The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-21
THE CORIELL MURDER.
COURT Of OYER AND 1EsxHts-slw BRUNSWICK, n J.

Market, NTiddIesex County, New Jersey.
Before Judge Peter vredenburgh
Bridget Dergan was placed her trial yesterday IN
the Court OF Oyer and Terminer New Brunswick, ~ j.
for the alleged murder Of Mary Ellen corel wife OF Dr.
William Wallace Corien, at New Market hddiesex
county, the 25th Of February last at midnight Az
the time Of the alleged deed the prisoner was domestic
in the family OF Dr. Coriel, and the particulars Of the
crime they have been already developed have Great
cd feeling Of excitement all through the districts
adjoining the scene of the tragedy.
The court opened at eleven o'clock, and soon after
hlled with crowd Of spectators who seemed to
take the deepest interest in the proceedings
The prosecution was conducted By Hon. George N.
Robeson, Attorney General and Mr.. Charles Herbert,
District Attorney and the defence of the accused has
been entrusted 70 the Hon. Garrett B. Adrian and W. d.
Leupp Esq
At about ten minutes past eleven the prisoner was
brought into court amid the deepest silence Her attire
consisted Of blue silk bonnet trimmed with scarlet
ribbons, and dark gray cloak She wore no gloves,
and while the jury panel being called she kept
twrng her fingers. She gave few glances around the
court In personal appearance the prisoner does not
present any features Of ferociy She has short fore
head long cheeks, and rather small eyes, the lids now
and again shutting over them very closely She pleaded
not guilty TO the indictments
a jury was sworn TO try the The names OF the
jurors are az foows-John Harding Peter A. Van De-
venter, syms Guick, John Van Dyck, George Grant,
Jacob Scudder Abraham s Myrick, Abraham Mesler,
Hugh Tmmons, Peter > Garrison, David Wood, Robert
Skiiman.
OPENING STATEMENT FOR THE PROSECUTION
Mr.. Herbert, after reading the indictment st length
proceeded address the Court and jury substantially
foows-On the night Of the 25th OF February last the
village Of New Market in this county, the Of
o most cruel and nhuman murder. This is no common
case Of homicide which you are now about 70 investi.
gate. Tue bloody drama which it becomes my painful
duty TO unfold to you stands without precedent in the
criminal annals Of New Jersey. The distinguished
Attorney General and myself are here to aid and
assist you 70 bring before you all the facts connected
with this appalling tragedy, whether they make for or
against the State Upon what does the State rely for
convicon' Let briefly and generally state the facts
Of the which expect TO prove, for that is all
do in this part OF the The Walls, Hlyers and
Coriels were very near neighbors Of DR. Cories A
little after midnight Goth OF February last the
defendant, Bridget Dergan, who in the employ
Of Dr. Coriell goes to the house Of Thomas Coreli.
arouses the inmates and tells them that s up
stairs at Dr. Coriells robbng the house, They direct
her to 70 Mr. Titles, which she does. She there
She has DR.. Cores child with her in its night clothes
Mr. Little and Mrs Little converse with her while Mr..
a1 to 60 10 MIS- Vim G0 81 Inc
you Mr.. Little obtains the assistance Of neigh
bors and, having procured light they proceed
the residence OF Dr. Coriel The defendant follows
them The house is dark. The windows and the
doors closed They enter the sitting Nothing
unusual attracts their attention except that chair
turned and broken Mr. Little opens the door which
leads from the sitting to the bedroom and volumes
Of white smoke gush out The room seemed TO him to
be fire. Believing that Mrs. Coriell In the
he crawled in his hands and knees and finding the
body Of the lady, he dragged it out 1t stl warm
.ns oS Win
wounds The blood flowed away through . mortal
wound on the lon side Of the neck which tore open the
juguar vein II would appear that Mrs Coriell strug
gied for her life She appears 70 have defended herself
with the bedclothes and pillows best she could
with avail The wounds could not have been sell
inflicted She died BY the hands Of another By great
eSerton the flames extinguished after they had
consumed nearly the whole Of the bed covering lrs
Coriell was taken 70 Mr.. Hyer's house. and then
she bad on wnsn murdered were removed. We win
Cd when removed We win have describsS 70 you BY
medical testimony the position nature and number Of
~ tr;Ss sncn ~ ~ sna nrcnc ss Ss,a
upon the face Of Mrs Corie the distinct impress
sion OF four tseth peculiar shape and arrangement
Bridget Dergan, the defendant has peculiar formation
Of teeth all her and four Of those teeth would
just make such an impression was found upon the
face Of Mrs. CorieL The knife with which the deed
was committed used in the family Of Dr. Coriell
The night previous In les usual previous condition
= was found bent and the point turned By blow o.
be produced before you. II was found In the privy.
rhe defendant was seen TO to and return from the
when she first Littles she had blood upon her
skirt II was large clot bright fresh, and garng
much SO that Mr. Titles attention was particularly
called TO IT, and when defendant observed that he
looking at 10 she concealed IL Immediately skirt OF
defendant, on which there was o clot OF blood, was
found in her bedroom The clot was directly on the
front OF the skirt and to the clot cngng three
feathers One Of these Is still embedded IN the clos,
and We will produce TO you this skirt In that condition
The defendant changed clothes several times and
seen to put some garments that morning in the
one wbs Ssra soo 10 D IN e
the Same morning. The manner Of the defendant
peculiar she had always been treated kindly and
when her mistress lay dead she did not exhibit those
emotions that naturally spring from innocence She
told many and false stories They are neither recon-
cence she charged others with the crime, and they
have proved themselves innocent All of these things
will have narrated 70 You BY the dnerens witnesses
for the State The defendant upon being examined
showed three clean cuts the inside Of the orehnger
Of the night hand and they such cuts 20 would be
tightly in the hand think shall show you that The
prisoner committed the deed and that she had motive
FOR its commission. DR.. Corell left his house that
night not expecting 70 return until next morning He
left his wife In her usual health, with his child Asa
Bush, the man servant and the defendant DR..
the defendant and returned 10 home desolate child
motherless and wife murdered. This case OF cir
Ss judge and jury would take car: that justice was
DONE and that n the prisoner who, u was stated.
fnsadsss Irish woman would Be able . prove her nno
would lead their minds 70 right conclusion.
TESTIMONY ron rHK PROSECUTION
Nathan Vars sworn and examined IL reside in New
market; made survey Of portion Of Newmarket:
paper handed to witnsss this h the survey the map
~: 70 me sss the BE
measured the distances put down the map he had
made diagram Of part Of Dr.. Coriells house, Of the
west part including sitting and bed room, kitchen pan
Try hall shed and ofces outside hs diagram and survey
were offered evidence BY the District Attorney the
house Of Dr. Corie 10 south Of the depot about three
quarters Of mile; In front Of the house ruins OF
mill; there also mill pond there; the house % north
Of the mill pond
examined-Ths house does front the street
II the SOUTH the east side ~ the house fronts
road; the house IL ton or twelve feet from the road
there Is gate connecting the yard With the house;
know there are two rooms In the upper part OF the
house, in the front Of II: think there . bed in
one Of them my attention also called 10 bureau
In one OF these uppsr rooms; cannot say there was
bed in; do not know II Bridgets room was In the
main part Of the building there two modes OF OBJ
tanning entrance house the north side-one by
going through the once.
Cornelius w. Powelson examined III live in this city:
I q cabinet maker; (modei OF Dr. Coriell's house
producedl this made in my shop under my direc-
tom u may not be mathematcay, but u ~ generally
correct MODEL offered In evidence
Cross-examned-The diagram did not give the general
height OF the ceiling, but the average height aud that
by estimation.