New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-27
MURDER CASES.
TRIAL OF NICHOLAS BEEHAN
Or THE MURDER OF MR.. AND MRS. wYCKHAM
AT sOgTUOID, LONG ISLAND
THIRD DAY.

u NJ sObTHOLD, LONO INLAND.
THIRD DAY.
a CURT or OYER AND TFRMINER or SUFFOLK co
Before Judge Strong, WN P. BUFFET, County Judge;
snd HrssY HusTTNc and Esoca =. caSPEsfEs. jus
RNERHEAD, Suffolk Co., L. l., Oct. 25, 1854.
The Court opened at O'Clock this morning, and
ss Immediately filed TO its utmost capacity by a
hong Of anxious spectators. We observed that a
reaier number Of ladies present than on either
d the two previous days Of the trial. No change
bad taken place in the prisoner The expression of
bic coun,enance was still unconcerned as when he
frst pleaded Not Guilty % to the charge The first
witness forthe defense was then called.
JOSIAH Ayres. sworn-I reside at Franklin Place.
I'm carpenter by trade have never been on TO-
innate terms with the prisoner saw him 'he Thurs
day preceding the murder; was then tile railroad
track; ii was about the middle of the day; he came
to ne md wanted to know il | wanted any help on
The hnnd-car; told him had partly hired man
Tie req aiDder OF this Witness statement was equally
lnimportant with the foregoing
Samuel Phillips David &. Smith, Levi Preston,
Florence Mccarthy and John Delaney were then
allied and respectively testified for the defense. There
o. nothing in the evidence of either Of those parties
affecting with the testimony Of witnesses for the
prosocutl"n
AFTERNOON SESSION.
When the Court opened in the afternoon the couu-
bel for the prisoner addressed the jury. His position
which he exhausted two hours aud half in defn-
ng-vas, that the marks found on the person Of de-
ceased indicated that a struggle had taken place,
which reduced the crime within the provisions of the
law for mansaugher. lie further added that be
would be satisfied if the jury would return verdict
Under that head, and concluded by particularly ex-
lsrirg them to mercy.
The Attorney General, Mr.. Hoffman, then proceed
TO cum up for the prosecution. He entered into
detss of the tragedy, and infinitely described
eh circumstance in the long chain of evidence which
wound itself around the prisoner. He maintained
y. this Of itself concusively established his guilt;
fvhen taken in connection with his confession, 1t
syled every doubt upon the subject. He thought
what was usually termed mercy would in this
be Injustice and felt that the jury had no right
How any other consideration than that of justice
way their minds
tie conclusion of Mr.. HofTmsn's address the
cusye delivered his chargs; after which the jury
' "ou' "'a the Court took a recess
THE VERDICT.
@oou' nan an hour elapsed before the jury returned.
Ddfng the interim the courtroom had become more
crowded and the insufIerable heat compelled many
OIL The ladies' to retire. As the foreman was called
upon by tho Clerk to render the verdict of the Jury
perfect stiffness prev allied in the courtroom: and
strange Ar il may seem, change took place either
IN the expression of the prisoner at the rem
ton Of tie verdict-GUILTY!
TheCour then adjourned, for sentence, to the fol-
lowing morning at o'clock.
As the prisoner was being conducted from the room
sbysender said: "Well, Nick, wouldn't you rather
il was finished at once!" Yes Sir, he replied
with expression ofthe most caIlous brutality.
FOURTH DAY -. October 90.
The Court met at the usual hour this morning.
The spectators were as numerous as on the previous
init into in
ipg. The prisoner betrayed the same Indifference
which has hitherto characterized his conduct. When
sske6, in the usual form of question: by the Clerk,
I" II he had anything to say why sentence of death
lshOuld not be pronounced upon him." "Well," was
his answer, "sil have to say is, that amt guilty
lofthe crime that has been charged upon me. know
hoee who did II, but never prevented 1t, and now
e6nS turn traitor against any never will let
hay ore have it to say after die that was traitor.
II didn't do tit was John Scott and james Nc.
lCrsvdon--they are the only that committed it,
and knew IL. They gave dollar apiece that day
10 cross the Sound down near Greenport'
"Hayc you got anything further to say asked
Jude Strong.
SThat is all I've got to say about it, he replied;
s'Iras ia the knowledge of the murder, and never
wnied to prevent it,
That YOU Nicholas Beehan, on Friday, the 18th
.d.y OF December next, between the hours of ~ at
moon aud in the afternoon, be hanged by the neck
-hn you are dead-and may the Lord have mercy
Fupon your soul"
"Thank you, SIR SAL the prisoner with an awful
Agitation Of politeness, and will leave you my
bar for ring!
Re vas then taken away, with the same sinister
lrae upou his face which it had worn when he en-
hid the room. There was not one person in that
lsembly who was not shocked at the degree of cal
e.sness displayed by the criminal and we viii
iue to assert that he did not possess the sympathy
Ola single individual pres mt. All seeh d to agree
hAe opinion that the verdict was AUST one and II
kbsrevolting particulars of the tragedy which suose
Ssnily reached us were correct, we cannot wonder
WY public opinion in the vicinity of Southoid was SO
tseive in lie condemnation.