The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-04-16
Murder Of Chunl.

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hanged for the murder of John Nc
andrew, his bosom friend at Titus
Vile on July 4, 1894. The sentence
was commuted to life Imprisonment
at Riverside.
On the night that Mcdonnell start
ed for the ball to meet his sweetheart
ne was IL years and months old. He
is now an old man at SO.
Circumstantial evidence and wrang-
ing between the attorneys engaged
for McDonnell's defense resulted in
his conviction. At the time of the
trial he was too young to appreciate
the gravity of his situation One day
about fifteen years ago a sheriff went
to McDonnell's cell and read death
warrant to him. He couldn't believe
1t was genuine. Then few days later
the boyish prisoner was informed
tnat he had received a communication
'of sentence to life Imprisonment.
"Pshaw!" he said. "Why not re-
lease me altogether. for sooner or H.
ter everybody will learn that am in
nocent?"
MOther's Rare Visits.
But it takes the world a long time
to find out certain things. Freddies
parents had no money with which to
prove to the world. and particularly
the courts, that their son was inno-
cent. Indeed, the aged mother of Nc
Donnell Ms seen him only twice in
six yearsf 1t was the lack of trans
portationSat kept the heartbroken
parent from her son. Then, how
could she possibly raise money nec-
essary to put up battle for his lib
erty?
IF there is a single innocent man
in the Western penitentiary," said
a man who was released from that in
stitution yesterday, "it is Mcdonnell
Its shame. He is innocent of the
crime of murder, 1T keeps it all to
himself. 'Ninety-nine out of 100 con-
victs will swear they are innocent
is all Mcdonnell says. Then what is
the use of my saying anything? 1t
would simply make the other prison.
ers grim"
Although Mcdonnell has been away
from Titusville for fifteen years he
has more friends there today than be-
fore his arrest Many of these friends
will have his case presented to the
state board Of pardons at it's next
SSo0Aoh. IoSlo nave Uccll SSCuItu Cal.
culated to overcome all the testimony
produced by the commonwealth at
McDonnells trial.
There are but few of the many wit
nesses who appeared for the state in
McDonnells case now living. One
policeman who was the strongest wit
ness against Mcdonnell, was shot:
another met with all injury which
caused his death, while a third officer
died suddenly. Several other wit
nesses for the prosecution have also
died. The witnesses for the defense
are all living. This popularity is
the cause for much gossip among the
people of Titusville inclined to be
superstitious.
Story of the Murder.
On July 4, 1894, Titusville held a
large Independence Day celebration,
which brought $4,000 strangers to the
town. At 9:15 o'clock that night
young Mcdonnell had an engagement
to meet his "girl" at dance. When
near the ballroom a policeman STEP
ped from doorway and said: Il
want you-have been looking for YOU"
Mcdonnell was taken to the lookup
and placed in cell. On the follow
ing morning he was told he was ar
rested for the murder of John Mean
drew, bis chum.
McAndrew had been stabbed and
beaten to death a short distance from
his home. The fact that Mcdonnell
had an encounter with gang of boys
who annoyed him on the Fourth of
July night was responsible for the
alleged false accusations which led to
his arrest and Imprisonment.
An unfortunate Encounter.
1t was at $3.50 o'clock, while Nc
Donnell was passing the point near
where McAndrew was killed. that a
gang of boys standing at Walnut and
South Kerr streets began to throw
lighted firecrackers at him. He re-
sented the attack and the gang chased
him. Pursued by his tormentors Nc
Donnell ran down an alley. scaled a
back fence and then ran through sew
eral back yards. eluding those in pur-
suit. After he had sidetracked the
gang and was on his way to the ball
he was arrested.
1t was shortly after the chase that
young McAndrew was found dead un-
der a tree. His body bore several
klllle cuts. bruises ana ldCefdtlOnS.
The leaves OH the tree, high above
McAndrew's body. were bloodstained.
The clothing of the corpse indicated
that the pockets had been searched
and the robbery actuated the crime
When Mcdonnell was arrested
there was nothing that had belonged
to MlcAndrew found OH his person. A
close search was made for weapons
near whel. McAndrew's body lay. but
none We're found. Six days later
pocketknife was found in the grass
near the scene Of the tragedy One
witness for the commonwealth iden-
titled the knife as McDonnell's. AL
though the knife was supposed to
have lain in the wet grass for almost
a week it's blades were bright and free
from rust. Mcdonnell declares and
so testified at his trial that he never
owned a pocketknife.
On July 6 young McAndrews wal
let was found in a backyard near the
scene of the murder. The yard was
in the rea: of Clark's grocery on Wal
nut street and employees of the store
who had carefully cleaned the yard
of rubbish the day before claim that
the pocketbook would have attracted
their attention had II hoon thor, ut