The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-03-21
ANOTHER ALLEGED WIFE MURDER.

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ANOTHER ALLEGED WIFE MURDER.
| Trial OF Roger Lamb for the Killing Of
His Wife.
COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS.
Before Judge Russell
The trial Of Roger Lamb, who Is charged with the
homicide of his wife, which occurred at "a Oak street.
the night OF the 18th of February was commenced
yesterday. There very little trouble in procuring
jury, the did general public attention
Messrs- KNITTING and Cohen assigned by the court
to defend the prisoner, while the prosecution
Quoted by Messrs. Bedford and Hutchngs
orESISG ASSISTANT ATTORNEY BEDFORD
sr cunning S. BEDFORD Jr., Assistant District Attor
ney opened the for the people. He spoke In the
following eloquent and feeling Manner
YouR HONOR GENTLEMEN JURy-Rodgcr
Lamb the prisoner at the bar stands indicted for OF
highest crimes known the law-the murder of his
wife. Before the people claim conviction in this
we must thoroughly convince you that Roger Lamb
this constitutes murder Gent'men in the consideration
of this keep your minds free from the faint Of pre-
JUDGE Your attention is to be concentrated upon the
facts developed on the trial, and these facts to
constitute the sole guide for your verdict Remember
In word, the very necessity Of legislation springs
from conservative motive repeat to you, gentlemen
most emphaticay, that all sound legislation has for It's
object the protection OF individual and general rights
! and the protection also Of the rights of him
who may DO charged with crime 20 that IL
found guilty must be overwhelming and irresistible
evidence shall proceed briefly TO lay before you
the facts In this unhappy case, which will disclose
measure Of deprayty IN inc very midst OF civilized
to contemplate brings sickness 70 the heart The people
will prove TO that at Oak street, on the 18th day
Of February last between the hours Of six and seven
the evening Of that day, the prisoner used earfny
abusive language to his vie, following which tho
rushing at his victim, frustrated in the attempt By
parties in the that he finally broke from them and
struck his vito violently with his ess We will prove
with which to wet her lips and as one OF the parties left
the for the purpose Of complying with her request
standing by the door, sharpening on q board knife;
coS
wife-to usa the language Of witness-was bleeding
PROVE that At the Tina t fearful blow Was struck,
by former husband, was sitting on her mothers lap
vaply struggling TO protect her against the cruel blows
Victim u viii have your life, at tho same time taking
knife from: his pocket, he stabbed her In the neck.
have langunks with which 70 comment on these har
ceased was wecring in her blood Of the wit
to the deed remarked to the husband who had
your wife" These burning words, instead Of
| falling like pail on the conscience OF the
prisoner, were heard with utter indifference.
recognize the magnitude Of his crime When the witness
announced that he had murdered his WIFE will prove
| the room. What fearful commentary on human de-
| pravity Yes, gentlemen, the hoary headed old
the prisonera the bar In the cold winter Of his
life is charged with the murder Of his wife Surrounded
he by all the circumstances OF his guilt still he
an object Of sympathy; but, gentlemen, sympathy 10
justice "a tooth for tooth, eye for eye Is tho
language Of Holy Writ The integrity Of the whole fabric
OF society depends, in great measure, on the prompt
award Of punishment for crimc the ministers u
j. lice to rome nbcr that mockish philanthropy
ia did never be suffered to inerpose between their ind
4 ~ IN o laW
They owe it TO the people to whom they stand in the
sacred relation Of guardians, TO see that the law
caly rebuked by Its prompt and righteous punishment
In this way and in noother the strong OF tho
tho evil doer shall now proceed to call my witnesses
to prove the peoples case with entire confidence that
will give to 10 calm and emphatic consideration
| and render verdict which will vndicate justice
| Ann Kennedy Mary Riley and Bridget Curtis
in establishing the facts which the prosecution stated
| they would prove They were In the room when the
prisoner and his wife In on the evening Of the dim
lily; they had some words and he attempted TO hit
her when Mrs Kennedy interfered and In doing
struck by the prisoner One Of the witnesses went out
for water and was going she the prisoner rub
bling knife on "a board on her return she discovered
the deceased lying the floor covered with blood Tho
| prisoner and his wife quarreed sonnet mes.
DR.. Beach testified that no made post-morcm exami.
station house and found wound the left side Of the
neck about half incn long and inch and half Deep
which produced hemorrhage and which, in his opinion
tho OF death the deceased weighed hun
dred and thirty 1--WE very well developed,
and inclined to bevery muscular the wound could have
been indicted by small knife (which was shown TO the
DOCTOR.
Johanna Clifford bright, ntelgen. little girl, eight
years he ghter Of the deceased by former hus
band) examined by the Judge. She said she
her mothers knee the day Of the dcuy the prisoner
came before the deceased he began to call her bad
names and attempted to hit her but prevented by
PRISONER sd he would San for he. meanns tho
deceucdl and then alongside OF her and stabbed
her in NE neck with black handled pcnnifc, like the
har. Nm llpdb harm
to bleed, whcreupon the child went out for ofhcer.
Officer Patrick Conner testified that he went into the
room, "a Oak street. and saw the womat who was muir
dered lying her side, covered with blood; she
taken 10 the hospital but died before sne arrived and
her body was convey ed 10 the station house
o,icer Day said he had been IN the habit Of going
into room Of the prisoner the nth OF Fobru
airy the deceased lying the floor bleeding from the
head
ocer Heape arrested the prisoner about three hours
after tbe difficulty In the ncighborhood and took him to
the station hose telling the sergeant that he the
they looking tor The onccr ask ed the prisoner
where the knife wass He put his hand In his pocket
and handed u To the ofccr Tho knife was shown al
Identified by the witness
AIR A. \ Cohen thcn In an able speech opened tho
for the dci He admitted the killing but con
tended that the testimony which lac would offer would
establish sufficient justification 20 reduce the crime from
murder 10 mansiaughicr in the third degree.
Ann Booth. who lodged in Lambs house swore that
the deceased war a large, muscular woman and very
cross ana guarresomc; about three weeks before tho
occurrence size saw them quarrel about asodier man no
did not have him there aud she said she would
and no thanks
Ellzi beth Rodney testified that the prisoner .
sober, civil aud honest man.
VIM Corbin swore that Lamb was quietahd sopcr
man.
Mary Driscoll testified that shc was sent TO the work
no a FOR taking glass Of liquor too much she lodged
In Lamb rcom ana was there the day u tho ocur
renee; sho went for liquor aud gave the prisoner
somr the deceased in while the pr oner was SIT
ting by the stove, saying that she had been up 70 hcr
cousins, and had a kiss from young man,
who asked her II old Lamb was dead yet tho
deceased asked the prisoner u he was going 10
the hospital; that he should go out Of her sight
or sho woild murder him; The deceased W ~
rot allow the dodgers 20 give him anything to cat she
took poker and struck the prisoner on the HAMS when
he reached for piece Of 10 strike her he went "
the door and the deceased nung The lid Of on kete