Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-04-29
Trial for Murder in Union County N. J

The trial of a young Irishman, named Michael
Murphy, for the murder of George A. Van
Muller, a Russian, was commenced yesterday
at Elizabeth City, Union county, n. j., in the
Court of Oyer and Terminer.
The Hon. Daniel Haines, Associate Justice
of the Supreme Court, presided, assisted by
Messrs. George W. Savage, Appollas M Ell
mer and Thomas Pierson, Judges of the
Court of Common Pleas. Counsel for the
prisoner, ex-Gov Pennington and Theodore
Runyon of Newark. On the part of the
John j. C~hetwood, ESQ.,, Prosecutor of
the Pleas for Union Couty. The novelty Of
a trial for capital crime drew together a large
audience.
The prisoner is a laboring man about 25
years eff age, and presents rather an inoffensive
appearance. He was accompanied at the bar
by his wife. When arraigned upon the charge
he answered "Not Guilty to the best Of my
knowledge" The two first witnesses exami-
ned were Nicholas Michetz and George A
Abbey, two young F%renchmen, who are the
principal witnesses, and saw the most of the
difficulty, together with the murder. 1t APP
pears that on the afternoon of January last
the murdered man, Van Muller, and an Irish
man named Patrick McAden, residing at
Granville, traded a gun for a pistol, at which
accused was present, at the shoe shop of Van
Muller there was considered to be a differ.
ance in the value of the property exchanged,
and one of them agreed to purchase some Ii
quor. The liquor was purchased in a pail,
which was freely drank, and a fresh supply
was obtained some two or three times. Final
ly, a dispute arose between the prisoner and
the murdered man, when Murphy was elected
by Van Muller. Patrick McAdem got his fill
of whiskey, and was lying helplessly drunk
under the front steps of the shop. Subsequently
the parties attempted to arouse the drunken
man when Murphy commenced to kick and
beat him, and Van Muller ordered him not to
do it. Some words passed between them,
when Murphy drew a dirk-knife and stabbed
Vau Muller in the breast. The witness
Abery seized hold of Murphy to prevent him
from committing a murder, and in the strug-
gle both fell to the ground-AbreY receiving
a blow from the knife which took effect on his
arm. During this time Van Muller had gone
up into his shop where he was followed by
Abrey. Upon discovering that he had been
stabbed, Van Muller became very much enra-
ged, and hunted for his knife, bnt could not
find it. Witness tried to pacify him and then
went over to the depot, to get assistance and
prevent further difficulty. Not finding any
one there he went down to the church and
called out Mr.. Crane and another man. On
arriving back at the depot, the Russian was
coming that way when witness begged of him
to GO back Witness went into the store in
the depot building, and saw Murphy there
much excited and aourishing his knife. A
moment after Murphy went out and meeting
Van Muller on the platform, stabbed and kill
ed him. almost instantly. Van Muller had a
~shoe-hammer in his hand but did not attempt
to use it. Murphy then went into the store,
his hands covered with blood and attempted
to stab Abrey. The latter, after a scufae,
finding that he could not escape. seized a lamp
and struck the prisoner over the head, and fin
ally, with assistance, succeeded in getting the
knife away. Murphy then went out, and after
looking at the murdered man, went away.
Toward morning, Coroner Chandler arrived,
and with a posse Of men went to arerst the
prisoner. They found the door fastened, and
the 49, = sRsmsdmittance until they
ZThe prison
NSg aDodf the muir
der.
The evidence agsinst the prisoner is posi-
tive, but the plea will probably be i~ntoxioa-
ton.
The murdered man was unmarried, thirty
two years of age, was considered to be o des.
perate man, and had left Russia in consequence
Of having fought a duel.