The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-06-10
PRISONER ADMITS
THAT He HID BODY
/ OF THE SLAIN GIRL
Joseph Mckenna Held for the
Murder of Little Sigrei
EkStrom.

boy was responsible for the arrest Of
Joseph J. McKenna. thir,y-three years
old. who 10 held to-day in the TonDs
without bail charged with the murder Of
six-year-old sigred Eckstrom Of No. 100
Ogden avenue the Bronx. lie admits
hiding her body In the cellar next doo-
at No. 1917. where II was found Thurs
d. night. but denies killing her intcn-
tionahy. lie declares she fell from his
arms to the hard floor.
Soon after the police began work on
the case Edwin Eckstrom. the victims
little brother. to d them sigred had been
given penny The day before W a man.
and was expecting him to give her an
other. a. he had promised. when she
disappeared.
Mckenna answered the description
furnished by the boy. He lived In No.
lot. and was known as a ne'er-do-weil
In the neignborhood. He had helped
search for the girl during the excite
ment following her Disappearance.
knowing all the time that her body was
in the cellar. where he had thrown 81.
When her father expressed the belle:
before the body was found that she nad
been murdered. McIienna agreed wlsn
him.
After the body was found McKenna
disappeared. The police soon were on
his trail. They arrested him cary sun
day at the home Of his father. No. :lis
Southern Boulevard. He had gone to
Mount Vernon on Friday. been arrested
- - lie, 49,
ana from there had gone to New
Rochelle to visit his siters. His
brether-An-law. A. J. McCarroll. with
whom he Lived at No. 1917. found MIN
thrs and brought him back.
ogNIALe At FIRST AND THEN
CONFESSION.
~ flrst NcKenna denied all knowl-
s1oo q the ohild's death. For sixteen
ham - underwent an almost constant
Aso Of questions from dozen detectives.
LAAs yesterday afternoon he was taken
Into the reception room OF the Norris
a01a station. and one by ono many
- ~ ''Captain's once" He seemed III
q ease - Q dozen children Of the neigh
teeAeod Ajsd by one At time. all look
~ hard at him. They varied in age
fsom nvs to fourteen years. with them
was IN occasional adult.
NcKenna smoked cigarettes con-
sanity. lighting fresh one az soon as
oas was smoked UP. After the pro-
ooasaon Wa over he was taken before
Cast Prios OF the Bronx Detective Bu.
yNau. Coroner Shongut and an Assistant
plsesaot.AttorAey and stenographsr.
CApt Price held . Transcript Of state
mats previously made by AoKenna and
called his attention TO the assertion he
made that no had never been arrested
Th> police then got him to admit they
say, that besides being arrested ir
Mount Vernon for vagrancy no had once
served . year for deserving from thu
army and six months on the island FOL
burglary. Finally he broke down an'
soufssssd.
TN tell you. Captain" he said. 9
haA been standing IN the vestioul
Thursday evening when saw the ltti'
SRI playing on the stoop She came t.
me and asked for a penny i took he
IN my arms to play with her. Then sh'
fell out Of my arms. Some part OF he
body, may be her head-l don't know
struck the hard tiled floor. She seemed
dassd. may be dead. I was excited.
packed her up and took her to the eel
lAY."
~ DON'T THINK ! sTRANoLEr
HER," HE SAYS.
.swhat happened thenT' one OF tn
detectives asked.
z put her In the cosi Sin Then
left"
~you strAnSled her. didn't you
mo, No! I didn't do that"
well. how did those marks GENE OK
her throat:'
II don't know"
Now tell the truth: you strangle'
her, didn't your" asked Capt. Price
81 don't think So" he replied.
The Coroner then committed Mckenn
70 the .Tombs to await the iuaues
Wednesday. The doctors say the gil
vas not killed by q fall. bu. wa
stsang!sd. Her skull was not injure'