The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-26
Our Albany Correspondence.

MWo0 ~ chooHng MNhdd brennan.
The greater part Of the week the Supreme Court
Mr.. Justice Harris presiding, has been occupied in
the trial OF William McCrossin, indicted for shooting
Michael Brennan with pistol From the evidence
adduced 1t seems that the parties were both Agh.ng
men, though there was great disparity in their size
weight &C., Brennan being large, athletic, power
full man, and McCrossin possessing no extraordinary
strength or muscular power. On the fourth OF July
the two parties met, and Brennan gave the other a
most unmerciful beating nearly depriving him OF
life. Though there were several persons present
not one dared to interfere on account OF the fear
they had Of Brennan He is represented M hav.
ing been man OF the most desperate charac.
ter, constantly seeking for opportunities TO
fight, beat and mutilate, without respect 10
person, age, character or sex. On subsequent
occasions Brennan threatened further maitreatmcnt
4 McCrossin, which induced the latter to procure
pistol, intending II for in case he should be again
ssaulted by his powerful adversary. On the 9Th
day OF November the parties met at the Second
ward polls. Brennan threw on his coat and ran to.
wards McCrossin. He was held by the people until
McCr0ssn spoke and said, LET him approach me:
am prepared for him." Brennan then broke loose
and started towards McCrossin and when within
three feet the latter discharged pistol, the ball
taking effect in his heart. and he died almost In.
hands OF the police, and remained In prison until
this morning. Such IL q substantial statement Of the
case. The jury deiberated upon the testimony some
ten hours, when they returned into court rendering
verdict Of not guilty-in effect, declaring the affair
lamentabe AZ It was, justinable homicide. The pri-
soner left the court room escorted by large mum.
Der OF friends.
Brennan was profe sional bully and terror to
that portion Of the city where he resided. lie even
dehed the police, not Of them to whom warrants
had been given for his arrest to answer for his beat
Ing McCrosson. daring TO approach him. He was
also the standing bully for certain political dctators
and ut ward meetings, at election polls, at convcn
tons, was always on hand, ready for riot rush
or fight. lie was ono Of John Van Bureaus quiet
and peaceable freemen and witnesses,' a few
years since, at the New Scotland outrage, which
transaction became notorious through the country,
on account ofthe rough usage melted TO certain lead
ing hunkers.
ALBANY Dec. "a, 1855.
War Proclaimed Beficeen The Sons and Barn
bu,ners-Sfrife for the National Dclsgatss--
The Latter Likely 10 Succeed-Soffs and Hlrds
mm Agree, on One Condition. Ba,nbu,nsrs
Ready for dnother Buffalo Stampcds-The Ttoo
Rirai Pdpers-Prospects II an drrdngemsnf
The s0fts, free soil and barnburncr democrats
have called a convention, TO be held al Syracuse on
the tenth day Of January for the purpose Of select
ing delegates 10 the national convention at Cincin.
natl. This Syracuse assemblage will be the end OF
soft shell and barnburner fusion; IL will distract.
divide, and estrangc the two sections and barriers
will be raised, CULTS constructed, over which mel
ther can leap. The time has now come when such
dis upton must electually and literally cnsnc
There can be no possible approach towards unity
and harmony in the selection OF delegates 10 the
Presidential nominating convention. II Il the
height Of absurdty for any one TO imagine or sup
pose that either a bali and half or united deega-
ton be selected and for thcsc principal reasons
to wit -
Marcy, Seymour, Cochrane, Stryker. J. c. Wright
and others, leading sots have predetermined that
every delegate sent 70 Cincinnati shall be man fully
known to have voted for General Cass In lsis, when
the black Van Burens defeated him These leaders
are aware that from the course taken by the barn
burners individually and through their accredited or
gans-the Post in New York and the AHas In TIL
city-there be no possibility Tor an entrance
a barnhurner or free soer within the Cincinnati
sanctum. All the friends OF buchanan, Pierce and
Marcy are firmly agreed upon this point and for
the purpose Of allowing the great State Of New York
10 exert her p0nderous influence In the selection Of
canddate-it ii indispensable there must be
no doubt az TO the nationality Of the delegates.
On the other hand, the barnburners. led onwardt
the slaughter house by Dix, Flagg, Dean Richmond.
Martin Grover, J. s. Wadswortb, s. j. Tiidcn, l. v.
Fowler, and H. Redfcld, equally determined
that half Of said delegation shall comprise barn
burners, now office holders under Pierce. They de-
mand this share, they aegc In order to the barn
burners from going over In body 10 the Seward
camp, and also to maintain what they claim--the
control Of the democratic party Of this State fur
thcr they desire to send barnbufners 10 Cincinnati
well knowing their prompt rcjestion They desire,
with John Van Buren,, 10 oppose and defeat the Gin.
cinnati nominees II the baruburnera are rejected,
or as he saya, "stbIected TO rcproachr--in fine
TO 20 over, body aud soul, to black Sewardism.
The strife between the two factions, in outDum.
bering each other, has already begun, and being
carried into the primary gathering. The contest 10
the various Assembly districts for delegates the
State convention win be more desperate than Il
ever was between the hards and the softs In their
bttcrest encounters and IA the colts proper, dis.
connected from divided With the barnbnrners are
. mere handful and mostly Pierce osiceholdors.
there IL 20 reasonable doubt Of the success ~ the
seward allies. They will rule the state convention,
select snch delegate. they desire. With the foil
knowledge, understanding and belief that the Gin
cinDat doorr will he strongly boliod against them.
The aofts being thus outgeGerallcd. win retire 10
ladies paflor' at hyracrse, select another De.
legation. and proclaim formal separation from the
Buffalo platformites Of ieis, and the black Van
Burens Of ir5b.
The offs then, with Seymour Ia the van viii offer
Cancellation aud fraternity 10 the h1rds, and upon
one condition oilcr 10 unite aud that IL, 10 leave
open the question u Presidential candidate. But
the lards ui not consent 10 throw Dickinson In tho
hat 10 he shuiiied with Buchann, Douglas, Cobb,
Bright. Cas-. or q dozen of greater obseuriy. No,
they will await The action ofthe knos Nothing con.
,cnton at Philadelphia, In February. n Dickuson,
there lays out Live Oak George and Fillmore,
then the hards n their professions heretofore are
any guarantee for the future. viii abandon Scrip.
tufe Dick aud accept proposals. from tie sof,a,
The latter Offering objections - the hard doicga
Int F~ttf IL ~ lrtfs
mitt1d into Tie Clnclnnau convention IL there not
reason In all thisl Throwing aside the barn
burners and turning them over 10 seward, Mann,
KtAg 4 Co.. can the sofs and harda The demo.
@y-unitei Van Barren the ego;isi and arrogant
Hk,aior, says the dsm0cfaets OF New York must
unite before the national convention they cannot
unite In or sft1r ~ Think u 8. The disofpAus~f
Is ready Tor another cGor ~ drag the old oul
from under the load Of hay"
There hns been quite gOxslppng agaiD, relative
10 the long talked u gnon 81 the risal papers here