The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-24
Court OF Oyer and Tcrminer.
before Justice Edmonds, and Aldermen Adams and
Downing


TRIAL OF MATHEW WOOD FOR MURDER.
s AfS Nv Z'Ihe Clerk was directed to call over the
for the murder Of his wife by arsenic to
her on the 10th of February last West both street.
his challenges He about thirty years of age short
stout built, and seemingly Of the lowest grade Of in
Bassef, Charles Fletcher Seth psan
Jonathan Smith, Efingh Cooke Hartman Tesse las
W Newto I names Badger Jacob Tompkins VIM
The Associate District Attorney briefly stated the case
for the prosecution After preliminary remarks,
he said the prisoner was charged with the crime
known to our laws, namely, with the murder Of his
wife. 1t was committed under circumstances evncing
the greatest depravty Of mind and If he be guilty at
ALL he Is guilty Of the highest degree Of homicide He
continued to that the prisoner the husband Of
the deceased, between whom and himself there was
disparity Of years She about forty-two years of
age and he about twenty nine thirty; they had no
children and there was, Of course unhappiness be-
tween Them they had separated and continued to live
separate until some time before the deceaseds death
On the Goth Of February last, they resided in 10Th
street. On the morning of that day the defendant
came home as his wife preparing their morning
meal which consisted of cakes. The prisoner desired
put arsenic into the cake: when she back, she
partook of It, but he did not and after she sick
facts they would prove and they would also prove by
the physicians who examined the body afterwards that
the stomach contained arsenic.
HENRY MCFARLAND, examined for the prosecution. -
Knows the prisoner; is brother Of the deceased her
name was Susan; she was, at the time Of her death,
about AZ of age they married three years
the 10th of May coming; witness was present at tho
marriages. they were married in Ireland and were two
years in this country the eth of April they did not
live together after their marriage, until they to
this country after they arrived here all continued
to live together for about two three MONTHS when he
went to live with man named William Logan; they
then separated and he lived with her for only about six
eight months out of the two years they in this
city; they had no children; saw my sister the We'd
nesday before she poisoned; she then in good
health; she lived in Twentieth street at that time;
saw her the next day; the prisoner came to my house
that day between and o'clock and said that Susan
was very bad and asked me to hurry up, or would not
see her living; witness went up in great hurry; the
prisoner went away before the witness; when witness
got to the house, he found her in bed very sick she
said Brother dear, you and will be separated;
witness then went and fetched Dr. Ross at o'clock,
he went by the direction Of Dr. Ross to the OF
Broadway and Fourth street, for medicine; she
planned all the time Of burning heat from her throat
Dr. McKcnna came there before Dr. Ross left; the lat
ter returned about o'clock; 1t after he returned
that went for the incidence the prisoner there all
the time Dr. McKenna said she poisoned; he
in the house until between ii and IL o'clock at night
until the officers came to arrest him. when they
came, the prisoner said to his wife the officers
waiting for him she turned round and said, Mathew
your he said afterwards that she was sick from
eating cakes, and that Mary Reid also sick from
eating them; the first time thought her to be poisoned
was when saw her after prisoner came for me; her
hands and nails looked quite black; when went to
Reeds house afterwards they talked of it there and
they said she was poisoned when returned with the
medicine, DIR. McKenna said it only 'live die"
with her. she died soon after taking it, jallap
given to her between four and that evening
by directions of Doctors McKcnna and Ross witness
wrote to hs mother that prisoner had poisoned Susan
The Court here adjourned.