The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-31
TIE C0RIELL-DURGAN TRAGEDY.
DIR. CorielI and Rridget,s Confession.

AS soon as we learned the details OF Bridget
Durgan's confession yesterday, we despatchei
reporter to Newmarket, N. j. where DIR. Will
liam Wallace Coriell, the husband OF the MUIR
dered woman. resides. Our reporter called
in which the tragedy was enacted, and con-
versed freely with him concerning the state
ments Of Bridget with regard to the motive
that induced the crime. DR.. Coriell, was
TO be anticipated on q day that recalled so
vividly the occurrence that had made him a
widower and rendered his child motherless,
ately of his fondness for his wife, and denounced
with vehemence the woman who murdered
her. OF the motive for the deed, he said he felt
convinced now that it was not robbery, but that
Bridget had somehow conceived the insane idea
that she could supplant Mrs. Cortell in his affec-
tions. He dwelt upon the absurdity of such
thought, and said thai neither he nor Mrs. Co.
riell had ever treated Bridget with any degree
Dr. Corieii read the confession of Bridget with
great deal of emotion. He pronounced false
most of the statements in 1T that were matters
on the face OF them of which he must have had
cognizance. He said he first became acquainted
at Mr.. Dayton's house, about a mile and a half
from Newmarket. She was Ill there, and he
her when she was living at Winstead's. in New
Brooklyn, where he also attended her. He
sSe shoTd one na and esde With hi and
denied all her statements to the effect that he
had urged her to leave William Coriell and
come and live with him. He said that
she came to his house. saying that she
was about to leave William Coriel's employ
told her he would speak to Mrs. Ooriell about
1t, and did so, and that Mrs. Coriell concluded
to take her. With regard to BrtdgePs story, as
related in the confession, that he brought the
lounge from the sitting-room, and lay on it to
watch her while she was sick, and that Mrs
Coriell demonstrated with him at this, and that
he became angry, and remarked to Bridget that
he wished Mrs. Coriell was dead or out of the
way, he pronounced the whole story unquali-
hedly false He said that Bridget was indeed
treated with every kindness in ner sickness by
both himself and Mrs. Coriell and that on one
occasion he engaged an old lady named Mrs.
Harris, residing In Newmarket, to sleep in the
room with her. and watch her all night.
DIR. Coriel was so much affected at times
while making these statements, that he could
not proceed. He seemed overcome with grief,
and declared that he believed he had been crazy
sometimes since the terrible occurrence of the
night of February 25. He is in his fortieth
year, and is q small man, and hardly looks SO
old His neighbors say he looks much older
than he did six months ago. There is a settled
sadness on his face that did not rest there,
they say, before his recent trouble came upon
him. Concerning the medical testimony ad-
duced on the part of the defense at the time OF
Bridget Durgan's trial-especially in regard to
the difference between epilepsy and catalepsy
with the object of inducing belief that she
was insane when she committed the murder,
he spoke in terms OF strong censure. He ex-
pressed a conviction that Bridget was in the
place of eternal torments, but that. he said,
could not make good the loss that he had sus-
tanned through her.-N. Y. Times.