New-York tribune., 1919-07-24
O'Brien Smiles
AS He Tells How
He Killed Hull
Used Hammer Because He
Wanted To Be Sure He
Had Done Him; Lawyers
Assigned Him and Paige

Edward O'Brien and Edward Earle
Paige sat for two hours in District
Attorney Swanns Office yesterday and
described how their employer, Gardiner
c. Hull, was murdered. O'Brien did
most of the talking, even going so far
as to tell Paige to Speak up"
Both boys will be arraigned this
morning before Judge Mcintyre in Gen
cral Sessions. The court postponed their
pleadings until to-day after assigning
counsel for them. O'Brien's lawyers
and William H. Byrne, and Paige's K.
Henry Rosenberg and Alexander Wolf.
The boys denied hammer which was
shown them was the one they used.
THAT isn't the hammer" declared
O'Brien. "I've seen this one. There
were two there. But the one I used
had fatter head. I'd know it any
place"
Paige said the hammer shown them by
the District Attorney was in Hull's
stock room. but that O'Brien used the
other one.
"Why did you use hammer instead
of your hst?" asked Mr.. Swami.
~ wanted to make sure he was did,"
replied O'Brien.
"Why did you hit him three times ?"
asked Assistant District Attorney
! Joyce.
chair as I expected" replied o'Brien
coolly. "He just groaned after the first
time, SO l hit him second and a third
time. He fell out of the chair just as
I was locking the door. l wouldn't
have touched him if he had got up out
of the chair and gone to get the pills
that Paige asked for. If he had done
that we would have grabbed the money
and run"
Mr.. Swami opened the questioning by
asking the boys if they ever had been ex-
amined as to their sanity. Paige said the
superintendent Of the Rhode Island
State Home and School "never told
me 7 was crazy, but he asked me how
long it took a ship to cross water and
lots of other foolish questions like
that"
O'Brien said a specialist had once
examined him for several hours and
when he was sent to a Rhode Island
hospital he also was questioned. 81
was told was crazy good many times
by different teachers" He said he be-
heved this was because he was down in
his studies.
II wouldn't care to say l was crazy"
he told Mr.. Swami.
>
with you ?" the boys were asked
'l don't know That's up to you."
smiled O'Brien.
II don't know" replied Paige, shrug-
gng his shoulders.
In addition to three other robberies
he already had disclosed to the police,
OBrien told Mr.. Swami Of a fourth
He said he worked with a fake jcwelry
salesman, former convict and pick
pocket, and used the switch game by
substituting worthless ring for a
! good diamond ring. O'Brien admitted to
Mr.. Swami that he did not have to be
I taught how to pick pockets, because
! he said, he was already familiar with
the art.
Mr.. Swami tried to learn the names
of the pckpockets who with O'Brier
e robbed a man of S400 in Bryant Park
last April.
= ~ don't care to tell on any one else
, ! won't be sQuealer," was his answer
= In the same connection, when Mr.
$ Swarm asked him if he wanted "to be
on the side of the good people or the
: crooks,' his reply was: Neither side
e will do me any good now"
"Did you have to work too hare
there? ?" asked Mr. Swami Of O'Brier
: in reference to Hull's stationery estab
O lshment.
Fat chance Of making me work toe
n hnrd." he grinncd.
E Mrs. Helen Healy, O'Brien's sister
and his brother, James, visited him al
r the Criminal Courts Building before he
was questioned by Mr. Swami.
y 81 don't think they ever will scnt
t Edward to the chair" declared Mrs
HeaIy. He certainly is crazy, and
am sure a commission will find him in