Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-09-04
Boston Vaudeville Actor Ac-
knoWIedgeS Preparation of
One of the Most FiendiSh
Deeds in Annals of Crime,
HID VICTIMS MANGLED
REMAINS IN TRUNK
Suspicious Cab Driver FoiIS
ConSummation of Plan to
Take Corpse to Sea and
Dump it Overheard,

IBy Morning journal Special Leased WircI
Boston, Sept. "a brutal crime was
disclosed tonight bv the discovery of
the torso of Mrs. Honorah G. Jordan.
an actress, aged 23 years. of Somer-
vile, in a trunk in a boarding house
at Z Hancock street, on Beacon Hill
this city. Later the head and bones
of the limbs were found in the fur
mace of the Jordan home at Somerville
and the scalp. hair and other remains
were taken from the kitchen range of
the house. Chester Jordan. aged 20
years, an actor of Somerville, is held
by the police charged with the mur-
der and tonight. according to the Of
ficers, he made a complete confession
of the crime.
Jordan is brother of Mrs. Jesse L.
Livermore, wife of the well known
stock and cotton Spectator of New
York. His parents. Mr.. and Mrs. p. J.
Jordan, and sister, Mrs. Kendall,
prominent in Somerville society. live
in the latter city.
Mrs Chester Jordan was known on
the stage as Irene Shannon.
According to Jordan's confession, he
accidentally killed his wife Tuesday
night in eraFT3 at their home. and
becoming desperate over what he had
done, he went out and bought a
butcher knife, and with this knife. Il
razor and shears, he cut up the body
and placed the torso in a trunk He
then planned to take the steamer
Harvard, for New York last night and
throw the parts of the body overheard
The fact that the Harvard was laid
off disarranged his plans and he was
Obliged to hire a hackman to take the
trunk to a Boston boarding house to
await a more favorable opportunity.
The discovery of the crime was due
to the suspicious of the hackman,
George w. Collins, who had in mind
the numerous robberies which have
taken place about Boston recently, and
surmlsing from its weight that the
trunk contained sllverware. notified
the police Collins reported that he
had taken the trunk from the North
station this morning. il having come
in from Somerville on a local train.
The hackman stated he left Jordan
and the trunk this afternoon at No.
Hancock street
Sergeant Michael Crowley was de-
tailed to go to the house and investl-
gate. Jordan was not in, but the Of
flcer was shown the back room on the
second floor, which Jordan had en-
gagged and found the trunk. About
$50 Jordan returned and was COM
manded to open the trunk
Jordan did not appear nervous or
alarmed, but hesitated to open the
trunk. and it was not until after con-
siderable argument that he produced
the key to the trunk and inserted 1t in
the lock. Turning his head, Jordan
threw up the cover of the trunk and
then sank back on his knees, burylng
his face in his hands and sobbing.
Sergeant Crowley staggered back
aghast at the disclosure. for in the
open trunk before him laya sickenlng
mass of hacked flesh, woman's torso
filling the greater part of the trunk,
while pieces Of flesh from other parts
If the body were stuffed into the cor
ners. The entire interior Of the trunk
was bespattered with blood. There
was no covering of any sort over the
remains.
Jordan submitted to arrest without
protest and was taken to station No. 3
and locked up. Giving his name and
address he declared the body In the
trunk was that of his wife and said he
was perfectly willing to tell every
thing concerning the case.
For more than four hours Jordan
was closeted with the pollcee officials
and time after time went over the hor-
rible details. While processing that he
was dazed when the crime was COM
mitted. yet by the clearness and con-
ciseness of his tale, II seemed apparent
that whatever preceded the actual
killing, the most careful plans we're
laid for the disposal of the body and
the covering up Of the crime.
Jordans story of the murder was
substantially as follows:
He stated that he was married in
September. 1904. to Mrs. Honorah
Eddy whose maiden name was
O'Reilly and whose home was In Som
erville He did not know who his
wifes first husband was or what had
become of him. The couple went on
the vaudeville stage, Mr.. Jordan TAX
Ing the part Of a tramp and his wife
that Of a nurse in n sketch. They
went first to Butte. Mont, four years
ago. but only remained three or four
weeks. Later they went to Chicago
and appeared in some OF the smaller