New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-13
THE TWELFTH-STREET MURDER.
CORONER'S INQUEST.

morning last al NO. " East lWeHlh buc'b ~ i"' <
Of people had assembled there for the pur
pose of getting a glimpse of Alfred Buchanan, the
young who ia suspected of the crime During the
investigation the prisoner was present. al hrSt weeping
freely, but becoming composed as the investga-
ton proceeded His father and an elder brother were
by him throughout was his counsel also The evil
dence elected which publish below, will be found
interesting as it shows concusvey that the prisoner
has never been of sound mind. Beyond the simple
facts, however, that Friday morning he came home
with bis hands cut and his clothes bloody and that he
identified as the young carpenter who had been seen
about Mrs. Shanckss store previously there Is nothing
whatever tending TO impicate him in the murder His
explanation Of the in which he received his
injuries may be true, and that he should not remember
the location of the saloon where he had disturbance
is not at all singular for person dull of intellect The
substance of the testimony taken is as follows:
Re us.asg pecpne sa the prisoner the
house Of the deceased the told me that she could
get rid Of him said that he had worked for her and wanted
to do another job get little money she said she did not want
him to do any work because she could not Wch MIN
he considered very dsageeabe but avoided giving
explanation ofwhy she considered him dishonest
sfsHcs being recalled identity the pri.oneI searched care
Susan Ferguson recalled Identified the prisoner young
whom Mr. shancks had with message % her on the
had some Conversation with Mrs shancks relation the
picious appearance OF the accused
Tie testimony Of the prisoners mother was next
taken. When she was called to the stand the prisoner
appeared very much affected, and began to weep. Mrs.
Buchanan entered the room, and advancing to where
he Fat, threw her arms about his neck, kissing him
repeatedly; while the sobs of both prevented their
speaking and brought tears to the eyes Of all present.
Mastering her feelings at length she said, Alfred,
are you innocent 2" Throwing his hands upward, and
raising bis streaming eyes toward Heaven, the prisoner
exclaimed in Il broken voice. 4" am innocent, God
knows!" Mrs Buchanan then took thu witnesses
stand and in a voice broken by her heavy sObs gave
her evidence rs follows:
Mr. Mary Buchanan deposedI reside at No 1877 West Tenth
bag Rs 10 sSd e sO5 h co. body he
came into my and said he had been stabbed Jumped up
1emned his hands and found them bleeding from several cuts
then asked him be wounded anywhere ese and he re-
piled no; then asked him how it occurred and he said
Mother IL is your accounts man called me s-n OF
bch end won't take that from any man he then explained
that he had been porterho In the Bowery and
had been cut with knife that he was psy and advised
him up water TO wash HIMSELF while his hands were
bleeding be had put them h pockets and the blood mad run
through upon his the next morning the accounts
Of the murder in the papers and one Of my other sons Edmund
ked him he guilty Of the murder be replied that he was
EN- en- innocent boy" Edmund then told him that If he
guilty he would take him Immediately to the station House
~ NoPs'
his coat and aid he was perfectly wiling to 60 to the station
bad sKed him he was guilty and he TeassnTed US thai
he not did not know that he intended 90 away on Sat
urdy had previously spoken Of going weso his brother
on Friday morning about O'clock he left the house with two
pillars bsnnistecoumns 70 carry to his fathers shop No d
East Twelfth he had behaved usual that morning but
or returning II O'clock after he had been drinking he behaved
strangely dancing and singing about the house quieted him
Island Hospital be treated for fits sbout5 years after hav
ing hada severe attack Of t he attempted to XII himself oy
by myself and daughter he often desired 70 De allowed to return
der the treatment Of Dr. Whesy we always considered nun
rather foolish be on the Island twice having been seized
his temper very violent times and often afraid OF
him hi associate used to call him crazy which him very
located at any place. do not ecoec the name Of the place
ig be the murderer was nom the published accounts which
mentioned carpenter who had worked Tor the deceased
done little Jobs of work for her think he said that he was
that place "Wednesday when Edmund came home on sat,
mund said to him, "Ay you guilty of this murder If you
being Suspected he is native Of this city and will De 10 years
of September husband asked him where the saloon
surprised at his going on Saturday as be had fire.
quen been away before week previously he had
determination West for the purpose OF seeing his brohe
for the last three yeas he has times acted like crazy
he dningoom and Selling carving knife from table said
that kill himself for he tired Of living he pointed
the knife toward his breast when my daughter ana
prevented him she asked him what ed him and he said that
he did want to live and would kill himself she finally sue
ceeded in psyng him. my daughter afraid OF him that
She would not live in the house with him.
On leaving the stand, the witness again embraced
her son in most aiiectionate manner, telling him tina
if be guilty he must cay so. The accused again
asserted his innocence in a solemn manner.
Edmund A. Buchanan jr testhed-I reside at RS I97 wo.
Ienth eet am orothet Of ne prgjnef Friday morning
80 .eH hV'' 'p.~een ana O'Clock; when came
nome in the evening be there all sitting at the
tea table when be down and noticed that his hands
badsged and that mother had been crying after tea mother
told that Alfred had been fght and got his hands
asked him sbou; IT, and spoke to him sharply for singing and
whhg when he had caused much trouble to mother by his
conduct the next morning saw the accounts OF the murder in
the newspapers but did anything to him about IL then
tbs sofa asked him he knew Charles Hardy and he said he
did then asked him he knew anything about emude
and he replied that he did not told him that If thought he
guilty should take him right around TO Capt Sebrng he
around with you to the Station House at the same time jump
ing start be said he knew A Shanck and had done
JOB Of work for her year previous he home when
turned again at tea time; / then asked him where
he got the wounds on his hands, and told him that he
menonedn the papers told him that II he could not give
account OF where be got the cuts would go rather hard with
hm BE- ed the story Of the right but could not state where
occurred be left the house on Saturday evening about
O'Clock bat did not where be going loaned him
money that night about f0 think have been IN the habit
OF giving and loaning him money! asked him If ne had any
going away his brother and wanted the money travel
wish he sad be wanted to start that night do not know
acted very strangely for the last two in this respect
co3borae the testimony Of my mother he previous wit
cannot reeoect how long since he had the last Is about
FIVE since he the Island Hospitals he first proposed
leaving city told thought that thing
he could do until lis hand. got well have previously loaned
him various Of money, but cannot state the exact
amount loaned any one time | profered him
tie money Saturday night and when he LEFT that which
him all he had sbout two months he told
that be had TT the foot Of Canal street he looked pale
ard asked him what the marw and he M that reply;
he appeared perfectly collected when spoke about its going hard
with him unless he could for the wounds his hands
1he prisoner here showed his len hand which has four cuts
upon H. The other has ouy.1 The brother whom
he started 10 acquainted with Mr. Sprngsteen Susque
hanna and supposed he there's Of the family beside
myself knew that the prisoner going away Saturday
night. they thought that he might do but not ure he
had talked Of go for previous the prisoner leave
the house Friday morning with the pillars spoken Of
then than O'Clock he delivered the pillars 70
Gle Robert Buchanan the shop the Of Broadway and
Twelfth street at about 10 O'Clock my uncle has charge OF the
shop while my father l. away
Cap+Cb i in If tba