CLEVELAND, March 12, 1903

James J. O’Donnell last night at 10 o’clock shot and killed his stepfather, John C. Atkinson, in the sitting room of their home, No. 113 Twenty-third avenue.

According to statements made to Lieut. Pierce of the eighth precinct police, Atkinson met his death because he had made an attack upon several members of his family. O’Donnell admits that he did the shooting and says that he acted solely in self-defense. His mother and other members of the family tell a dramatic story in connection with the scene that preceded the murder of Atkinson.

Young O’Donnell has been ill for three weeks with typhoid pneumonia. Yesterday afternoon he was able to get out of bed and go down stairs. A few minutes before 10 o’clock Atkinson came home and his wife says that he was under the influence of liquor. It seems that he had often come home in a similar condition and the members of the family declare that they were afraid of him upon such occasions. The story of the tragedy is best told in the words of the dead man’s wife and mother of the boy, who is under arrest for the murder.

“Atkinson,” says she, “came into the house and we saw that he was a little under the influence. He was always a little under the influence.” He is always quarrelsome when that way and we all shuddered when he came in. He began by hitting Rob, that’s his own son. Rob did not say a word but went out of the room into the dining room. Then Atkinson turned upon me and began nagging. He hit me and tried to throw the lamp at me.

“Just about that time Jimmy, scarcely able to walk, came into the room. He asked me what was the matter and that made his stepfather turn upon him. They had a word or two, maybe. In a minute, Jimmy went reeling back to the wall. Atkinson had hit him in the face. The poor, sick, boy managed to get up and he went up stairs. I guess he got his revolver then. Pretty soon he came down again and stood in the stair doorway. Atkinson saw him and made a mad rush at him. I and Mabel, my daughter, tried to stop Atkinson but we could not hold him. He was a powerful man and we could not stop him at all. Just as he was about to lay hold of Jimmy, there was a shot. Atkinson fell backward and grabbed at his heart. Jimmy fell fainting in the doorway and we knew what had happened. It’s terrible. but Jimmy never did a wrong thing in his life and he would not have killed his stepfather if he had not been driven to it.”

Patrolmen Mehan and Meisner were the first officers to hear of the tragedy and they sent for Lieut. Pierce. The officers went to the house and found that Atkinson had died almost instantly. The bullet, according to Dr. E. W. Woodford, had entered just to the left of the heart and had ranged downward.

Mrs. Atkinson and her children at first told Lieut. Pierce that Atkinson had committed suicide. A little questioning resulted in a confession from O’Donnell and the rest of the family tell the same story of the affair. The boy was placed under arrest and taken to the eighth precinct station. A charge of murder was put on the blotter against him. He was given quarters in the hospital cell. The left side of his face was swollen and discolored. He says his stepfather struck him there.

Atkinson was fifty-one years old and had been employed at the Division street pumping station. His stepson is twenty-two years old and is a brass finisher for the Westinghouse company. The neighbors give him a very good reputation and say that he has never been in any trouble before.

Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 12, 1903