Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-12-18
From tie Dispa,ch.l
TIE STACNTON HOMICIDE.

STANTON, Va, Dec. III, 1891.
You have already announced the fact, that Dr.
Daniel DOwney has besn arrested and committed ~
the Staunton Jail. on the chargs Of shooting Az"
killing William Mullens, last Saturday night ir.
Downey is the resident Minister of The Ca'no'c
Church, in this place; and, az such, is the spiritual
counsellor OF the lri-h labnrers employed on thcrah'
road and other public works OF this section oil coun'
try. understand that in times past, he has rehuet
ed valuable service 10 the officers of the law, IN put
ting down thoss occasional riots INDUCED in 10y Tue
laborers alre ady alluded TO; and that but Tor MS e1ei'
tons at Que time, Il vast amount oil property III 'ns
neiyhhcrhnod might have been destroyed ana many
yalu liable lives sacrificed. Intelligent, liberal ana 10
c;abIe, he has made msny warm friends here, who
deeply lam.nt the unfortunate position he il now H.
William Mullens was an Irishman by birth, and n
stone cutter by trade. lie is said 10 have been Il
steady, indu man, and, as far rs l Can learn'
was respected by those who knew him.
As vet, no facts have been ELECTED to show the CIR
cumsiapces under which the killing was done, other
than the statement made by Downey on Sunday, tha1
be did the deed in self.defence. Of course, there
are thousands of rumors OF ahoat, and almost every
man has his own version OF tho affair. Since my
arrival here, | have talked with the friend. and enc
mics of both parties, and from all l have been en-,
abled to gather, / think the following statement VIII
prove as nigh correct as any other That will % maoe'
until the now excited puullc minu Is quieted, anu o
legal investigation had: )
Some years past al Irish orphan girl named Mar
garet Leigh, came to this town, and was employed
rs a servant by Mr.. George A. Armantrout, the
tailor. Attentive, industrious and modest, Mr.. A.
thought very highly Of her, and spoke of her good
qualities to his neighbors. Twelve Or eighteen
months since Miss Leigh became acquainted with
Mullens, and doubtless being pleased with his sp'
pearsnce, accepted him as a sutton, and was regularly
About The first of October past, DR.. Downey, who
had purchased a house on Augusta street, opposite
the Catholic Church, and reftted it for his own Use,
needed a housekesper, and knowing the character
that Miss Leigh bore, engaged her services, with
ths consent of Mr.. Arinantrout. Some short time al.
ter this, a friend Of DR.. D.. limited TO him that Mrs
Leigh was on intimate terms with Mr.. Mullen, where.
upon the Doctor denounced the insinustions In un
measured terms, declaring that the young lady was
entirely yirtuous, and had always borne III uneXcep.
iionabie character. A few days after this occurrence,
the same intimation was made TO D.. relative to the
girl, coupled with the assertion that she was eRciente.
Fearing that something was wrong, Downey, on re.
turning home, questioned Miss Leigh as to the found.
alton for the rumors be had heard, when she frankly
confessed to him that che had been seduced by Mul.
lens under the solemn promise OF marriage, and that
she expected to be a mother in the course OF three
months. Hoping to be able to save the young lady
from shame, Downey sought MulIens, appraised him
of her situation, and urged him to marry her. This
MuIiens promised to do, but continued 10 postpone
the event day after day, until Wednesday last, when
Miss Leigh receiving an intimailOn that he WAS about
to desert her, secured the services of Lawyers Har.
man aud Bell to bring q suit against him for "brcach
ri marriage contract the lnltlatory steps to which
were promptly taken.
Notwithstanding the fact that legal action had been
commenced, DIR. Duwney again sought Mullens, and
urged him TO comply with his engagement 10 Miss
Leigh, and thus save her from shame aud infamy.-
Mullens again promised 10 do 80. On Saturday morn.
ing last, Downey cent into the country for Mrs. Rose
A. Orchard, a member of his congregation, and had
her brought 10 his house, IN order that he might get
Mullens there and have the marriage rites performed.
That evening, a short time after tea, the Doctor dis.
patched Michael McAlear in search of Mullehs, to
invite him to his house. McAlear found Mullens al
Thomas Honihans =, and on delivering the Doctors
message, Mike agreed 10 60, getting HoDlhan tU ac-
company them. The trio reached the Doctors house,
and lound Duwney, Mrs. Orchard, Miss Leigh, aud
Miss LIS nephew, nine years of age, sitting in the
parlor, in conversation. Downey soon after invited
Mullens into bis bed chamber, adjoining the
parlor, where the two conversed together seve.
raj minutes, but not in tones sufficiently distinct
to be heard by those in the adjoining room
Downey was next seen 10 return to the sitting
room, 90 to HE book case, take out something,
which his visitors supposed TO be q book, return TO
his chamber, and in q short time thereafter Honihan
heard some one PROFOUND the question, Twill you
marry the girl 7" Mullen's reply was, IL am willing
to 20 before n magistrate and make a clean COMES.
SION What followed, the witnesses could not cay,
but in a short time he heard the report of a pistol or
gun. McA. and II entered the chamber immediate.
ly after the report and saw Mullens in Il reclining po-
sition on the floor. As soOn rs NJ. saw them, he
reached out hs hand to McA. but did not speak.-
McAlear and Honihan dragged Mullen out OF the
chamber, through the sitting room and passage, into
tbs street, and placed him on the sidewalk, where he
was afterwards found. Assoon AZ the officers arrived.
they entered Downey's house by the back way, traced
the blood into bis chamber, and OH searching Il press
in that room, discovered one of Colt's five shooters,
three Of the chambers tn which had been discharged,
but Two were loaded. There were then but two per.
sons in the hOuse-DOwn-y ana Mrs. Crickard.-
Downry was lying on the floor in the front room, ap
parently in a profound sluInber, the result, in the
opinion OF the physicians in attendance, of thorough
iutoxication.
Soon after these discoveries, q Jury of inquest was
summoned, and the Coroner proceeded to take such
testimony n. lie could obtain, the substance of which
lao. boon kindly furnished in. by th. editor Ut the
spectator" aud which | here append
P. Wood wis first sworn and examined. He knew
nothing in regard to the death of Mullen. He had
seen the deceased Saturday morning, aud held some
conversation with him in regard TO the girl Margaret
Leigh. Mullenhad told him positively that he would
not marry her. Another witness testified that Null.
len had told him that lie intended to marry her. Nj
chael Mchlear nephew OF Patrick McAlearl was
next examined. He had gone with the deccased Sat.
nrday night, in ccnpany,@ith Thomas Honihan, 10 the
residence of DR.. Downey. DIR. Down.y had request
cd him TO ask Mull.n To come up; he did not knew for
what purpose. Wien McAlear entered the house.,
DR.. Downey, Mrs. Orchard, Miss Leigh and the lit.
tie boy, were in tb front room. While he McAlear)
was playing with he little boy, DR.. Doa ney aud Null.
len went into the pack room. In a short time tn.
former re.entercd the front room, took what vitness
supposed TO be- n look from the book case and return
ed the back room. a few moments afterwards wit.
ness heard the report of n gun or pistol. He imme
diattly entered tb, chamber, and saw Mullens in q
reclining position IN the floor. Mullens held out hs
hand to McAlear, iut did not speak. Witness and
Honihan then dragged the deceased from the house
and laid him on TIE pavement. Witness remained
with the body and Honihan went for assistance. The
young woman, Margaret Leigh, came out of the back
gate of the yard AMI requested McA!ear TO ccompan
her down the stree. He did so, and informed the
Jury where she cOud be found. She was subsequent.
Iy committed to iai. What became of the little boy,
did not appear from the evidence. McAlear testified
that Mr.. Downey was sober and as cheerful as he had
ever seen him. Hs did not see ID. when he went Into
the room after the thot.
Thomas Honihan testified substantially to the same
facts, except that h, heard some conversation in the
hack room, He heard the question propounded "will
you marry the girl Witness did not recognize the
voice, sud coming il later than McAIear, did not SEES
DR.. Downsy duringi The evening. Mullens replied to
the proposition that"he WAS willing to go before a
Magistrate and Inaks O clean confession" Shortly
after this conversation witness heard the report of the
pistol.
Messrs. Cease. Risy, Smith, &C., were also exa.
mined, but their evioencs was in most respects I'm.
material. Cease had put his ear to the window be.
fore the officers entered the house, and heard a voice
| saving Tell me all about IT," accompanied with a
noise resembling tie Tapping of a handksrcLief.-
The only response vas a grupt.
The jury broughtin a verdict in accordance with
the above facts, AID the evidence ELECTED being
deemed sufiicient q justity the arrest OF DR.. Downey,
he was committed tt Jail about II o'clock, Saturday
night, while still in +, state of profound stupor. The
witnesses were also committed.
On SUNDAY morning when DR.. Downey awakened
from his slumber and found himself in prison, we
learn that he promptly admitted that he had shot
Mullens; but denied that he had done II Intentionally.
HiI statement, as reported Ia us, ia to the following
effect: Tha, MuIlsns had injured the girl Margaret
LEIGH. and after rppsA'el promises 10 marry her had