The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-13
AFFAIRS I'M NEW YORK CITY.
Trial of LeOnhard SchaRcr for the Murder
OF Basil Blair.

The District Attorney, Mr.. N. B. Blunt moved on TIL
trial OF John Steckenwcrter and Leonhard SchafIer
charged with the murder of Basil Blair on 9TH November
1851.
Mr. Jonas b Phillips, with whom Mr. Edmon Blanl,
man was associated demanded separate trials for the pri
soncrs.
The District Attorney said he would proceed with tn
trial of Schailer
Leonhard schaiicr then placed at the bar and TIL
jurors were called William Il. Carpenter was challenge
by the prisoners counsel ON the ground of bias
The District Attorney submitted that tho ground o
challenge should he specified.
The Judge said the general challenge on the ground
bias amounts to nothing Counsel must state what kline
of bias he alleges.
The District Attorney-It amounts to nothing Mt all
If he challenge the ground that he has expressed an
opinion. it must be decided by trers
Mr. Phillips then challenged the specific ground that
the juror has formed and expressed opinion as to the
guilt or innocence of the prisoner
The District Attorney denied the of challenge
ana the juror, having been interrogaed to his i'm
partiay was challenged pereptorily by the prisoner
counsel After the exercise of nine other peremptory
challenges the jury stood as follows
: ;san H 81 1,egsn S sss Ssn Dnna
T. VIM Miller TO- Peter j Schultz
6. Geo. Ii Ball IL. Geo w Benson.
q. Scion Buifum. r. Henry b. Hart
VIM Lewis "a juror was challenged by the District
Attorney for 0ncenous scrupcs as to the infection
capital punishment
The prisoner then given in charge to the jury for
the murder OF Basil Blair, the 4th OF November 1851
by stabbng him in the groin with knife ut the
OF Rivngton and Sheriff streets. Thirteenth ward lie ia
young man apparently about 25 years of age German
by birth and speaks the English language impcrfecty
His mother was seated by his side.
The District Attorney to state the for the pro-
secution explaining to the jury the statutory definition
OF the crmo Of murder and then proceeded recaptu
late the circumstances which he expected to prove
Ambrose L. White, being sworn, and examined by the
200 Broome street knew Basil Blair he resided as 70
Sheriff street corner Of Rvingon called to attend
him on the night Of the 4h November his family ply
stefan found him weak and exhausted from the stabs
he had received he was in bed examined the wounds
the first wound in the upper pant 0; the left groin
ii Il stab an inch and half in length supercially
which hcaled in few days the second in the same
groin hail m inch in length showing very clearly that it
was inflicted with -harp instrument the bowels proru-
ded and on examination found that the wound end
cd through the bowels the bowels protrdcd about six
inches ! determined having a consultation | sent
OF Doctor Wood and his partner came found il i'm
possible to ret urn the bowels without enargng the orce
of the wound. which did. and replaced the bowels
Dr. " God met US in the morning. and attended him
TIL his death he progressed well from Tuesday until
Thursday when crysipeas set ill., in consequences of in
fanmaton the inner covering of the bowels he died
at II o'clock on the l1th of the same month attended
the posi- mortar examination and found organic dis
ease except that arising from this wound attributed
hs death to the stab in the groin have dobbt of it
day before he died. the three expressed their opn
ion to him. that he could not live and he concurred in
that opinion be calm and collected. and had his
mind perfectly he was fully conscious Of approaching
death.
Cross-examined by Mr.. philps-we enlarged the
wound not more than the eighth of inch it done
the same night about half an hour after called in;
the eryspcas set in in the vicinity OF the wound the
eryspeas did not reach the head did not extend be-
yond the navel should suppose the wound inflicted
with knife or dagger something very sharp it
tended through the bowels not more than inch and
half from the outer wound it occurred the night Of
the last election the 4th Of November my opin
ion that the individual who inflicted the wound and
the deceased were standing face to face.
TO Mr.. BluntIt was evidently inflicted with the right
ed had thpso he wasa
moulder by trade Qhe garments Of the deceased
here produced the examination made of the deccaseds
the cause Of the death which knew clearly the in
jury arising from the wound in the groin.
Doctor JAS X. Wood gave similar testimony to the
Of the death Of Blair the opinion of all the
physicians that he could not and no expressed
his conscious ness that he could not live
The District Attorney offered to read the examination
and dying declaration Of the deceased taken the 10th
November the day before his death.
Mr. Phillips objected to the document being read it
was deposition and not dying declaration.
The District Attorney deferred putting the declaration
in evidence until he had examined Justice Mountfort be-
fore whom II had been taken.
Christian Bodkem. . German deposed:-T attended a
grocery for Mr. Martin at $50 Rvngton of
know the prisoner knew him before the night
Blair stabbed; 1t was after candle light think be-
tween and 10 o'clock; attending the bar in the
grocery store Schaffcr came in to have something to
drink there with him; think it was the other
acc used gave them something to drink; they began
talking; said some words and they made kind Of muss
order ed them out of the store; Of them fired piece
of beef at me; they caught hold OF me- Mr. Martin
out at this time; got them out Of the store; of
them caught hold of me and my shirt all torn got
them into the street and they came back again in about
quarter Of an hour and insultcd me- afraid and
pushed one of them away (he not trial. he bit
me In the finger had not seen Blair up TO that time;
saw him in the street, pretty the time when my
finger bitten; l did not any strike Blair;
schaer and Steckenwerer were both strangers to me up
to that night.
The witness was not cross examined
Martha Jane Blair, widow OF deceased young woman,
hny IosVv aI ubp nxytIp
of Basil Blair; resided Mr. Martins store;
heard noise after my husband went out; raised the
the street husband went into the store did not see
him again until heard noise in the street and went
down and Brought him in he said of the men kicked
him; he was bleeding. and sent for Doctor Whitc.
THE District Attorney here exhibited the clothing of the
deceased to show their thickness Witness continued
was presen VIII, Justice Mountort took my husbands
declaration he said he could not recover and had
desire TO live; he calm and collected; had seen
schaffer several times pass our house; saw him next
morning. and recognized him as being of the
l saw In the street; think he Of the /
in the street on that night
Crosscxamincd- men came out OF the store on the
Riyngton street side; they walking; saw
pursuing them did not see the clerk of the store go
those there where other persons in the street
that knew Of there was no light except the light OF the
lamps could not distinguish Schafers features heard
him speak and knew his voice. he called the clerk Of
the store namcs he spoke English and called hma Dutch
son of a u; schniler is himself German; did not
blood aiming from Schaer; he had his hand bound
up saw Steckenwertcr in day two after he had
black eye NJ inc tiNe; saw my nusDanu IN the Huuue
Of the street scutiiing with one he had not been
buy engaged that day Mt the elections; he did not go
Them he noudCr and at work that day at
Mr. Hoe Is; be came Ecmc to his tea ut q clock and
went cut to work agan at quarter before eight he
carried knife he did not any kind OF knife
ut his business.
10 Mr. Hunt lie was about half an hour gone when
he out from his tea.
Herman Msrin the proprietor Of the store deposcd-
did not know schaiier until the morning after Blair
stabbed was at the OF Hying ON and Columbia
streets when Blair wounded the lnuss was al
when camo up, and saw Blair going up stairs; saw
two men running past me; l did not Sohatftr or
Stcckenwerter until they arrested had been out IN
Grand street with Blair previous TO his being stabbed
Wilism Ech, examined through the medium Of Nj.
Johannason, deposed.I live at No So Sheriff street,
know 5cheueri | know Keller barber, No. " 5horlt