New-York tribune., 1911-12-26
CULT LEADER ARRESTED
FOR SHOOTING HIS WIFE
Mcconnell Found in Office OF
Newspaper While Writing
Alleged Confession.
WOMAN NOT MUCH HURT
Magnetic Wireless Healer Is
Held for New Jersey-Wife
Says Another Woman Is
Partly to Blame.


old. a lecturer. who gave his address as the
Grand Park Hotel, Chicago, said by inc
police to have admitted shooting and sIsht-
ly injuring his wife, Mrs. Marion ID. NC
Connell. at her home Ia Ocean Grove y, D.
on Saturday night, was arrested last night
while sitting at a reporters desk IN inc
editorial rooms Of "The New York Times
by Detective Devoti. OF the West 4fh street
police station According 90 the police NC
Conneil was operating a typewriter wheh
arrested, and had written the folloWihg'
was forced to shoot The woman who was
my wife Absolute divorce was opialneu
last spring Not one word was SAID re-
garding the divorcee the night snot IVI
She has tried to vilify an innocent "oHan'
Beside the typewriter the detective said
he found "A slip Of paper on which was VIII
ten the following
Every person who has helped TO buiid my
work has been viliied by woman VINO
IS either hopelessly insane or a deSi6h!ils
fend When ! had made discoveries IN tne
electrical basis Of life which (three lllegiole
words years later
Mcconnell was taken 10 the West 4'th
street police station, where he was locked
up on charges OF felonious assault ana
being fugitive from justice. According 10
Detective Devoti. he said:
"T shot my wife because she was always
making me believe ! was insane. She
vilifes me TO different persons and has run
my character down. I don't want to go
back to New Jersey, for they will put me
back. as they did before. I want to get my
own lawyer
~l,.t a IL
revolver after shooting his wife, and. ac-
cord;ng to the d,tectlve, replied that ne
threw Il away in, "a wood near Lakewood
y. J.. while riding In an automobile that
he hired I'm Avon. y. J.. prior 30 going 10
his wife's home.
"Did YOU see her fall?' asked Detective
Deyoti.
NO" the prisoner IS said to have replied.
"She was about to fall when 7 ran out ot
the house and got into the waiting auto
mobile"
Mcconnell. the police say. declared he
came To New York city on Sunday night
arriving at the Hotel Grenohle. seventh
avenue and seth street about O'Clock.
The police have been informed, thoy say
that Mcconnell engaged deskroom with a
Mrs. Stanhope. at No. II Madison avenue.
The lecturer. who Is about feet 10 inches
in height and was we'll dressed at the time
Of his arrest offered no resistance and dis
cusscd tho charge against him with the dc
tectve while being taken to the station
house. There hc is said 20 have asserted
II rode ont 30 my wfc's house. I went
I'm and saw her In one ct the rooms. J
shot her and walked out
I'm an interview published on sunday Mrs.
Mcconnell. who was shot IN the head. said
that she and her husband had been sepa-
rated for several years, and since coming
10 New York City he had been dssirous OF
obtaining a divorce in order that nc might
she thought. marry = Mrs Stanford. She
asserted IN the interview thet her husband
suddenly appeared on Saturday night, and
after ordering her TO be seated demanded
10 know when she would allow him 10 OBJ
tain an absolute divorce. She added that
she refused and then started 10 run from
the room As she reached the door Of the
dining room. she told her interviewer. he
shot twice. ono OF the bullets hitting her in
the head.
A The Times" office Il was learned
that Mcconnell went there and made
known his identity. lie asked for advice
Police Heaoduarters were notified and De
tectiyo Davcti dispatched from the Wes
9Th street station
Mcconnell is a native Of Alabama and
at one time was editor Of The Alkahest"
a magazine published IN Atlanta. He came
TO New York in 1905 and delivered mum
ber II lectures IN Carnegie Hall Several
Z. q f,, 1tte
classes.
Asbury Park. =. J.. Dec. 2j.-Andrew Nc
ConneIl. the originator Of the magnetic
wireless healing cult who shot his wife in
Ocean Grove on Saturday night is a
dangerous paranciac. i'm the opinion Of Or
w. G. Van Valen. Of No. 5S9 West is5if
street. New York, according TO Police Lieu
tenant Frank Tantum, Of Ocean Grove
The physician was caller at Mrs. Me-
Connolrs home to-day.
According TO Tantum, Or. Van Nalor
said that Mcconnell was an inmate OF his
sanatorium for treatment for medical dis
order shortly after the release Of McCon'
noll from q Georgia insane asylum. about
five years ago. Mrs. Mcdonnell was !nstrn
mental I'm securing the commitment OF hei
husband. and also aided IN securing his
release. She is inclined to believe that. IN
addition to his hallucinstion that hel
strong mentality was Interrupting and dis
integrating his mental thought waves.
her husband was melted To the shooting bS
hcr refusal 10 consent to a divorce.
According to the Ocean Grove police, Ars
Mcconnell believes that her husband anC
his secretary, Mrs. Helen Stanford. have
strong bond of sympathy and that they
would wed If he were at liberty TO do so.
Police Chief Edward Remsen OF Sprins
Lake saws that Mcconnell and his secre
tarv spent part of last summer at Sprlns
Lake Mcconnell Is also well known a
Lakewood. where il Is said he was onc'
elected from prominent hotel because
his odd actions.
Mrs. Mcconnell IS only slightly wounded