The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-29


the only reason she had 10 assign was, "On'
because.n -,
On the night of the murder, Bridget had also
alarmed Mr. Theodore Coriell at his residence
saving that there were burglars over AZ UI'
Corielps. She subsequently told TINS Peresvvn
that on this evsnng GgolocP t%S sh ad remained until
half-past 10. At this time she was IN the
kitchen, minding the baby, Mrs. Coriell; she
said admitted the men, and after wards bade
her summon the Doctor, when she took up the
child and ran out the kitchen door. While tell
ing this story, she was engaged in dressing the
baby and spots of blood we're observed on its
pettlcoats by the bystanders.
IL was about midnight when word reached
DR.. Coriell of the fearful tragedy which had
been enacted at his house during his absence.
Horror-strcken, he made his way back TO the
town, going hrst to his own residence. Finding
that the body of his wife had been removed to
q neighboT's house, he kept on until he came to
the place, and had one glance at it, and then he
proceeded to the residence of Mr.. Little, where
be inquired for his child, aud found IL in
Bridgets arms. He then questioned the servant
girl concerning the MURDER and received story
differing somewhat from those which she had
told to others. Bridget said that two men had
called at the house at about half-past o'clock
IN the evening, and inquired for the Doctor.
Mrs. COriell told them where the latter had
gone, and they started out to find him. About
half-past ten O'Clock these men returned and
knocked at he kitchen door. Mrs. Coriell said
that the Doctor had come, and told her to 90 10
the door; but rs she was about to open it Mrs.
Collell called out to her to 20 for the Doctor.
She thea picked up the child aud left the house.
But when she was asked how she happened TO
have the child at that time of night her ans Wers
became confused and DR.. Coriell began to sus-
pect that she knew something about the murder
itself She was accused of the crime directly,
but she denied her guilt, although she confessed
that she knew who the guilty parties were; and,
alter some importantly, she at last gave the
names OF two men, who accounted for them
selves satisfactorily when the case came to trial.
On the 26th of February the Coroner's inquest
was held at the house of DIR. Coriell. Bridget
was at this time in one of the upper rooms, and
there DR.. Coriell went to see her, in answer to
summons from her that she wished to see him
again, as she had not told him all. She then
told him that Anne Linen, a servant of a
neighboling family did the deed; that she came
to the house that evening for drink of water,
remaining until TO o'clock; that she then asked
ifthere was any money in the house, when she
was told If she wanted money she must go up
stairs; that Anne then took the knife ian
ordiL ary tabe-kni1e, used for domestic pur-
poses), and she (Brldget) picked up the baby
and ran. Bridget even went so far as to accuse
Anne of guilt before the Coroner's jury, when
the innocent girl cried out, Bridget, in the
name of God, can you say that 7"
The Trial,
Such were the conflicting accounts which the
woman gave of the affair, aud which tended
to tasten the crime upon her, almost beyond
chance of doubt. The trial was one of the
most memorable that has ever taken place in
this State, and attracted great deal OF attention,
the courthouse being filed with eager specta-
tors from first to last. The trial was appointed
Tor the 9th OF April, but the counsel tor the
defense moved postponement on account of
the absence OF material witnesses. The case
was therefore postponed until the goth of May,
on which day the trial commenced. The pre-
siding Judge of the court was Hon. Peter B.
Vredenbursh, with Judges ID. d. Decker,
II. II. Brown, and elisha Cook as asso-
ciates. The prosecution was conducted
by the Hon. George M. Robson, of Cam.
den, N. j., Attorney. General, assisted by the
prosecuting attorney OF the county, Charles NJ.
Herbert, Esq. The Hon. Garnett b. Adraln,
formerly member of Congress, was appointed
| by the Court to conduct the defense, and was
! assisted in this labor by W. II. Leupp, Esq. The
elicitatiou OF evidence occupied seven days, and
! over three days were consumed in the argu-
ments of the counsel for the prosecution and
! defense, so that the wretched woman received
| as full, fair, and impartial trial as she could
| have asked. Judge Vredenburgh, in closing his
| charge to the jury, said:-"If ever a murder
| was wiliul, malicious, premedltated OF delibe-
rate, is not this one? Shels, to be sure, woman,
| gentlemen, but the law knows no difference If
| she be woman, was not Mrs. Coriell one too,
and ought not we to protect that sex from each
| other as much as we protect men from men? II
we protect man from man, ought we not to pro-
! tect woman from woman? Shall they have a
| monopoly to murder their own sex? The law
says If woman deliberately and maliciously
kills another she is guilty of murder of the first
degree; and If you think so, however much you
may pity her condition, you cannot say other
wise unless you will say, have sworn to find
a verdict according to the law and the evidence,
but will not because she is II womanT"
The jury were out about three-Quarters of an
hour, when they returned to court with verdict
of "guilty OF murder in the first degree"
Mary GIIrOy, the Alleged AccOmpIice.
| Although there appeared to be no doubt of the
guilt of Bridget Durgan, Notwithstanding her
protestatioIs of innocence, there was doubt as to
whether she accomplished the foul deed alone,
| or had an accomplice. Circumstances indicated
the latter to be the truth OF the matter, and a
woman by the name of Mary Gilroy has lone
been kept in close confinement, awaiting her
trial as an accessory to the crime. She is q
native of Ireland, and is forty-three years old.
She has been twice married, her last husband
Joseph Gilroy, having been killed by the Sixth
avenue cars in New York, nearly three years
ago. At the time of the murder she was living
with family at short distance from DR..
CorielPs house. She says that Bridget asked
her to come over to the house on the after
noon OF the murder, to see about some
money for a dress. Mary told her
that she could not come during the
afternoon, and then Bridget asked her
to come during the evening, saying after
wards that she would never do or say anything
TO the Doctor or Mrs. Coriell because they had
treated her so kindly, and adding mysterlously,
''but no mattern Mary claims that she did not
go near the house, but having retired early, was
awakened some time during the night, and
heard some one exclaim, keep away from mel
keep away from mel" She then heard Mrs.
baby;n and after that she thought she heard the
voice of Bridget Durgan, saying, "Take Ellen
back" Such is the story told by Mary Gilroy,
and she says she told no one of the noise which
| she heard, because she thought il was made
by drunken woman, and did not amount to
much.
But girl by the name of Della Coyne,
- tnak afrhk oaug