New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-20
TRIAL FOR MURDER.
Trial of Peter Rowland, the Hawaiian, for ii

witch Islands man, indicted for the niurdero John
Murray. was called up for trial He was brought
into court handcuffed, having book apparently
bible between his hands. He is tall strong built
man. He appeared to be qnite unweu and look
ed at first, wild and haggard, but after while re
| laPsed into quiet almost inattentive bearing
MIR. ]. D. Sherwood appeared on his behalf, and
Mr.. McKeon, District Attorney, with Mr. Sweeny,
for the prosecution.
The prisoner was directed to rise, when the in
dictment was read.
After which the the empanneling OF Jury was
proceeded in, the object OF inquiry by Mr. sher-
wood being whether or not the Juror had formed
an opinion, from the reading of the case at the
time, or otherwise, unfavorabIe to the prisoner
A Jury was soon empanneled.
Mr.. Sweeney, on behalf of the prosecution, then
opened the case, stating the facts expected to be
proved.
Re6ecca Butler, (colored woman sworn-Re.
sides in Thompson ST.: resided at Isl Leonard st.
| 18th Oct last John Murray boarded in the house;
he was q seaman, Spaniard by birth, but could
! speak English; | had seen Peter Rowland, the
| prisoner. had been about the house for about
week; kept house for Mr. Williams Rowland
! had been in the house ever since tea, before
dark After tea Mr. Murray said he would go up
stairs and lie down, he did not feel very well;
prisoner was sitting in the kitchen by the stove Mr.
Williams said he wished to go to church that even
ing and wished me to stay there 1.-The came, las
had said l wished to go to my sisters and the
| little boy would be lonesome When MIR. w. had
been gone about 10 minutes, prisoner came to the
sitting ROOM and | supposed he wanted Light,
and asked him-he could understand enough OF
English to answer in such case. He bowed
assent, and | gave him one. He then stood the
doorway and the little boy asked HIM II he want
ed ANYTHING and he said no. After standing
there a little time he turned and went up stairs.
| After he had been gone few minutes, Francis
Purport came in and asked me where all the
men We're. | told him they were all out except
prisoner and Murray, and they were up stars.
II asked me if there was light up stars, and |
told him | thought there was that prisoner had
not put the light out The boarders all slept in
the garrett, to which there was very dark
| entrance. After Francis had gone up, heard
fall andEt0ld thesbov to what 1t was but he
was afraid and took the light, and at the foot OF
the garnet stairs | saw Francis lying bleeding,
and appeared to be insensibe. | asked him II he
could not get up and after about minute he
spoke and said, "oh let me be-. The little boy
asked il he should 90 for a Doctor, and suppose
he went. Immediately afterwards the hight was
knocked out OF my hand, and | felt cut on the
temple knew some one must be there and sad
| nothing but went down stairs. did not then
| KNOW AWNING tlll L lDuIu | w It's III ttC ucAt
house, and the Doctor was sewing the wound up.
Francis was at the Hospital about week. He
| has now gone to sea. was not sick afterwards
in bed. | am sure there were no persons up
stairs except Murray and prisoner.
Cross erGmined.-It was ON Sunday evening"
| Peter had complained of being unwell, and took
| his tea earlier than the others. He was always
pretty still and quiet about the house. Never
| heard Of any quarrel between him and Murray ;
! Peter had acted strange that Sunday; he had tas-
tened the kitchen door up twice that day, put
bar across it the house IS In an alley way; sew
eral other families lived in the house. and also in
other houses adjoining. Several questions were
asked tending to show that other persons. could
easily get into the house.
DiTect-Saw the prisoner drunk once that day;
| it was after dinner; he drank brandy; he lifted
his three fingers to man in the yard, so as to
mean three cents, and the man took cup and
| brought him the liquor. When he asked for the
light | did not discover that he had any appear,
ance of ntoxcation he was asked why he barred
| the door and he made no answer; he appeared to
| be afraid of something When he motloned to
the man as to the liquor, two or three men were
! in the yard among them Murray, they wanted him
10 20 out with them, but he would not.
Bra .Ju0r-Saw nothing strange in him be.
fore that Sunday prisoner was seaman
James johnson, (coloredl sworn-W as at W Ii
| liams's that night; slightly acquainted with EUR
| port few days before Peter, the prisoner was
| at the wharf tearing his clothes Off, on that sun
! dav night lad named Louis came to my board
| ing house and said Peter had been knocking peo'
pie; went and took light, and we went up saw
! Francis lying bleeding the light was knocked
| out, and we all ran down again; several Fohce
| were there; went up again, when Peter threw a
| flag stone down the Policeman gave man his
| club and we went up, | having the light, when
we saw Peter at the head OF the stars with
bedpost the man said he was not afraid, and went
up when Peter struck him with the bedPost ana
! knocked him down; it was halt an hour alter
wards before we knew what to do when the 70
lice told us to 20 on top of the house and open the
| skvlght; we did So when the man with me said,
.s6e has killed himself, he is lying on the bed
but we saw it was Murray, lying In bed bleeding
Peter was standing there we saw, at the head OF
the stairs with the bedpost to keep people from
coming up; John Williams and myself, who were
ON TOP of the house then sang out to those below
TO 20 up the next stairs and break through the par
tton as it was only board petition, and they did
so, but Peter threw brick at them and tried to
put up the boards as they knocked them down.
threw club at him from the garnet window,
| hoping to knock him down. and John Williams
threw two bricks at him. which he put at
the side of him, to throw down upon those
below; after we threw the brick be threw
knife which he had held in his mouth 1t was
four or five hours before we took HIM A ponce
officer said he would give 500 TO whoever would
take him ! went up, with others, through the
partition HI KNOCKED the first man that went
up. We then kept going up Peter got behind
the chimney with bedpost. An officer fred at
him three or four times, without effect. rushed
] in and struck him and he at me- and then ran
out, then followed him back aud he at me again.
some one pushed me in at the door, he struck me
but did not knock me down. finally struck him
in the temple, an officer brought a long pole, and
iabbed at him, and l struck at him till finally ne
ifell, and called for assistance-the stairs were
then filed with people. 1t was about an hour
and half after he had been fired at. The officer
who fired at him kneeeddown behind the bedstead
in which Murray was lying. 1t was little after
When we first tried to take bin, which we did not
succeed to do till past H. John Williams, who