Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-15
Ex-POLICEMAN
BATTERS WIDOW
WITH BLACKJACK
Furious Onslaught by 0'DonneI
Results from Unmasking of
Deception of Girl.
MRS. COLLINS OBJECTED
TO DAUGHTERS CALLER
Discovered Former Third Pre-
cinct PatroIman Was Married.
Victim Critically Injured.

Mrs. Catherine Collins, widow, so
years old, was blackjacked in her home,
159 .Passaic avenue, today, and her
skull crushed to badly that she may
die, by John O'Donnell, a former police
man, who, on the representation that
he was John Clark, a salesman, for the
past two years had been paying atten-
tion to Miss Agnes Collins, the widows
pretty daughter.
After thrilling chase through the
streets, the assailant was caught after
he had boarded trolley car, and is
now prisoner in the Third Precinct,
to which he formerly was attached.
from whom it is said he has been
separated for about year
Two years ago O'Donnell, who is 40
years old, met Miss Collins, who is 25.
He told her, SO it is declared by mother
and daughtere, that his name was
John Clark, and that he was sales
man. The girl lived alone with her
widowed mother on the second floor
Made Many Visits.
O'Donnell, as Clark made many
visits to the home, and was the girls
accepted suitor. The mother received
him as such, although today she said
that there was something about him
that she always mistrusted He was
loath to talk of himself or his people
Whenever she tried to draw him out
on this he made evasive replies.
About two weeks ago one of Miss
Collins's girl friends told her that she
had better look up the record of her
sweetheart. 1t was intimated that he
was married. Miss Collins didn't be-
lieve the story, but her mother did, and
began an investigation. She learned,
she said. that her daughters caller
was a married man, and that he had
five children.
The next time that O'Donnell called
the mother called him by his right
name and accused him of duplicity.
There was a scene in the home The
daughter cried and then became in
dignant. She Joined with her mother
in the demand that ODonnell leave
the house.
He did so, protesting that he was in
nocent. Since that time he made sew
eral unsuccessful attempts to see the
girl and wrote her many letters which
were unanswered.
About 9 o'clock this morning Mrs.
Collins was alone, her daughter hav-
ing gone uptown shopping She saw
O'Donnell coming and bolted the door.
The next minute the door crashed in
and ODonnell stood before her and
demanded to see Agnes.
"She is not at home" said Mrs. Col
Inns in pacific tone, as she noted the
wild look in the mans face.
"You liei" said O'Donnell, and then
be drew from his coat a blackjack and
hit her over the head. Mrs. Collins
dropped on the floor with shrek,
while her assailant ran through the
rooms looking for her daughter. Not
finding her he returned to the attack
on the old woman and dealt her sew
eral more blows. Then he ran from
the house, leaving her lifeless on the
floor
The screams of the woman had been
heard by Mrs Bertha Baemeister and
on the floor below. They tried to block
O'Donnells way, but he bowled them
over and gained the street.
crowd Chases AssaiIant.
Mrs. Baemeister and her son gave
chase and their cries of 'Murder"
induced other to join. Fred Pearson,
who runs boathouse, led several hun
dred. many of whom were women. The
fleeing man ran up Mott street to Mar
ket street and then over Fillmore to
Ferry with the crowd in pursuit con-
stantly growing.
Fear gave wings to O'Donnelps fight
and, it looked as if he would out
distance his army of pursuers until
Bert Robinson, of 2S2 Ferry street,
and Frank Warner, of 3S Paterson
street, took up the chase. They were
fresh and O'Donnell was winded as he
dashed up Wall street into Algea street
and back into Ferry street. They We're
right on his heels when O'Donnell
leaped on a South Orange avenue car.
Robinson and Warner just missed the
car but ran after it and their cries
told the conductor, who had also noted
O'Donnells great excitement, that
something unusual had happened. He
stopped the car despite O'Donnells al
ternate pleas and threats that he go
ahead.
Patrolman McCarrick meanwhile
came up and ODonnell was dragged
from the car and hustled off to the
Third Precinct Police Station before the
angry crowd arrived.
After he had been booked Plain
clothesmen Brex and Adubato took
O'Donnell to the bedside of the woman
he had attacked. She was still con-
scious but in weak state. Physicians
who had been called said theer was
little hope for her owing to her age.
O'Donner was lined up with several
others for identification. The dying old
woman at once picked him out.
"That is the man," she said as she
pointed to ODonnell.
"Oh, Mr.. Clark, you meant to mur-
der me when you came here this morn
ing"
Then she sank back on the pillow un-
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