Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-15
FRIENDS BELIEVE
KELLY INSANE
PRISONER ON THE VERGE OF
NERVOUS COLLAPSE
HE MAKES FULL CONFESSION
No Charge Against Him In Philsdei-
phia, According to His ReIa-
tives-PoIice Asked to
Hold Him

Owen Kelly, the wholesale grocer and
capitalist, wanted in Philadelphia to
answer for defalcations amounting to
$5O.000 and who was arrested on Spring
street Monday night by Chief of Police
Hammel and Captain of Detectives
Bradish, is either on the verge of a
mental breakdown which the doctors
call nervous prostration, or he is sham
ming insanity in order that when he is
taken east to face his accusers his
lawyers may try to get him free by
making the well-worn insanity plea.
He ate nothing yesterday.
Kelly talked freely with the chief,
but broke down and cried many times
during the day when in his cell in the
city Jail alone. He begged the chief
with tears in his eyes that no one
should be allowed to interview Kim, as
he did not feel strong enough to stand
the strain. He further declared that
he would say nothing whatever to any
one should persons be admitted Chief
Hammel respected Kelly's wish and all
requests for interviews We're denied.
The accused man said that there was
just one man that he desired to see and
that was Bishop Conaty. Later he
sal he did not like to ask the bishop
~ come to the Jail and the priest did
not call yesterday.
Kelly is known in the Quaker city as
a devout Catholic and was prominent
in church and temperance work there.
Identity Established
Rumors have been circulated here
and several press dispatches have been
received from Philadelphia to the effect
that the Owen Kelly under arrest in
Los Angeles is not the man wanted in
the east.
Chief Hammel says that there is no
truth in these rumors. however, and
says that aside from the fact that the
man under arrest admits that he is the
defaulter and answers in every particu-
lar the description furnished the Los
Angeles department by the chief of de-
tectives of Philadelphia, he had papers
in his possession which prove his iden-
tity beyond all question
Kelly had been staying at the Ross
lyn hotel under the name of Bell. Yes
terday morning Captain Bradish ac-
companied Kelly to the hotel and went
to his room to get his personal effects
He had nothing but the clothes a man
would naturally take with him when
going OH long journey. His two suit
cases bore the labels of hotels, steam
ship companies etc, which showed that
he had gone from Philadelphia to Aus
tralia and then to San Francisco ex-
actly as he said the night he was ar
rested.
They Want Kelly
AS yet no specific charge has been
filed against Kelly, so far as the local
police know, but Chief Iamme re-
ceived a telegram from the superin-
tendent of police in Philadelphia which
said: 1--WE want Owen Kelly Arrest
him at once if he can be found and
hold him."
Kelly was closeted with the chief for
some time yesterday and Chief Ham
mel says that not once did he make a
break in his talk that would indicate
that he was not Owen Kelly, the de-
faulter. Kelly told of his speculating
I'm steel and losing something like
$6O,OoO.
Kelly is desirous of being taken to
as soon as possible and is
willing to go before the papers arrive |
remanding him there, but it is probable
that he will be in the city Jail for some
time as the requisition papers probably |
will come i'll the usual manner.