The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-07-12
the ALBANY RAPE CASE.

The SEQUEL to tho Horrible and Disgu st-
ing xnair-Attempt to Murder the
Prisoners While I'm Court, &c;
from the Albany Argus, July ii.
Greenbush was the scene OF great excitemene yescr
two Girls in that ncighborhood by two rufians. The
girls out In the field picking berries last Friday
afternoon when they cruelty beaten and outraged
by four villains two OF whom-a father and son-have
been arrested They arraigned yesterday after
noon before Justice Butler for trial The excitement IN
as the trial Threats Of ynchpg the prisoners
freely made BY the indignant populace, ana tne
feeling against them appeared to increase every moment
While the examination in progress the prisoners,
Major and his son. sitting beside each other near the
Justice Patrick Burns brother OF the girls appeared
the door He armed with revolver and knife ana
had with the determination Of taking summary ven.
geance upon the destroyer Of his two sisters He opened
the door few inches and taking aim sed q, A. inc so Oa
arm about three inches from the elbow coming out at
the wrist Major jumped up, and cried out 81 am shot
catch that man," pointing toward young Burns me
excitement was now intense. The crowd rushed In,
while Burns more fierce than ever to finish the
work he had determined to accomplish To add to the
frenzy Of the crowd the mother OF the girls made
her appearance accomplish Of her son in the work
Of vengeance The two then rushed towards the prison
ers the with revolver and knife, the mother with
Ratchet which she had until now concealed about her
person. She aimed q blow at the head Of the elder
Major already suffering from his wounded arm, cutting
him badly It might have proved fatal for the inter-
position OF exConstable John Scanlan who nterposed In
time to break its force Determined to complete the
work begun young Burns fired another shot NJ the
same man, taking aim between two officers who were
standing him, the ball this time passing through
Majors thigh.
The crowd had now largely increased all deeply sym
pathizng with the mother and son. A rush was made
for the prisoners with the intention OF ynching them on
the spot. The cry for vengeance from the frenzed
mother and infatuated brother was taken up ana u was
with the utmost difficulty that the officers removed the
prisoners place Of safety In the confusion young
Burns got at the younger Major and made an
attempt to stab him. John Seaman caught Burns, and
accused him Of having the knife which he Denied but
afterwards taken from his pocket
Seeing that the force there was nsucent 10 guard the
lives of the prisoners word was sent to Captain Haga
DORM who Immediately proceeded to the scene with three
officers and speedily restored order The younger pris
had fed for safety and now sent to the police to say
where they could find @ ao was as rr
and her and the two Majors were taken to Troy ut
o'clock The mother Of the girls was in SO crazed
state that II deemed necessary to handcuh her. and
then she had to be placed In cart and held by
three men,
Patrick Burns, the brother Of the girls
panied to the depot another sister, who seemed fairly
heartsick, and her weary lamentations as she trudged
barehcadcd the dusty road were mournfu indeed
and scarcely saw her but ped her Her sisters had
been beaten and outraged by the ruans and we're SUI
fering in their lonely homes her mother ana brother,
and
OF TO jail in company with the hated villains The I'M
wise attempt TO unlawful means to secure satsac
ton though urged forward by the uneasoning crowd to
the work. mad hut added TO the calamity under which tho
family were suffering. The mother and brother, who
sn 70 %srs TO the w the
wretches who had deliberately plotted and executed
hclsh crime.
While the attempt OF summary vengeance cannot be
justified in the eye Of the law, yet the sympathy OF the
public will be with the misguided parent and brother
who have thus manifested their deep sense OF the enor
nifty Of the crime and the injury inflicted upon the good
name of their family.
The idea that father and should in company be
the perpetrators of such hoid deed is almost beyond
belief II impossible that human nature could be-
debased that the two together could deliber
atey execute upon two innocent girls crime so shock
ing 10 every sense OF humanity.
We learn that the elder Major formerly en-
gincer on the Hudson River Railroad. He was dis
charged from the road about year ago for abandoning
his train below Poughkeepsie and leaving the fireman to
1t through to New York. He has bad reputation
for morals having been caught in bed not long SINCE
with another mans wife, in Poughkeepsic, by the hus
band Of the woman
The son is known Gs a bounty jumper and fellow OF
low habits and base associations They deny the crime
OF which they charged but the circumstances are
all against them and the entire community believe them
guilty Nothing be said against the character Of the
girls they cruelty outraged