1902-09-27-New York Times-Young's Father Has Faith

New York Times

27 September 1902, page 3

YOUNG'S FATHER HAS FAITH.

Believes Son Innocent of Mrs. Pulitzer's Actual Murder. Acquired Guilty Knowledge of the Crime After Its Commission -- Does Not Think Him Insane.

PARIS, Sept. 26 -- John W. Young, father of William Hooper Young, who is charged with the murder in New York of Mrs. Anna Pulitzer, talked to-day on the developments in the case against his son Mr. Young said:

"I am now convinced, from what has been published and from my own cable advices, that my son is innocent, and I shall do the utmost in my power to help him, while, if I thought him guilding of such a horrible crime, I would not move my hand to save him from justice.

"He is wayward, but he never had a criminal tendency. The only explanation, to my mind, which can connect him with this crime is that he fell under the influence of some designing person who perpetrated the murder and through whom my son acquired a guilty knowledge of the crime, or, possibly, became an accessory after the act. The boy is not insane, but his mental strength has been undermined by vicious habits into which he fell while young.

"The dispatches say that a suit of my son's clothes was found in the trunk with the murdered woman's clothing. That itself is in his favor, for the perpetrator of a crime would never convict himself in such an obvious way. That was done by the real murderer, who is using my son as a screen.

"I wish to say that my son is not a member of the Mormon Church, nor has he been connected with it for many years. We have been estranged for fifteen years. I helped him frequently through my other son, but have not seen him because of which his unfortunate failings are due. It was without my knowledge and consent that my son was living in my apartments during my absence.