The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-24
O'BRIEN NOW SORRY
HE MURDERED HULL
Picking Pockets and Robbing
Of Aunt Preceded Killing
of Employer.
'T'M NOT CRAZY" HE SAYS
Paige, Slow Witted "Poor
Farm" Lad Backs Story
Both Wanted Pleasure.

Eddie u Brlen ana EuOle rage, inc
two graduates Of institutional homes"
who confess to partnership in beating
their employer. Gardner c. Hull, Fulton
street stationer, to death with hammer
on July II, were questioned yesterday
for two hours in the District Attorneys
Office Brien, younger. brighter and
neater of the pair and by his own and
his companions word actual wielder Of
the hammer. went so far as to express
remorse. He did not volunteer this OF
much else he replied to a leading ques-
ton.
you feel sorry you did TT" asked
District Attorney Swami after both boys
had been carried through their story.
Eyes. sir" said O'Brien.
'Don't you wish you hadn't done IT."
Eyes, sir"
That was all. Another part OF the
inqulsition:
"Why did you hit him a second time ?"
(This from Mr.. Swami, following
O'Brien's account of the first blown
well, he turned around in his chair
and was looking right at me. was
afraid he would get after me-"
you weren't afraid. were your"
81 wanted to make sure he was did
for"
you mean deadT'
NO. that he was knocked out" 70
this o. Brien added: "I didn't hit him
with all my might. I only raised my
arm half way. He turned around and
groaned and hit two times more"
The slouchy, pimply faced. slow witted
Paige was sulky under fire. O'Brien
often prompted him, and at one stage
said, Speak up" when Paige delayed
an answer as to the division Of the
spoils- I'm not goin' to do all the talk
ing" Paige grumbled.
II was O'Brien who explained why
they wanted to rob Hull. which they did
after crushing his SKULL so that he died
next day. They wanted money for
pleasure. They had no girls their idea
of pleasure was unlimited movies and
shooting the chutes O'Brien disclosed
an ambition to get away and work on a
farm Mr.. Swami asked him what sort
of farm work he cared for.
Fl care for Il ALL" OBrien answered.
Hull Used Lads Well.
'Hun was pretty decent to you. wasn't
her"
"oh, yes" from o'Brien. well. he
was kind Of cranky" from Paige.
''He didn't do anything mean or
wrong, did hep
"oh, no." O'Brien assented.
He didn't work you too hard, did
he?"
"a fat chance of working me too
hard" remarked O'Prien.
Paige, who recalls nothing further
back In his life than childhood at
'poor farm" said he had never done
anything criminal before O'Brien owned
up to four pocket pickings In addition
70 stealing s75 from his aunt and work
ing with an ex-convict who sold fake
srIaa TO- to- md
rings, when a sale was made. He and
four others found a man asleep with
his arms folded on a bench in Bryant
Park in April and robbed him Of $500.
OBrien said. He couldn't be persuaded
e. give the names Of his pals; he said
he wouldn't squeal.
Both boys denied that a hammer
shown to them by the District Attorney
was the one that killed Hull 1t might
have been in the store. they said. but
the yone O'Brien used had a bigger
head and a new handle. At the end OF
the session Mr.. Swami inquired. We'll,
what do you think ought to be done
with your
1T don't know: that's up to you." was
O'Briens answer.
"I don't know" echoed Paige
The District Attorney Is especially
Interested in the mentality Of the boys
Institutional school he attended had
ever suggested that he might be crazy.
O'Brien said teachers had told him that
many times because / wasn't up in my
studies"
'sDo you think you are insane?" the
District Attorney queried.
II wouldn't care to say I was crazy"
O'Brien said. Paige would not concede
that his sanity had ever been questioned,
ha INT ~
-asked me how long It took a ship TO
cross water and lots OF foolish questions
like that"
They planned the Hull robbery four
days ahead. Paige said. I'VE both had
an fdea," he replied when Mr.. Swami
asked who suggested IL Paige was get
ting $40 a week and O'Brien 50. They
intended to go ffty-ffty on the pro-
ceeds of the cash box. Sure" Paige
said. after OBrien babe him speak
up.T He insisted that he was In the
etenographer's room getting a drink OF
water to wash down a pill which Hull
had given him at his request when
O'Brien first hit the stationer. There
fore. as to the number OF blows with the
hammer, Paige said II heard one and 1
seen one"
Victim Robbed az He Fell.
You saw Mr.. Hull slipping on the
chair when o'Brien hit him7" Assistant
District Attorney Talley asked.
Yes. I got the loose change when he
slipped down to the floor.
In the loose change how much did
you getr"
about sa35."
o'Brien took the other moneyr'
Eyes. SIR
did O'Brien tell you what he was
going to hit the old man within
He told me, but didn't think he had
The nerve to do It He said he was
going to do 1t with the hammer"
what did he say to your"
He said, Come on that's all, and ]
followed him right in
What did you say to O'Brien?"
II said. come on, let's get ready to
get him. and walked right in and got
my money. Just as I said before
Paige couldn't remember anything
Newark. where they went after the rob-
berry and assault. but O'Brien recalled
thatthe actors were Tom Mix and Louise
Glaum, which he pronounced Gloom"
Noticing the appearance of Paige's
I'm hand. Judge Swami asked him how
he lost three fingers. Paige said II hap
pened on the poor farm at Pawtucket,
r L. where he lived ever since / was
a little kid. I guess"
How long were you there?"
1T don't know; all remember was 1
got my fingers cut on"
How did II happenr'
ut happened up stairs in the barn.