The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-22
Trial for Murder in New Jersey.

COURT OF OYER AND TERMINER, HUDSON COUNTY.
Before Chief Justice Greene, Justices Van Wrinkle,
Griffith, Cooper, and Gsrre.son, associates
TRIAL or MARGARET pEviNE FOR THE MURDER OF JEsNEr
MCKNIGHT BY POISON.
Nov 21-General L. II Wright and W. ]. Gilbert
conducted the prosecution, an j. d. Miller and b.
Wake mar appeared tor the prisoner.
1t viii be RENE mbered that abont foYr months since
Mrs Mcknight. the wife OF Andrew Mcknight, a nlr.
ket gardener. rs,iding az Bergen in Hudson county
New Jersey. died suddenly nd under Suspicious
circumstances which created much gossip and ex-
element in the neighborhood at the time The do
ceased Was taken sick between six and o'clock
the ornipg of the first Of July last, quite sud
denly, after breakfast and continued to sink until
about o'clock the same day, when she died. Al
though the of her illness and seatn created
great surprise at the moment, no tuspicion OF fou
plsy occurred tor week after, when another attempt
was made to poison Some circumstances in the pri.
soneIs conduct, together with tho sudden death of
the deceased, and the second attempt TO poison.
excited suspicious in the minds o. The nsghbors,
and, in consequences OF those suspicions the bod y
exhumeo, aud coroner 3 inquest neld At the in
quest two medical gentlemen attend q, who made a
Yost IaoTtem examination, f9E1)ged the stomach,
and sent IL to Doctor Chiffon, Of this city, to
be analysed search then made In the
house; and in an adjoining apartment used by MIR.
Mcknight tor washing vegetables paper Labelled
" Arsenic--poiEon.' was found fuTtaer search was
then MADE ana in pail ana teapot arsenic was also
found The contents OF those two vessels were sent
with the stomach to DR. Chiffon in each OF which he
found large portion Of arsenic Suspicion at length,
was fixed on the prisoner, upon which che Sds ar
rest and brought before Justice Bedford, magi
of the county, and such facts were laid before
him as induced him to NIT her tor trial She was
subsequently indicted by she urand Jury, aud her
trial fixed for the last term subsequently the trial
was postponed 20 this term and set dOwn for this day
Ii being known that the trisl TO come on this
morning, the Court room very sPecious and well Ar
ranged room eo, at an early hour, by the citi
fNsV FTa .lan
gallery IN front OF the Bench exclusively occupied
by ladies' and the body OF the Court filed princi-
paliy, by the male portion ot the audience. There
some ladies however, who got seats within the
bar At 10 O'CLOCK the Court organized. aad soon
after the prisoner brought in ia chsrge OF an of
hetr, and allowed TO sit behind her counsel She
plsiply dressed good looking and seems to be
about Is 10 years OF age. Her appearance or ap.
pearanees coulo be OF any value under such circum
staeces) decidedly in her avcT; and is is sDgu'
lar fact in connection with thir case that Dotwith
standing every effort bias baen made 20 find out some
motive the part Of the prisoner for the commission
of the horrible with which she Is charged, yet,
up this moment. motive can be assigned. and
the cory OF the people OF Bergen and Jersey City s
that IL is the result Of some obquty or desct In her
intellect Alter some preliminary arrange neats were
made The toli1wing jury vas sworn.
John Is. Mofit foreman; Thomas wilson, John he
terman Thomas Budgswood william scott George
@. Perry. william Cox Jesse Van fielder, Jno sturses
John Cole Wism Sinclair. rheoaora bishOp.
MIR Gilbert then briefly stated tae for .he prose
cution and the following Witnesses wore called and
examined
Mrs A.re Armstrong. examined for the prorecuton
by the Diftric5 Attorney knew the late Jeuuat M g
Knight; M.s Mcknight IL dead the died Ia uly last;
knows the prisoner; che living at the house OF
Mrs Mex night in July last shc Y ID in the city
II a Gomtttic; Mrs. Mcknight tal no other servant
giIl the family OF 9T. Mcknight was composed OF
himself bis vile. two children. the prisoner aud Two
mem hckngb t IL n market gardener; the residence
OF hcKnghE s only about tity yards from she resi-
d.Iee OF witness; saw Mrs. Mcknight on the msrn-
ing of The day she died, GL her house, IL was
about eight o'clock In the morning; witness re.
ceivsd a message TO go down and see her, and
witness went Down very after; witness found
the decea ed in bed and sick the prisoner In
the hou,e when witness We ut in jrs Becker and Mss
Jones with the deceased when witness got 70 the
house; Mr.. Armstrong witnesses husband. got 20 the
house before witness and gave the deceased table
spoonful Of cholera medicine; when witpess FIRST saw
her fhe was vomiting very much, asd sbe complained
NiolCnt sickness IN her etonaeh; witness gave her
tuubier OF wsFn water pst u uio mo- reueVe Aefi
vomiting continued until her death, at about one
O'Clock that day witness never left the house until
she did; while witness was In the house that morn
ing. the prisoner back aud forward through the
houfe she in the and from the room 20 the
Kitchen the breakfast things in the Kitchen hen
witness got TO the souse there ia the house
when witness got there but the prisoner Mrs Barker
Mis- JCLOs Mr.. Armstrong, an witness; in about
an our after witness got TO the house Margaret vent
into the kitchen the room Is separated by landn
aud hgh OF steps from the ktohep she old not come
into the room unless called for her. Remembers,
she said that Nara NcKnlght had taken cup Of toa,
and That while she taking her breakfast she be-
cane sick. In addition to the burning in her throat,
The complained 81 violent pain In her bowels. an 1
cramps In her arms and lers che appeared TO be ia
or at agony. Witness thinks Mrs Mcknight about
about IL o'clock, and prescribed some medicine Tor
her, which given to her witness did not reTC Give
while she remained tha prisoner expressed aJ sym.
paihy or kndnsas tor or towards the deceased the
contrary ~ltness thought she was very anieelins in
her manner
Crots txsminsd-Q. How long had Margaret been
there a. T,n days; that was the hrst ever of
htr q. How long was she Ia the country A A5oat
siN weeks @. bid the prisoner come TO your house
much excited , A. Yes, o. Did rhe Gene into the
room when you called her A, ies. q. Did ihs re-
fH dp hsu A Ma htlF 1
her upon .tgands. and think che did not 20 willingly.
q. ~ tie Court--Had Mrs. MEX uight been Ia good
health before her death A. believe abe had
Mrs. Mary Becker examined for prosecution by Cen
WIight.-Is the wife OF Abraham Seeker; knew hrs.
hehnisbti knows inc prisoner at ne BAR rfn'enbers
Eoing to the house Of the deceased tbs day tho died.
vitDsss was sent Tor, in great hurry about seven
o'clock In the mornings tscora messenger csmei
Wines oid not so en- the hrst meisagg tAo
prisoner came the Hrit tiue, and the neat time
man came; Witntas thinks she got % tao
ttuae tbout seven o'clock; there was only block
b,treep the I've houses; when witness got TO
MsKI ght's house; she found one Of tue children,
little boy. crying and the deoens'i crying cut that
che va Dying, and 10 one would come 20 her esss-
taneei ola not rec prisoner uBt. Mrs. Armstrong
cane, toon efter she came, she called the prisoner,
wltnefH found the deceased the bed. che very
tlek' Venting and complaining OF burning in her
throat aud that sae was distressed In her stomncb;
she plated very much Of thirst, witness resined
With Der untl III o'clock witn'sss hnsbtBi came
tfo scon after, bot medicine was administered to
her until hr Armstrong came; che continueo vomit.
Ing ell The time, aud seemed TO grow weaker the
tine advanced the prisoner lived . servant With
MIS- Mcknight; che was taking oare Of a email child
Tor her. o.--Do you know what dbl WITH the
contents q the basin Ayes the prisoner carried
70 cut; DO not know what abe done with It, U2 TO
the time OF hrs. Mex nghts deeease, vin0ss vas in
the habit OF seeing htr Der health better
than tirce sho removed 60 that neighboshood.
BY The Couft-Was her hssith delicate, or vas she
an IN sim vCuhnf A No. cir.
rOiaexarained-1hlnks, 80 near as witness fe'ol-
lCcts the prisoner into the room twice, bat it
when she called, and she ala not right
away We were all much excited about the deceased;
DID not knov what the matter With her; u vas
not lie any icknefs witness ever saw before vhat
tha tbrCr mp was clear ss glass the prisoner did
not Item b. b. uny excited; thinks u was Nr. Arm
strong who went after the Doctor does not kuoE the
two neu who lived with Mcknight; heard they left
.oon alter Mrs Meningitis death; one OF tseE has
since returned and IL nov living With Mcknight; does
OF know where ths other man IL; the basin spoken Of
before a large wash hand basin; II was taken
away md euptied twice By the prisoner; knows
little thnnty. In the buryiDg ground lot, near Nc
Eughts house; some persons lived there at the time,
who boarded the that worked At the cemetery;
did not know hear that they ever had any dispute
With Mcknight; does not know that the shIBty was
torn down about the time OF Mrs. Meningitis death.
To the Court IL might be an hour after Dir arm
strong that the cholera medicine was given TO
I.s..l