Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1867-11-20
From the Record of tho Nimss.
The Execution OfNcal DevaAey.


Tho Execution OF Meal Deyaney.
Tho execution Of Neal Dcvaney, for tho
murder Of his wife, Catharino Devaney, in
the woods at Iiazlcton, on Wednesday night,
July "a, 1867, took place in the yard Of the
county Jail IN this borough, yesterday No.
ven,bcr 10Th. Devaney was young man,
apparently about 20 or q years Of nge, Of
rassuble intelligent look for one in his con-
diton, with the effects Of close confinement
somewhat apparent, but would not have i'm.
pressed one as character utterely derrivcd
and SO darby stained with crime. But that
he was guilty Of the crime for which he was
tried and executed, there was not the slight.
est doubt from the beginning to the ennl Of
the tragedy. Our readers will remember
the
EXTENDED ACCOUNT OF THE MURDER
published at the time, the story of their
voyage to strange land how young and
thrifty wife took the last Of her hard earn
ings to pay the passage, the self denial that
induced her to engage as domestic on their
arrival at New York until her husband
should procure employment in ITazleton,
his criminal intimacy with another shortly
after he arrived there the letters that pass
cd between them during their separation |;
his request for her to meet him at Easton,
his want Of money to pay their way to this
county, her willingness TO perform the jour.
ncy on fnot, his revelations in regard to the
girl he contemplated marrying. and his fears
respecting his own safety should his previ-
Gus marriage become known among his ac
1uaintenance and ut his yoarling house ;
hi. strange conduct on the road, and their
| final .-.
ARRIVAL IN HAZLEToN.
They reached there on Tuesday. She stop
ped at the house Of John Mclielvy. Cath
arine ccnfdcd the secret Of her troubles to
Mrs. McKelyy. On Wednesday she met
her husband; he persuading her to meet
him near the Catholic church that night
Mrs. McKelvy, knowing that Neal was en-
gagged to be married on the following Sunday,
urged the true wife not to 60. She went
however and never returned alive. Nickel.
Wy and wife made their suspicious known,
but Dcvaney was not arrested until Friday
afternoon, and Immediately following his
arrest search was made for the missing ~o-
! man and
| HER BODY FOUND
near where she had promised to meet her
husband The throat was cut as with a
sharp instrument, and marks we're upon her
breast as though shot OF some description
had struck without penetrating the skim
In her trunk we're found letters written by
people in Hazeton for Devaney to her in
which he calls her sister, which agreed with
the statement she had made to Mrs McKe'-
Wy about their agreeing, on their arrival in
New York, to pass as brother and sister,
thinking it would facilitate her chance foI
procuring employment.
Blood was found upon the coat vest, hat
and handkerchief Of Deynney. He accnnn.
te. for this by saying that his nose had been
bleeding. He denied being married, OIL
ever having seen the deceased. He We;
lodged in county ,jail on Saturday, the 27ti
Of July.
THE TRIAL.
On the assembling Of the court on Thurs
day, the 5th day Of September, the prisoner
WAS placed upon trial The District Auor
ney, assisted by Messrs. Harding and Regan
conducted the prosecution; w. G. Ward
Of Scranton, and Messrs. Osborne ana
Mahon the defence. The evidence in til,
case was purely circumstantial, and pretty
difficult TO come at as everything Catharin'
Devaney had told Mrs. McKelvy, with tn,
exception Of giving her name, was dccdec
not evidence aud ruled out. On Frida,
afternoon the Judge charged the Jury. -
The officers Of the Court were summoned
early in the evening by the Court Hous,
bell, and by the time the Jury was ready t,
enter, every foot Of space WAS occupied b,
an anxious and nervous audience. Th
Jury was admitted and every sound hushed
As expected verdict of
GUILTY.
was pronounced after which the prisone
was conducted to his cell. On Saturda
morning
THE SENTENCE
Of the law was pronounced after the usua
question Have you anything to say VIII
sentence OF death should not be passed upo
you" After an interval of silence Devane
replied
II never committed the crime. nm IL,
noecns as child unborn; they sold me fn
: money; the man who said he saw ME wash
ing myself, never saw me. | never 50,
that man in my life!'
' Judge Conyngham asked, "Where is tn
Catharine Devaney you wrote TOP
, II don't know" replied the prisoner
ovincng considerable embarrassment.
Where wereyou that Wednesday night? :?
: II eat my supper about eight o'clock an
) went up stairs to bed Owen Ward cam
home drunk that night and didn't see me.
, ''How do you account for the blood f0un