The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-04
Janitor of Apartment House
Solves Murder Mysteries.
Attempted Lives of Several
People for Various Reasons.
HE SENT ONE TO ROSALSKY
Because the Judge Sentenced
Criminal to go Years.
Killed His Own Daughter
About a Year Ago.

New York, Feb. 4.-John Paul Far
rell' a janitor, confessed today that
he sent to Bernard Herrera last Sum
day, the bomb which resulted in the
death of Mrs. Herrera and serious in
jury to Herrera and Miss Fughman. a
boarder
Then Farrell astonished the police by
calmly reciting that he sent the bomb
which killed Mrs. Helen Taylor a year
ago. adding that Mrs. Taylor was his
daughter. Next Farrell solved the
mystery surrounding the sending of a
bomb last year to Judge Otto Rosalsky.
FINALLY he explained the death of
KID Walker slain in 1887 He slew
MRS. Taylor, he said, because she was
ms daughter and had gone wrong.
kid" Walker was killed. he declared
by a man named Lestrange because
Walker has caused Mrs. Taylor's down.
fall.
The attempt on Judge RosaIsky's life,
ne added, was made because the Judge
had sentenced criminal. unnamed. to
~ years imprisonment. The bomb was
sent to the judge by man known to
Farrell only as Tony
HefreraS life was sought Farrell
said because he said he would dis
charge hin from his job as janitor.
al lclt- WAS employed at the apart
ment house where Herrera is superfn-
tendent. Before the detectives the
maker of bombs constructed a dummy
Internal machine, explaining how he
made it, what he put in to it. how
it operated. and what the damage
would be to the person who should
open it. The Taylor and RosaIslxv
bombs. he said, were entrusted to the
mails.
In the case of Herrera, Farrell said
he had crept upstairs when Herrera
was away and had placed the bomb
wrapped in paper box on lie landing
outside his door He insisted how
ever. that he intended only to scare
| the family.
Arrested yesterday as material
witness" Farrell confessed only after
an all night griIIfng.
How 1t Was Made.
Farrell told the police he began to
make the Herrera bomb last Thursday
night, completed it on Friday and
kept it in his room until Sunday. I'm
| moved by the knowledge that his re-
cita1 might send him to the electric
chair, the bomb maker placidIy took
pencil and paper and drew numerous
diagrams, explaining how he had
! planned the mechanism.
He began work on the bomb after
! Mrs. Herrera had notified him that a
negro had been engaged to take his
/ place. In a short piece of pipe he
| picked up in the basement he placed
a bottle of nitroglycerin, holding it
in position by nails and paper. In
| the mouth of the bottle he placed a
cork in which hole had been burned
! with a red hot hair pin. A percus-
| sion cap, small spring, a steel but
/ ton, a bow, wrapping paper and
| twine completed the makeup of the
| Internal machine. The spring was so
\ arranged as to snap the button sharp
| ly against the percussion cap when
! the box was opened.
Unless this man is crazy" Mr..
Dougherty said, I'VE have caught the
most dastardly criminal that has
come to the attention of the police in
| fifty years."
The bomb which caused the death
| of Mrs. Herrera resulted in the prob
able loss of her husbands eyesight
and the serious injury of Miss Fught-
man, a boarder. Like those sent to
Mrs. Taylor and Judge Rosalsky. it
was enclosed in pasteboard box.
Herrera found it and not knowing it's
| contents and seeing no address on the
/ wrapper, took it and asked his wife
if it was hers. She opened it.
Death of Mrs. Taylor.
Mrs. Taylor, or Gray Walker, was
killed a year and a day ago. The in
4 fel nal instrument was made up to resen.
BILE a box of candy and was mailed
| at the Grand Central station. Opening
| it she was instantly killed and until
| today the reason for her death was
sought and the identity of the assassin
| remained unknown.
The attempt on Judge Rosalskys
| life was made during the height of the
! Brandt case, at a time when interest
| was centered on the 80 year sentence
! imposed by the judge on Brandt, Nor
| timer Schiffs valet. The instrument
was sent to the jurist and placed on
| the library table. He did not like it's
| appearance and notified the bureau of
| combustibles. Inspector owen opened
| it in the judges library and in the
| explosion which followed his hand was
| MANNED and his face and shoulders
| lacerated.
| kid" Walker who. Farrell declares.
was the etrayer of his daughter was
| shot down on the Bowery nearly 26
| years ago. His taking off caused a
sensation al the time, but the slayer
was never found. Deputy Commits
sioner Dougherty said today he would
go back to the old mystery and en-
deavor now to unravel it,.
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