The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-07
Trial OF james Antoni for the Murder OF
John Feadinanai.

KINGS COUNTY COURT or OYER AND TEgMINER
Before Judgen Rockwell and Moore and Justices Still
wen and Striker
JUNE 6.The trinl OF the above prisoner who is in
dieted for the murder of John Ferdinand, was COM
meneed in the Court OF Oyer and Terminer yesterday
before the following jury
John W. Manly, John J. Hickman, Lyman Wilson,
Ebenezer Howell Moses Van Buren, Joshua Lake Chas
J. Spooncr, Cornelius Bergen John wyckof Jr Jsnnes
N Seabury, Henry B, Starr and John Angus.
II. c. rnderhill Esq District Attorney conductod the
for the prosecution, aud Alexander McCue, Esq
appeared for tho prisoner.
The defendant is Italian also the murdered
He is about i've feet FIX inches in height with
long black hair, moustaches and whiskers He looks
thin and pale and appears be in feeble health owing
probably to his close confinement in the county Jail
In opening the case the District Attorney stated that
the prisoner stood indicted for the murder Of John
Fcrdinand the 5th OF March last in that part of
Brooklyn which is contiguous to the Williamsburg line
near the junction Of Marcy avenue and Rodney street
Tie day OF tho Sunday and il took place
neighbcrs first attracted BY the report of musket
or pistol or two reports probably the echo of the
other On looking out tn'y saw man on the ground,
aud found he had been shot in the right shoulder blade
Several gathered around the man. who lying in the
agonie o. death and went in search of the police Of
Nillnr sburg and Brooklyn when they came bach
dead, be political exile in this county an
hal cen here abou' year; he was then taken 10 tho
Nill burg station house. An instrument had bsea
It'd by his eide but clue could be got of the
An examination took place, but ncthiDg further
ascetancd but the report of the pistol The ns,ru
ment by his side found apted 20 the wouni. I
Coroner oceeded with the examination and in day
two another Italian, who had heard of the death of Fer
orandi, came to Williamsburg and went 10 of the
police Offices, where lie detained II ascertain
cd that he had been acquainted with the deceased He
identified the instrument as belonging TO the prisoner
which ho owned and had given to him. Inquiries
were made 10 whether the prisoner with fire
arms, and upon the ball being mentioned he said he
balls nc AZ the one taken from the wound in the pri
soner's trunk. He had formerly boarded with him He
iaenuhee me ss ana then the police went IN purauit
| OF Antopi and found him in New York The result of
the Coroner's inquest was that the defendant hel
the murderer We have evidence to show that the
prisoner killed the man, but there
nccted Herewith which should be explane l. Circum-
stantia details often lead detection of the crim
nal where direct testimony is lacking should here
say that when the officer went to arrest the prisoner
Le found pistol in his trunk, which bore evidence Of
having been recently discharged II all the evidence is
not sufficient when coated to convict The prisoner you
know your duty.
The following witnesses we've then examined
Michael Dover sworn-l live Marcy avenue, near
Rodney street, the southwest side at home
the evening Of the 9TH of March lsst The block is all
built up there five houses Marcy avenue, and two
Rodney street, was in the front parlor about six
minutes past eight heard two shots fired and remarked
il az unusual al this season of the followed the
otherand vent out OF the door, kept my eyes the
houses Rodney street wnere thought the shots
from; then heard groan ana on the hill about sixty
seventy yards distant saw man trying to raise up;
immediately reported il to my sister and girl in the
house also told Geddes man living up stairs; he
fused TO 90 10 The place whore the laid young
visit 10 Geddes; biinself and myself then
started together, and found the lying his back
asked him question, but coald not understand
the answer went for The officers and left the others
with the body; brought three officers from Williams
burg, and when we came there the man WIS dead the
ofcers searched around, and picked mp the steel den
titled III Kelly picked II up; he is officer. the
was called and came there shortly afterwards;
wounds. but blood come out Of bis mouth. (The
instrument IL spike like concern sharpanad TO point
at end. with wood handle the oiher) The body
was taken TO the belry, lstaton house, where It
next dag.
Cross eAarniraticn.I looked up at the clock when
heard the eport tie clock befordrne the manel
piece; person near this man that lrng in the
hed could have il any had been there heard
steps i, is about t1 and hal miles to the Jackson
Ferry from my house Peck slip is the ferry 70
| my house the Williamsburg side; something like
half mile .isanti an very seldom 10 the habit d
my house; they all open fields
Wilem Geides Eworn-l live a few doors from the cor
nerof Marcy avenue and Rodney street, heard nothing
of the affair until Ecwer sent up stairs for me- live Ii
the same house. it about twenty Ave milues afte
O'Clock; Bower told he thought was shot
and wished me to 60 along; refuse4 until the two
young men a vstwith consented to go with me;
policeman searched his pockets and found por.non
Dhie found no wounds, but saw blood; did not know
the man that killed
Cross sexsmnation-Teard the report but It appeared
to that it the salute from mail packet heard
only report it appeared 10 be at great distance
paid no attention to 1t until Dover sent up for me-
Andrew II. RoweIives at No 55 Adams street, Brook
yn; evening of 5tb March, at Mr.. Cedtis house
| was there at s O'clock heard two reports--one
thought, the Navy Yard gun and the other Of small
arms in the back paid attention to the
ports about minute two afterwards Mr.. Dover came
up and wished Geddes to 60 along with hum he refused
| and James Hutchinson and myself went with him; the
man ley shout sixty yards distance almost five minutes
elapsed before got there; the attempting to
raise before got there nothing but blood coming
be seen If lie about sixty yards distance, unless he
got behind the fence; asked the several questions
but he gave me no answer and desired Mr. Dover TO
for a policeman, and he went while James Hutchinson
! and myself stayed with the man. all he said was
stranger" the other inarculate the impression
my mind was that the meaning he wished to conye,
| n stranger. We there.
went in search of Brooklyn policemen and back in
about ten minutes; his hat laying about 10 q
yards distant; 1t was new black hat and taken
/ In charge by the police.
Cross sminaon--Coud not observe footprints in the
neigborhood could not tell which way the came by
any marks the hat lay towards the upper part of vii
liamsburg; the first report, the Navy Yard gun,
about fye minutes before the second.
Abraham Vandervort, svorn-liyes on Marcy avenue,
three doors from Rodney street This witnesses testmo-
ny corroboraiise of the above in the main particulars
In his cross.examnaon he stated that he heard the
Navy Yard about twenty minutes before he heard the
| report OF the pistol.
Francis LARAMIE, Jr., policeman OF williamsburg tes-
titled 10 being informed by Mr. Dover Of the
while his beat after hesitation he proceeded to
the Brooklyn side where the deceased laid he found
instrument by his side, and new black hat dis
tance from him; he aided in conveying the body TO
building there stone fence about two feet high to-
wards the Brooklyn side from where the body lying
and towards Williamsburg there open lots.
DR.. II. schaprs testified TO making the post morem cx
omiration on the body, the 7th Of March he found
two superficial 90 the top Of the right shou
der also the right elbow not sufficiently deep 70 pro-
duce ood also found wound the lower part Of the
shoulder blade from gun shot, the ball entered at the
back end in Its direction downward shattered the lower
margin Of the eighth rib il entered the cavity OF the
chest, pierced the apex Of the lower lobe Of the
| right lung its root wounded the interior
gin Of the upper lobe passed and hit the renacus de-
scndeus just before II entered the right aurice Of the
heart through the pericardium Of the super naaul and
cartilego OF the ffth rib, near its junction with tho
sternum and found embedded in tho muscles just
beneath the skn that wound the OF the mans
death; extrcated the ball and gave IL - the Coroner
In his examination the witness stated that the
man who fred behind a. the side OF the deceased
he examined the ball, which fattened and said II
could hardly have been produced by passing through or
striking the blade ribs.
Guido Machni swoin-Is hair dresser and barber at
No 643 Broadway New York; be testified that ferdinan
di was In his employ previous to bis deceasc saw him
last that day AZ 12 O'Clock when he left the shop being
closed; the body the post mortem examination;
he had been in his employ about year; came to this
country In the sardnian frgate San Giovanni; he had
lost two fingers In Rome, in battle with the French
James Hanord, the Coroner before whom the inquest