New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-09
WOMAN DEAD, WITH HEAD SPLIT
HER HUSBAND ARRESTED. SUSPECTED
OF KNOWING WHO DID THE ACT.

With her face split open by the blows of an
axe. and her skull crushed Mrs. Mary Ann Nc
Cusker. sixty years old. found murdered In
her apartment the third floor of a wretched
tenement house at No. 70 Thomas-st. early yester-
day morning Her husband Patrick seventy years
old is under arrest at the Leonard-st station on
suspicion of having knowledge OF the crime
McCusker went to the station house shortly after
a m. yesterday and reported to Sergeant Brown
that his wife was dead. He did say that she
had been murdered When Sergeant Frank re-
Heved Sergeant Brown soon afterward. he sent
Detective Mckenua and Patrolman OIpp 10 the
house to investigate the woman's death The DO
lceman found Mrs. McCusker. attred in a tattered
wrapper. lying diagonally across her bed with her
head toward the wall. i'm the condition already
spoken Of There was evidence of a struggle
and the blow had evidently been unexpected and
had stunned the woman 50 that she was incapable
OF crying resisting.
Her husband found pacing up and down the
other room. McKenna asked him what had hap
pened to his wife and he replied Some has
murdered her
Hidden In a corner behind the bed McKenna
found bloOdstained which McCusker admit
ted his. Questioned further. the old man said
he had a suspicion that the crime might have been
committed by former tenants with whom his wife
had had some trouble. The police say that Nc
Cusker had evidently been drinking Friday
night, and that he was very nervous when taken
into custody.
In the room ON the floor below in which McCus-
ker said he had slept McIIenna found a quilt
that spotted with blood. lie also found a coat
belonging TO Mctusker and waist that had been
the property of the murdered woman. These too.
stained with blood and were wet i'm places.
as If effort had been made 10 wash away the
telltale marks
When McCusker brought tn the station house
he taken into Captain q Bren's room. and
the captain put him through severe Cross-eXam i-
nation. The result seemed to strengthen the
opinion Of the police that Mrt'usker knew who
murdered his wife. There we've blood stains his
trousers. his waistcoat and his shirt hut
his ha nds He told the captain he kept
the axe that had been found a weapon he
used against burglars, or which he frequently
dreamed.
Later the police made a second arrest, on &C
count of a story told by McC'usker. lie said that
he awake on Friday night. when ne heard
moving in his wife's room. AS he went
TO find if anything wrong he
leaving the ROOM and recognized him
John Helm, a lunchman, now living at No. IS
Beach-st. but who at one time had lived I'm the
Thomas-st house. Acting on this story in which.
however little faith is placed. Helm arrested.
and together with McCusker taken to the TOmbs
Police Court where Magistrate Cornell remanded
them back to the Leonard-st. station until to-
morrow.
Captain O'Bren says that Helm called the
station house Monday and complained that Me
CuSker had ordered him to Vacate his room and
had refused TO allow him TO take his clothes with
him. A policeman sent with Helm. and man
his things. McCusker told the policeman there
had been a fire In Helms room. and lie had an
idea the latter had caused 10. Helm. Captain
o Brien SAYS is only in custody precautionary
measure as all the attending circumstances 40 20
disprove the story told bv McCusker.