Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1916-01-05
WIDOW DENIES
SHE TRIED TO
END HER LIFE
Mrs. Ethel Offer, of East Or
ange, Claims Shooting
Was Accidental.

| Denying any intention TO kill her
/ self, Mrs. Ethel Farrell Offer, who
shot herself at her home, 4S1 Norwood
street, East Orange, yesterday, claims
lshe was toying with the revolver when
it was discharged. She is patient
in Orange Memorial Hospital. The
physicians say tho bullet wound three
inches below the heart is not neces-
sarily fatal
Mrs. Offer was questioned today at
the hospital by Sergeant David Burns
she said she threw herself across the
bed and was playing with the pistol,
which is of .32-calibre, when she ae-
cidentally discharged it. She denied
that she had any intention of doing
away with herself.
Asked about her relations witn
Nicholas Mariana, wealthy Norris
town contractor, she refused to dis
cuss the matter any more than TO say
he called at the house merely to dis
cuss business matters with her
brother, who Is employed by the other
as a foreman
Mrs. Offer who is a pretty widow,
thirty-one years old, as told in late
edition of yesterdays Evening Star.
shot herself after the return home oil
her brother, James Farrell. The lat
ter passed his sisters bedroom on the
second floor and she called out to
him to 'look at this" She was lying
across the bed at the time and held
I'D for his inspection a revolver that
had been around the house for some
time. He went downstairs and min
ute later heard shot. He returned
to find his sister groaning on the bed,
holding her hand over the wound,
which was under her heart.
Question Morristown Man.
Neighbors were called in and an
ambulance was summoned from the
hospital. The physicians found that
a rib had DETECTED the course of the
bullet, which was extracted from her
back The woman was in such
condition yesterday afternoon ana
last night that the doctors refused to
permit the police to question her re-
garding the shooting.
Yelled jntimations that the woman's
deed was a result of a discovery by
her that man who had promised TO
make her his wife is married prompt
ed the police last night TO question
Marinaro, who admitted knowing the
woman quite well.
Ignorant of the woman's attempt on
Iec lie. NldljIldIO, WIN iIrS "a ''AN tA''~N
four chiieren living at 4 Anderson
street, Morristown, went to Mrs.
Offers East Orange residence soon
after dusk last evening and was I'M
mediately taken to police headquar-
ters by Sergeant David Burns, who
was detailed to remain at the Nor
wood street address after the police
were told that the contractor might
possibly appear at the house. MARI
naro stoutly maintained he positively
knew of no reason why Mrs. Offer
should try to take her life and de-
MED any intimate relations with the
widow.
He declared that he employed as a
foreman Mrs. Offers brother, James
Farrell, and that he frequently went
to the woman's home to consult with
Farrell about business affairs. He
asserted also that he was friendly
right along with the Offer and Far
rell families, living next door to a
brother of the woman at Morristown.
Marinaro admitted having been at
the house Monday night and again
yesterday morning.
After interviewing the contractor
Chief O'Neill allowed the man 10 go.
Marinaro said he was on his way to
this city.
Brother Is Released.
Mrs. Offers brother, James Farrell,
who admits having seen his sister
with the revolver in her hand few
minutes before she fired the shot, was
taken to police headquarters but was
not detained.
"I had previously seen her with the
gum" said Farrell to Chief O'Neill,
"and when / saw it in her hands yes
terday / did not think it unusual"
The man, who says he is twenty-four
years old, told the police he said to
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