Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-05-27
From the n Y. Sun. -
TRIAL OF THOMAS OPPING FOR THE
MT1RDER OE HIS WIFE

the trial, the court room being pretty nearly leu
throughout the day. Messrs Hart and Strang
appeared as council for the prisoner, who was
accompanied by two of his sons (about IS and
IL years of age) and the district Attorney for the
people. The following is the principal teslimo-
ny -
Catharne Kelly sworn-Was in Orange s'Set
between Walker and White, on the LIST Jan. last.
Was acquainted with Topping and his wie-the |
latter was the mother of 10 children, but only |
one OF them we'd at home,t the others being away.
went to assist Mrs Topping. They occupied
the back room on the second story. | took cold |
and Mrs. Il. advised me to go to bed on kind of
sofa bedstead in the corner. On the morning of
the LIST. JAN TOPPING appeared TO be very well.
His wife brushed his coat and he vent to the
shop. He is shoe maker. He came back
again about 10 oco1A lie met her as she was
going to get a pail of water. He asked her
where she was going. She said TO the pump
He said she need not 90. She said, how can ]
cook without water He SAID, never mind, do
not want you to cook. She still wished to 60,
but he stopped her. Sh, then came in and took
off her things, and stood by her bedside. He
then put the things over the stove to cook with
out any water. was in my bed setting up
The stove was small one to burn coal, with a
| place TOR cooking on top She looked at me and
laughed, and said that was queer way to cook.
| ile hlnu VI Sullleu WItI sic tHls, Jul lOOh-
ed at her and saw her laughing. He then got
up and struck her think with his fist on the
head, and knocked her across the bed. He NUT
tered something as he got up which ! did not
hear. He then tuck her with small rocking
chair over the head, which began to bleed. She
was still on the bed. He then struck her with
a broom stick, which he took up by the broom
part, and the handle broke in three or four pieces
which he took up and stabbed her with. After
he knocked her down she spn-,e but once, though
she struggled and kicked a good deal. When
he commenced beating her she said, "Tommy,
don't kill me, what is all this for" ] did not
hear her speak after that. 1t was at the time he
struck her with 4 rocking chair He answered
her, "damn you, mean to finish you" He took
the pieces OF stick in his hand and stabbed her
the same as he would with knife. He stabbed
her about the body. There were two or three
knives and forks laying on the table, and he stab
bed her with them both breasts and the body.
After he stabbed her with knife he pulled her
out OF bed on the floor, and then lie jumped upon
her with both feet After that he threw her in
bed again then he would stab her with one OF
the knives or the forks and pull her out of bed
again. lie struck her on the head, also, with a
; hammer. He then would throw her on tho bed
again. She was small woman, ard ne could
lit her in and out Ike q child. lie continued
dragging her in and ont of bed, stabbing her,
r jumping upon her, and beating her, for about an
hour and half lie did not say much, but now
= and then he would curse her. He sad SGD
: damn you, have threatened you, and will moi
+ be satisfied III have your life .and Georges
. lie:' 1t was occasioned by an occurrence thai
took place about fortnight before, when The son
came IN when his father quarrenG with
his mother, and he threw the former over on the
bed. The next day heard the prisoner threat
\ EN- deceased that he would murder her and he
d son. She never spoke after he struck her witt
e the rocking chair. Ii was about III o'clocl
! " hen he first commenced, and he kept beatin
her till dusk. One time during that he sat dow
9 and smoked pipe. After he had been beating
r her about an hour, told him | would ho!lo,
! murder He said, it is none of your business
j. she is my wife. lie said, you are very sic
7 girl lay still. said wouldn't lay still. ii
10 said if made any alarm at all he would sery
J. me the some as he did Betty. thought he migl
have been offended at things not BEN
ready, and told him would get up, and If POI
slble try to cook for him, but he SAID he dldn
want any cooking. begged him to go out.
ne told him he was killing the woman by inches
r He said that was what he meant to do. Al oar
r. ne smoked his pipe again. His wife was dea
lie when he lett off beating her, and he lad dow
Mt across the floor. was in bed all the while al
nc spoke to him several times but was afraid
IL, raise an alarm. His little son Thomas was
nj the room when he first commenced beating he
ed He said, Father, you are always beating mott
he err" and he ran away. After thought Toppn
a, had gone to sleep as he lay on the floor, / q,
as out of bed by the help Of char, and saw
Ir. large carving fork in the key-ho!e, and four
n that the door was locked. wished to go GU
r. as thought would not like to be in the roo
!. if she was dead. had called to her but st
Il LII. = H..
w. the mantel piece. | unlocked the door and tire
I'LL it wide open. In about 10 minutes their 30
ed George came ill., He sail he had hurt his hea,
'a said nothing to him, but soon called him to n,
on and told him his father had been beating h
,d- mother, and was afraid she was dead. II
The went to his mother, and said, "good God, mothf
ny Is dead lie goked down upon his father an
" cried over him good while, but he did not spea
the lie sat down short time, and said he would 9
,as 10 Green or Greenwich street and ascerta
he what he should do. A few minutes after he HI
TO- gone out, my brother, John Kelly, came in vii
niy DIR. Paten lie brought me some cakes al
,od some PIE. motioned him to go from me. TO
to ping lay on the floor all this time but SAID not
or ng My brother SMILED on Inc when told hi
zen to 90 away, and said WAS crazy. then call,
,st him TO me and told him what had happened
ise lie SAID was out OF my head. The deceaSt
III 10Y va '"N pN"' wy 'h4icu " hti ~
nd made some expression which did not hear, al
as said, "she is dead lie went out and called Il
ne Waterman, and the house was soon full. VIII
cir my brother was out, Topping got up and beg
to washing his wife, who was all bloody. lie sa
to her "wha, made you die, what is the matte
mt why don't you speak to me-" While he W
'e- washing her tie Waterman came IN ana tos
nc hun. lie asked them "what they took nun ~.
nv he didn't know any thing about IT. lh'
Nc carried him off and the Waterman s'au .I1
Of night. Tie witness, who was an ihr ,o laa
bright looking girl, stated that she was 40 's 81
ITO of are, and now lives with her brother ~ ~ 81
lis ten Island. Her brother had given mrs rs q
mr. ping considerable washing to DO anu S she ,n s
and ep sne Sad b ss ia
ast no DAYS and had not seen any improper drnkU
en-. poinr OIL She underwent s'ro' cross exam
ity nation but nothing material was elected
s ss '' Edward Mahery testified to keeping groc'
tn ~ store at 50 Orange street, and OF prisoner
rm inc there that forenoon lie let one of'hc room
the M stars 10 the prisoner and his family. lea
md snmc noise, but not sufficient 10 take notice c
an an on the day deceased was killed. Topping sa