New-York tribune., 1922-12-27
Mother Finds
Daughter, 10,
Shot to Death
Mrs. Pauline Mccarthy on
Return From Work Dis
covers Body of the Child
With Bullet i'm Breast
Police Puzzled by Crime
Can Find No Evidence Of
Struggle or Foul Play,
but Call II Murder"

Mfa. fhullne Mclarthy VINO lives
with her ten-year-old daughter. Teresa.
on the first floor OF the three-family
house at 563 Morgan Avenue, Brook
lyn, left the child in bed yes.
terday morning when she went away TO
work. She told her to 20 TO her aunt's
when she got up.
Last night, shortly after 8 o'clock,
Mrs. Mccarthy returned home and
found the door OF the apartment
locked. She already had been made
uneasy because the child had not met
her as she came from her work at the
American Rattan & Reed Company, Of
Norman Avenue, Brooklyn. 10 was Te-
resa's custom, accompanied by her
poodle dog. Rags, 20 meet and walk
home with her mother.
While she was trying 70 force the
apartment door Benjamin Prcnder-
Vile, who boards with her and Ia en-
ployed at the Brooklyn main postofiee,
came up the stairs. lnside they could
hear the dog barking wildly.
As they opened the door Mrs. Ne
Carthy screamed and fell. Stretched
out. fully dressed. was her daughter,
with a bullet wound through the left
breast directly over her heart She
was dead.
Mrs. Mecarthy's screams attracted
Patrolmen Patterson and Costello. Of
the Greenpoint Avenue precinct, who
after a brief survey summoned an
ambulance from Wyekof Heights Hos
pital. Dr. Linsky said the child had
been dead for at least FIVE and a half
hours, which would place the murder
for such they thought II must be-
at about noon.
Motive Obscure
Captain Daniel Carey Of the homi-
eide squad was summoned, as we're de-
tectives from the Eleventh detective
branch. IL proved 70 be on first glance
one Of the most amazing and perplex-
ing murders which has ever confronted
the local police. The child, medical
examination showed, had not been as
saulted.
There appeared to be no sign Of q
struggle. And so far as the police
have been able 20 determine no motive.
Captain Carey advanced the theory
that the murderer rang the bell and
when Teresa opened the door, the slay-
er freed his way into the room and
after kllink the girl, raised the win
dow. Jumped upon the cellar door In
the rear, opened this and made his way
through the cellar 70 the street
Mrs. Mccarthy has been separated
from her husband. Edward Mccarthy,
for nine years. Mccarthy took up his
.--f I-,-.- ...s4L LIZ raawwfnd afsNnr Me-
Mary Corbett, on briggs Avenue,
Brooklyn, a short distance from the
Mccarthy home.
The father has seen the child regu-
larry. Christmas Day was spent by
Mrs. Mccarthy and Teresa az the home
Of Mrs. Corbett, where the girl re-
eelved from her father a present Of a
sled.
No Suspicion Against Father.
While Mccarthy had not been found
by the police late last night, there
seems TO be no suspicion attaching TO
him. The postoflce WAS called by de-
teetives. who found that Prenderville
had left his work at $3.50 o'clock,
his regular time, and had been at work
ell day.
The police are working on a slender
clew given by Mrs. Mccarthy, who said
that the girl had told her a few days
previously Of being followed home from
school by q man wearing a hat resem-
bling the shore-going cap OF navy
seaman. Mrs. Mccarthy told 1eresa,
she said. that should the man annoy
her again she was 10 60 20 the nearest
policeman and have him arrested
In the parlor Of the home, but few
feet away from where the little girl
Law dead, was her Christmas tree, still
sparkling with its tinsel.
Teresa was a pupil In grade 5B Of 81.
Ceeilla's Paroehial School and was loved
by her friends and teachers. She had
attended communion Christmas morn
ing with her father.