New-York tribune., 1919-07-17
Swami Will Move Case for
Preference This Month
if O'Brien and Paige
Waive Their Extradition
Youth Describes Murder
Says He and Companion Had
Often Plotted to Rob En-
ployer; Tells of Flight

Edward O'Brlen and Edward Earle
Paige, the two delivery boys declared
by the police to have confessed to the
killino of their employer, Gardiner G.
Hull, last Friday, were jointly indicted
by the Grand Jury yesterday for MUIR
der in the first degree.
The case was presented by Assistant
District Attorney John F. Joyce, tho
Indictment being handed up to Judge
John F. Mcintyre, who Immediately is
sued bench warrants for the arrest of
the boys. O'Brien is now at the Free
hold, N. j., jail and Paige is being
held in Philadelphia. Extradition
papers are being prepared and are ex-
pected to be signed by Governor Smith
to-day, after which they will be for
warded to the Governors Of Pennsyl-
vania and New Jersey,
District Attorney Swami said he
would move the case for preference on
the trial calendar and that if the boys
waived extradition every effort will be
made to have them tried this month.
The boys will be brought to this city in
about five days.
Paige Pitiful Spectacle
Mr. Joyce returned to the city yester-
day with the story OF the CRIME from
the lips of Paige, whom he saw at Moy-
amensing Prison. Paige, who is nine
teen years old, two years older than
o'Brien, he said, presented a pitiful
spectacle. He is remorseful and sad,
and hasn't slept since the crime, toss
ing about on his little Jail cot ait
through the night. He has grown so
thin that his trousers and belt can al
most go twice about his waist.
With tears always in his eyes and
his mouth sagging at the corners he
detailed to Mr.. Joyce the history of his
limbs, said Mr.. Joyce, and his arms
and legs shuff1ed aimlessly about all
through the narrative.
He admitted his part in the crime,
said Mr.. Joyce, but said that he didn't
intend that Hull should be killed He
said they planned the robbery so that
they could get some decent clothes,
like other people and eat real swell
meal for the first time"
Lived in Old Ladies' Home
AS Mr.. Joyce reported the conversa-
ton Paige said:
II was nineteen years old last Janu-
ary. l was born in Providence, R. l.,
and when I was three or four years
old was put in some school and was
kept in an old ladies home, where l
never saw any young people for years
and years.
"Well, then they transferred me to
a farm school and that's where they
said | lost three fingers. But l didn't
know lost the fingers until l was
about six or seven years old. I thought
you just ought not to have those fn-
gers on the left hand
81 can't remember anything about
mother or a father. Nobody paid
any attention to me and nobody cared
about me. l went along like that un-
til / was seventeen. They let me out
one day six years ago to see my dead
mother and then they took me back
again.
"Three years ago O'Brien came to
the place and we decided to run away
We got to Brooklyn. But we couldn't
get anything to eat and so we went
back, but after two more weeks of ii
we beat it once more. O'Brien went
to Montclair, N. j., where his mothe,
was, and / came to New York. I didn',
do anything but just wandered around
the streets, sleeping in cellars ano
boxes and wagons and in alleys, anc
begging and maybe stealing something
to eat now and then. l was simply
down and out | didn't know any
body and had 90 place to go to, ane
didn't look gaod enough to get the
worst kind of a job.
Ges Job at So
"One day (vas sitting in Rutgers
Park, worrying what I was going tc
do next, when this fellow Stracke
Ht1l IL
on me and got me a job with his firm
got 50 at first, and then they raised
me to $40. had never had enough te
eat, and my stomach for years anc
years always panied me. When | got
that $40 it was the first time | eve,
got anywhere near what | felt like
eating"
Paige here told Mr. Joyce that he
often got money for food from Stracke
with whom he lived at East Broad
way, but that he would spend it on the
movies, the only amusement he has
ever known
About year ago, he said, he agair
met O'Brien in a movie show, and go
HIM job in the same place with him
self. For nearly a year, he said. h,
and O'Brlen slept on the roof of tn,
house in East Broadway where Strack,
had room.
He . iitN, diSe is reported u
have said to Mr. Joyce, became ter
rible, and then O'Brien and talke,
about getting more money and stick
ing up the old man We often tried t.
get the old man into the stockroom, 81
that one Of US could grab the cash bu
ne never bit. On July we talked il
earnest about doing something, an,
then decided to do it that Friday W
didn't have any idea then OF kiilini
the old man We simply wanted I,
stun him so we could get away witt
the money.
Feigned Sickness In Stock Room
We'll, on that Friday I went int
the stock room and groaned as If wa
sick. O'Brlen was in the other roor
with Hull and ne was waiting for tn
old man TO come in and see what wa
the matter with me But the old mn,
only asked what was the matter wit
me, and O'Brien said ! was sick an
needed something. The old man sai.
We both better 60 home, but O'Brie,
said he would stay with me until Tn
pain was over
Well, O'Bricn came into ne an
handed me a big nailpuller that the,
used On the bigger boxes. said
vas too heavy and would hnrt NJ,
Hull. He said II was all right, bp
said II he felt that way about /
he could do II himself. Well, he 70
hammer and we both vent owe,
ard l asked Hull for a pill and h
gave me lot Of them. O'Brien aske.
the old man for dollar went owe
TO the water cooler, and as / 20