New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-19
LAW LNI,ELLIGENC,E.

TRIAL OF SAMUEL sPRAGuE FOR TIE MURDER
OF MARGARET FURTIG.
COURT OF GENERAL sEssIoSs-Dsc. is-Ssfsss -
ecrasr SMITH.
San usI Sprsgue was plsced at the bar chsfese
with murder having caused toe deafh OF women
usue ed Flu zig in Jute lsst he bsvpg discharged
ti,tol f,om the effects Of which she died. An anhs-
mor,en elsmirat was made, from which 1t sP-
pesrsd that The prisoner fired the shot that proves
fatal to the deceased.
DIR. Fro,hiusbam vas tie first witness called, vhe
tsing sworn tess fed as folows-l an physciaa ~
tacttd 10 Bellevue Hospital; IromembH nssgArot
Furfig she vas adm Ted to tie hos ptd the latter pst
Of July last saw her short, afer she was ainitedt
&. crest anc wss king condition; o. died three
IS sitter mission; toe lanss we're rfvrsted -
be bsyiIg tnertd the upper part Of the ctet sbosk
o Dcbts above the fterI um; the wound, upoa ~
20 TIN rtem melton, sppesr up sard a.bsak-
arc, AID III my opinion was q gupsbOt wound. toe
q a. ex,rio ~ w5s ircOiord from gunpo ~deri the
bell was not fOure fhe was about 40 years old; her
nj oD ott er~ise was be al by, the wound being ~
u ecu, ted csuse 0f her ceah.
Gross exsmb ec--Tbe bf ain sxsmioed; It W.
eli. bly, coDsesed; could rot tell from the sppe4s-
snce q, the oectssei the nature Of tbs trestmeat -
Wi ch sbe was subjected | exsmised the lsfs uogi
there ives very sgot evidence of ,eass the nstsrs
cftbat tease was Tuberculosis very low diet With
cemitsnt circumstances Of bsd veoiiision cod Oh
Sci CO Ct light produces tubercts the use Of nton
toxcstiDt oriDLs might have been absolutely nsoss-
s.ry after che received the .ounc as one ,ioioe legs.
be,r might have been b. nefcisl; foul air ard snsn
room ght have produced the cebi atiDg effects; ths
into1icsf Dg tfft ots of modern import liquors ans
more furious han 10 firm O. years ID not fod say
lead 10 her body, but found woood ia the back al
most healed up which judged TO he the cicstdx d
the wound caused by the bullet passing through tho
body there was an abscess In the upper part OF he
Injured long il very difficult to prevent sup stasa
H. casts Of clean euDsho, wounds the coogestton Of
the brain of such slight consequence that taoee
VT alta pded the post morte m examination thought
Of very sg1t consequence; II might have caused d.
rspgtp emf. .
To the Jrdse-It was not sufficient 10 caass death.
joseph iton was Dext sworn-I am ono OF he Cor
ontrs Of The city held an an'e-morsem exsm0s Ion
In ,he later part Of June, at No 900 DesDcsy stnee
on tie deceaset, Margaret Furtig; examinod her
through al interpreter; saw tie wound sad thousat
her iu very dana erOus CT ndton; | looked ct tee
would at her request ste could understand lIsas
EDg ish, but The examination was male through DIR.
Zeis,r.
Re, prefer YVES being exaSineo.
Ptiio Zeiger mex sworu--I am an officer OF the
Fife Eth Ward; Vas at the house at No. 200 Deaso-
ee7 street While the Coroner was conducting the en-
amir stiop; IVES the medium OF commaocaaoai
ssk ed her If though would die from tbs wodnds
ste received che answered me IN the Affirmative:
when the plc ner was brou7 ito the room she We
ash &c If shs knew who shot her.
Mr. sbsff.r objected 10 this teet moDJ evifencc.
Ire Dlsrrict>At C!ney COZ Nnced tnat Wuet Ao 10
oses sse in the presence Of the prisoner shoad Do 70.
CO veo In evceDce
TIE Court thought The evidence was competent tes-
tin ony ss the nso1er was not at the tine upon hb
tia,-Ee Effect of IL 70 be matter OF argument win
TIE Jury.
Dir. Clinton still debated the question raised, sAA
quot, 4 nsny legal Instances. Exc-prioa was taken
to the ruling If he COur; the grounds were hat ~
prsoIs was Lot there voluntarily, but by FORCE cad
that Ii examination partook Of the nature Of jadssa
proceedings.
TIE Court overrulsd TIE objections.
Exsmic siion reeumed-I bsns'sted what peseed b.
tween II d. essed snd mysef oucy for the Cofoe;
the FRS. question ! ssked her was, Did she knoH ~
piscter, ard whether he was In the room enc ~
Yes, that be eat rear the wincow and hsa soaecA s
en-; the prisoner put come questions 20 nes suiyu4.
me; think his QuettoIs put were reooCeo w III
ing; thins one Of the Ccronen WOW ooya VIZ
rDdersd into Eoglsb; We Isso To-, .o ~ CO.
ccrreponced with Whist ua1 ~ xo.n ~ ~ shc.~.
h;m 80. in hi, hand wiitngi wrote Il (. 70 Hsos
s.on =, 49, ,bs. he was satisfied she VA In d.
,ne she was sworn; he's Bible, s1d ~
~ -. sdrr il issered In ire ueuI form
O.. eIsmI ed-S1e told me OF her oyiog coodsnsa
- con menced the Legal exAmiostioe, In broken
sssi;.b was rot satis6ed from Der broken nsaaee
70 cali in an interpreter; che slso tod "a
e. bsd Epel sh that she vas afraid che wo< not ~
ever but her doctor told her hst she voad reosy!s
bat tha. she vouln never be a. ven - b.seel -
eetmed to have conf 3ence In her doc'os = 0H -
spect, did rot sivs her any oplsioa y soy -
~ oop1iicu; abe cid not eay bow 900 sne NO.
- vuold dis, did not elk herf ~ ma oesooss
n VIA. her doctor told her on hat % yecc 49, :. 9
Al this w:sgs Of hs eIsmr snon no