The sun., 1919-01-19
CONFESSES Staying
RICHMOND HILL GIRL
Epileptic Tells Details Of MUIR
der, but Father and Wife
Deny His Guilt.
ARRESTED IN YONKERS
More Attacks on Women on
Long Island and Police
Dogs Will Be Used.


Dogs Will Be Used.
In Patrick ODonnell, a mental and
physical weakling. who was picked up
in Yonkers on Friday. the police and AS
sistant District Attorney Ryan Of Queens
believe that phey have the murderer CO
Mary Riddeil. the seventeen year-old
girl who was killed near her home In
Richmond Hill last Wednesday evening.
He confessed the crime three times
yesterday. and supplemented his final
confession with a visit TO the scene OF
the murder. accompanied by M Ryan
and the detectives, during which he
showed an accurate knowledge OF every
foot OF the ground and the smallest cir
cumstances OF the crime.
O'Donnell pointed to the exact spot
on the sidewalk where the girl died
showed where her body lay when Il was
discovered, gave an exact description Of
her appearance and clothing, and told
the exact size and shape OF the piece OF
steel with which she was struck down.
He stated also how many times she
was struCk-his description tallying ex-
actly with the wounds disclosed by an
autopsy--and went infinitely into other
matters known only to medical exam
liners and the police and which have not
been printed in the newspapers. Thu
newspapers have not told either that the
steel bar with which Miss Riddell was
killed had a hooked end. but O'Donnell
described II before he saw IL and when
It was shown him identified It instantly.
He had also $50 in his possession. the
sum taken from Miss Riddell when she
was killed.
Identifies Trolley Transfer.
O'Donnen even told Of a trolley car
transfer which he had in his possession
the night Miss Riddell died. Date and
time punch fitted exactly with one which
was picked up near the place OF the
murder on Thursday. and although the
fact that a transfer was found has been
printed, the police up TO the time O'Don-
nell told OF 1t. had kept its Identifying
marks secret.
The prisoner is 30 years old and Is
an epieptic. He had several seizures
Of his malady during his ordeal yester-
day and after he had been taken to the
Church street police station in Richmond
Hill. fresh from the place OF the tragedy
he was taken shockingly III and spent
the night In the care OF an ambulance
surgeon and a police physician. There
are times when he appears fairly master
OF himself. But most of the time he
was in, custody yesterday his mind
seemed to wander and his talk was aim
less.
Policeman Gilmartln OF the Yonkers
force met him on Friday at Central
avenue and Tuckahoe road on the out
skirts OF Yonkers. asked him for an
account of himself and took him in. He
was KEPT overnight on charge of
vagrancy and arraigned In the Yonkers
Court OF Special Sessions yesterday Just
before he was taken into the courtroom
he said he had confession TO make,
but this was two minutes before the
court sat and he was told to make II
TO the Judge.
He did so as soon as his name was
called. He said that he had killed a
girl In Richmond Hill on Wednesday.
and identified her picture when shown Il
in newspaper He admitted that the
money found on him had been taken
from her handbag. He told OF having
gone to Yonkers because he was afraid
TO 60 homo and described all the cir
cumstances OF the murder He gave his
name. said that he was married and had
two children and lived with his family
at 90 Lexington avenue. Manhattan.
Wanted Him Set Free ms n "Nut."
Justice Bleaksley. who was presiding
in the court. notified the New York po-
lice. Their answer did not encourage
him. Some one at Police headquarters
here announced over the telephone that
the man Justice Bleaksley had in Gus
tody was nut and that he might Just
as we'll be turned loose Then the
Queens District Attorneys Office was
notified
Assistant District Attorneys Ryan and
Hazleton. with a couple OF detectives
and n stenograrher, drove post haste 10
Yonkers. They found Capt. Arthur
Carey. head OF the homicide bureau at
New York headquarters. there before
them. ODonnell had repeated his con-
fess!on 20 Capt Carey and he told Il
again TO the Assistant District Attor-
neys. After their senogrspher had
taken It down and transcribed II O'Don-
nell read it over and swore to 1t. He
was placed in the automobile and the
party started for Richmond Hill.
Mr. Ryan gave this account last night
of ODonnell's behavior nj the place OF
the murder.
He had told us that his father lived
In a house on De kalb avenue, near
the outskirts of Brooklyn. and we took
him there. We found that his statement
was true. but the father was not at
home So we drove to the street in
Richmond Hlll where Miss Rddel was
killed. but three blocks away from the
scene of the crime, and asked him 10
guide US the rest OF the way.
He had had good meal half an hour
before and was quite calm He gave the
chauffeur sorrect directions. indicated
where to stop and getting out OF the car
pointed to pot on the sidewalk and
said, This Is the place. ! killed her
here
Weapon an Automobile Spring.
Then he described the instrument
His description was perfect. even TO tbs
fact that the steel bar which he says
caused the girls death was an old auto
mobile spring and hooked at one end
He told US then that re had picked Il
up In the street about half an hour be,
| fore he killed Miss Riddel and had ther
| fully intended to strike down the flrs
woman who came along and assault her
! The bar was found the morning ate,
the murder. One OF our men had It and
O'Donnell identified It.
| HE was still quite calm and rational
Then he showed us where he had