New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-08-04
THE DAILY CRESCENT.
Examination of Chandler for the Murder Of w
C Highams

C Highams
The examination Of this affair, about the re-
suit of which deep interest seems to be felt in
the community, was commenced on Tuesday
evening at o'clock and has occupied the atten-
ton Of Recorder Summers every evening since.
The following is the testimony taken thus far:
Deputy Coroner 1ereR spo,--I held an Inquest the
body OF a. Higbams found dead in the Circus Street
Infrmary on Mondsy night last and after patient III
yestigation. the verdict returned follows Died
II Internal henmorrhage caused by pistol shot wound
of tue right side Of the chest penetrating the liver said
having been inflicted the evening Of the 31st OF
July Mt the Of st Peter and psrddo streets by
John Chandler" On the rendition of this verdict
made affidavit against the prisoner charging him with
the crime o. murder had Ia my possession this morn
ing bows-knife with the of Highams small
piece Of attached TO it, 1t was obtained az the
lock up.
DR. Yezer swor,--I held post moyiem examination on
the body of deceased at the Circus Street inhrmary,
found large collection of blood in the abdomen and
traced the of the bullet 10 the right lobe OF the
liver Death the result of Internal heorrhage De-
ceased had second bullet wound in his thigh received
from behiad The wound in the liver was necessarily
mortal, but the other was not.
Jol. ctJi1 sco,1.-At shortly after 10 o'clock
Monday night last, sitting at the corner Of Per-
dido st Peter streets heard the report OF pistol
and saw the fash reflected opposite fence There
were three others with me Immediately afterwards
heard groan and came round the corner walking
very fast almost running Another person pursued MN
he had gone six yards past the corner
pursuer fired pistol at him. He said nothing before
he fired but immediately afterwards he exclaimed Take
into Perdido street. walking very quietly some
body then cried watch y and the man turned bach on
St Peter and down the steps nearest the
corner then turned to see what had become OF the
wounded man.
eaauined-I was present when the inquest was
held but not called on to testify, ldld not know
either the accused it quite dark and
could well nothing in the bands of the de-
ceased that shot appeared to be trying to
get away from the who shot at him Could not
tell at the time whether the shot took effect or not
John c. Gueyney stgoT-I know the prisoner and also
knew deceased. Heard the prisoner make remarks
the deceased the day that the took
place He said that Highams had been at his Office
Inhrmary--and they had had words. Never heard
the prisoner make any threats against the deceased
Heard nothing about his having pistol. :.
r. j. Hts.ttTger stporr--I saw the prisoner at
the bar until Monday morning last At about Or III
O'Clock Highams came to me and asked me II could 70
with him for q short time. told him very busy
and inquired how long he would want me he said Per
haps Ave minutes and perhaps an hour went with
him. after started he told me that Chambers wo-
man had got his arrested and he had been n-
that Chandler bad threatened to whale him If he
interfsred any with the case told him he had
better write to Chandler and hear what he had te
say about the matter but he thought 1t best TO go and
him We then went to the drug store in the lnrna
~ found Chandler there in company with some Wo
men-two at least Hghams asked MIN II he was Mr.
Chandler, and received Affirmative answer said am
MI Highams, and should like to havee few minutes o.
private with your They then asked me tc
sit down and went outi but wishing to see what wa
going on followed them When they went out Hgham
asked Chandler the woman he living with was his
wife his mistress or his We " Ubandier sad lt
mona of your husinessm Hiehanns said IL my bust
ness as she ia nusance to hole ueighborhood
be removed The conversation wb CHI followed va
low that could not hear it, but at length hearS
Chandler make of the word Remember" Hgh2m
placing his fists in striking attitude, said I" DO no
make of that word to again The ntxs that
heard HghRms telling him that if he wanted any ga
tsfacton he would give it to him WHEN wheFa and IL
what he pleased. We then left The last that
saw Highams half O'Clock that ev8n
Ing parted with him at the st. Charles billiard rooms
where he had been playing in jovial manner, GYM
great odds as he usually did and laughing when he lost
Patick MeKteer sucoy1I at the Of st. Pete
Perddo the night of the 3lt OF july abou
IL O'clock in company with four other boys; hear
pistol fired just around the corner on 81 Peter treet
directly after the pistol shot came running aroun
the meaning; another man after him, and a
soon the got to the corner he shot at HIM th
man who shot still Perdido stree the othe
who fired the shot cursing, but could not te
what he was saying the who pursuing the othe
after he shot went back TO the steps of house on st
Peter street just above Perddo looked around for tn
. vstchmsni when turned to look for the man at tn
steps could see HIM the crowd gathered and wen
W home l did not know either Of the men,
Caharine Corcorln sporT-1 have been living Rt tn
of the deceased since last Saturday stair
when the first shut fired when heard pistol sho
the gallery up stairs; heard second she
after getting out the gallery it was fired by the pr
w soper WIN Mr. Higham, the deceased he
ming and the prisoner at the bar was running after hin
did hear any remarks made, either by the paonc
deceased after few minutes the prisoner came bac
to his house The deceased lived at No AZ St Pete
street. and the prisoner lived next door the decease
lived up stairs, aid entered by alley the alley
only feet from the door that leads into the
occnpied by the prisoner did not hearany noise diff
Guilty before hearing report the pistol the decsass
f home about half hour before he killed;
did not go up stairs when he returned home saw th
s deceased Monday night talking to the lady he rent
from and also his lady; appeared TO be 9us
~ and good. natrsd the prisoner came home tim
after MIR Hrbam had arrived; he got to his duor and
& opened for him he did not enter, but sat down
his steps with lighted cgarin his hand or mouth
not think it than fifteen minutes from the tim
went stairs until heard the report of the pistol
heard word difficulty between the prisont
ind aessased.
accommodating all the time the deceased
at home, the night he shot, he and aroun
his own door do not know thel andady's l d
not know the of either of the women One of the
was colored woman was down stairs sitting tt
~ steps, when Mr. Hghams first came home WAS tx
steps when Sir. Chandler, the prisoner came home.
remarks made by either 1t was fifteen mil
~ ntes from the time the prisoner came home until
't up stairs not up stairs fifteen minutes before
heard the report of the pistol When the deceased a
rived at home, children announced his arrival
saying: Miss Lizzy, here is Mr. Highams. Miss Liz
liz the colored girl.
Taonas o Rourke suporr--on Monday night heard IL
cry of watch at the corner of st. John and Perdit
streets ran TO the place and found the deceased in IL
hands of Officer Monaghan, Waterman Perddo
carrying the deceased to the Circus street HOSP
tai The deceased appeared very weak, and heit
carried by two persons one under each arm On the
a knife dropped the person of deceased think
spoke and said, Lift my knife" The knife exhi
ited in Court the that dropped by deeess
and picked up by me. The knife was IN the scabba
When 1t fell
shout O'Clock on the slst Of July he sana
about doors from prisoners door; he telling
and others about the difficulty he had with the prisoner
the hospital that morning Deceased told he dol
every thing get the prisoner into fight but he 81
mat he would not hght, that he a coward, and
mad told him co. So he said he would stop that al
have nothing to say to Mr. Chandler The deceas
sst down and said no more about Mr.. Chandler. VIII
v Mr. Chandler round the all saw him, al
! a yellow girl with whom deceased lived said there
eonies" Deceased then got up, and another wont
caught hold Of him. and said don't 60" Deceased sa
tdont be afraid not going to do any thing to him
Deceased sat down my steps, next door to Mr. Cha
der's house he had cane in his hand and kept tapp
the steps looking all the time straight at the prison,
Nv After i little while the deceased got up and walked
and down the sidewalk; he stopped near the gutter
front Of the prisoner, who sitting the steps.
looked at him. walked very close to them. The d
ceased up and laid his lett hand on the steps whe
the prisoner sitting The prisoner without moyi1
said. Go away from my steps.n The deceased said
would not, and laid his whole on the step Chand
then got up and said, " God damn you If you don't
aw az from here will throw cigar in your face"
did not give the deceased time go away or do az
thing but dashed the burning cigar in his face,
ceased put up both hands to wipe the sparks from
eyes when the prisoner took out his pistol and put
right 10 the breast Of the deceased and shot him.
deceased staggered little and then around
corner prisoner pursued him shot at him ag;
as he (deceased) turned the corner The prisoner
back and ran his house. and afterwards arrest
saw deceased from the time hs arrived ct home until