il was jealousy that
inspired the crime, she being in love with
her employer and made desperate by the
fact of his approaching marriage.
There is 2 fourth person under arrest.
charged with completely in the crime. and
il was upon his confession that the de-
teCtives arrested the Monahans. He is
David Williams. a member of the Willy"
band, of PiJtston, who says he was present
when Corcoran was shot and witnessed the
tying and gagging of Miss Monahan TO
avert suspicion from her
Corcoran was murdered on the morning
of December 3, and his safe, which usually
contained a considerable sum of money,
was rihed. Williams acted so suspiciously
after the crime that he was kept under
surveillance.
He says now that when he embarked in
the plot he thought COrcoran was to be
chlOroformed or sandbagged, and had 10
intention of being a party TO his murder.
His arrest came on Friday, and he made
this statement at once:
i tlg murder committed ana was III Inc
room n the Time in the street in the
vicinity of CorCorm'S residence on the morning
ui December >. between the hours Of l and ,
O'Clock, and was approached 10y Tie Monlhan
brothers aud few Others who are their com
paHons
The brothers told me that Corcoran had fight
and asked me 10 accompany them, which | did
Ne went 10 the house. and one OF the brothers,
think IL was Tom. knocked at the door, which
AVA, opened a few moments later by Miss Monahan.
The entire party entered the house and proceeded
stcalthily to the room where Corcoran sleep
ing. After entered the room John shot and
killed CorcoTan-
Another member Of the party then went into
the backyard. procured clotheslinc and bound
the legs and arms of the dead man, and putting
Nary on ihc bed tied her in like manner. but
very loosely They then turned their attention To
thc safe and opened it with hammer. chi-el- and
har and after securing the money divided it.
refused To take any Of the money, and could not
tell the amount obtained.
The detectives say that every detail of
Williams confession is complete. and that
he has given them facts which corroborate
the story.
1t is alleged that Miss Monahan, because
Of her love for Corcoran. conceived the idea
of the robbery which led to murder hoping
that the loss of the large amount of money
that she believed her brothers would get
would compel Corcoran to postpone his
marriage.
Who the other men implicated are is not
told by the detectives. but on Friday night
two members of the Willy" band were ar
rested on the charge of chicken stealing
and il is supposed they were concerned in
he murder.
Mrs. Patrick Monahan, mother of the ac-
cused persons. had no inkling to the fact
that her two big sons and comely daughter
were charged with any crime until she
heard Alderman Donohue read the war
rant last night Then her distress was pitt
ful. You can take the boys. but let Mary
come home with me-" she cried. Weeping
convulsively. she had TO be held by friends
while her children were conveyed TO the
jail They deny all knowledge of the
crime.