The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-12
THE NINETEENTH STREET TRAGEDY.

King and Matte observation-disclosures AS
ia the Motive which ImpeIled Ia the Conn
mission Of the Murder and Suicide.
Al halfpast eleven O'Clock yesterday morning. Coro-
ner Wildey held inquest the bodies Of the young
man, Alfred r. King and the young woman, Matte
Greenman, who were found shot Monday evening, in
their room, at No. 80 East Nineteenth street. Until the
arrival Of the Coroner the door room in which the
tragedy occurred had been, from the moment of the
finding OF the remains, kept scrupulousy closed and
when the door was opened alo the jurors to view
the bodies the sight that presented itself to the hor
red gaze OF the beholders of the most scken-
ing character The room, small one on the top floor
was neatly furnished and the mantelpece adorned
with several articles Of vertu. On chair a short
distance from the foot Of the bed the clothes
OF the young man were lying just he
had apparently thrown them before retiring. On an
other chair we're the young girls garments On the bed
which stood In corner OF the lay the bodies
in the same position in which they were first discovered
on Monday night. The young woman lay on her right
side with her face toward the wall and her night hand
thrown carelsssly her left shoulder In attitude
in fact which would have led the Sehoder 10 believe
her quietly sleeping we're the belief no. rudey dspeed
by the blood on the sheet and tick that had flowed from
two small bullet holes in the left temple, and the
mutation OF foth about the mouth The young lay
on his left side with his limbs hanging the
the couch and his face buried in the pillow which
cred with blood from bullet wound n the right temple,
his position indicating plainly that after having shot the
woman while she asleep he had either stood by or
sat down on the bed and shot himself. There
evidence that went to show that the had been
lucd TO sleep by any narcotic The bodies owing
length OF time that had elapsed from the hour the
der and suicide were pepetrated to the hour OF the
an odor that was almost unbearabe.
As will be seen by the testimony at the nqui-
sition, the impelng motive which actuated the perps-
tration OF the bloody deed BY that double
misfortune which has been the OF so much muir
and pretty The suicide the present instance
had been brought up in respectable family and had
had many opportunities to do well in life which
young men would have turned TO good account but he
the evidence shows in evil hour chose compan ions
who encouraged "fast livng'' and dined often at
expense and then he became infatuated with pretty
woman for whose business was neglected expensive
carriage rides taKen money was squandered until
murder and suicide closed the career Of both
After the bodies Of the deceased had been viewed by
the jury the inquest was held In OF the parlors
the second floor Of the building The following Is the
TESTIMONY OF EDWARD MERRITT.
Edward Merritt swornI reside at NO 400 Washington
avenue, Brooklyn am first cousin to Alfred R. King,
deceased Of late he had had pecuniary troubles don't
know whether they affected his mind or not when
last saw him, early In April they seemed to worry HIM
once heard him that perhaps time or another
he would blow his brains OUT he said this in joking
way; ] do not know whether he was married or not
know nothing concerning his death but what saw in
the newspapers this morning; he some months ago
in the gas Citing business in the firm Of NJ L. Curtis
Co az not think ne has been IN any business since he
TESTIMONY OF CHARLES H. MACY.
Charles a. Macy, sworn-I reside at the Sherman
House, 413 Broome street, am cousin OF the deceased
Alfred r. King; saw him alive for the last time about
hali-past i've on Sunday afternoon at the Sherman
House ne seemed g BE- very much troubled IN mind
twenty times and finally couldn't get the courage
do IL" the cause Of his trouble was loss Of money;
the firm Of NJ l. Curtis e., he spent in fast living
loaned IL 10 him about two years ago; be went into
in the gas fixture manufacturing business until year
ago last February, when he withdrew from the firm;
since then he seemed 10 b living very fast-piay.
going to amussments Of various kinds; Understood
that he lived with young woman 1T this house.
as soon a go the news Of his death when saw him
last Sunday he told me he had mailed me letter bid
ding me good BY and that ne had thought better Of
this letter came to me yesterday morning; this Is the
letter ITSELF
ss s:v. ,ss s:d ,a :S sosss
Il. S fnos s
love 70 father and MOTHER and God bless you an Yours
IS, both together s.. Howard
VIM. G. Brandon sworn-I reside at 146 West Twenty
fourth street; have known Alfred r King about siz
o : knew q him 0E tina
ten o'clock Sunday night; then in his room;
did mot notice anything unusual n HE conduct.
there the young woman who now lies dead up STAIRS;
he spoke 70 me about young man who was
70 get $500 70 20 in business with him, and be
said II he didn't get that he did know what he
three weeks that he might = wen Kin himself Is be M
ing In the circumstances he was; he spoke very aec-
tionately Of the young woman, and never mentioned
that he had taken her from Che Revec No e27 Broad
way, and was keeping her; she went BY the name Of
Matte heard that they had been living TO-
he liked her well enough TO marry her, and would do
he in other circumstance be told me that he
a nv~Fvxx t1~k 49, Al 49,
ery carriage riding dresses, &c. believe that the
name Greenman was assumed BY the girl, she having
formerly lived With man Of that name; also heard
sister Brooklyn the former Of whom Alfred had often
sent money. as she was In needy circumstances.
TESTIMONY or SARAH TAYLOR
Sarah Taylor sworn-I am servant in this house,
fou nd the two deceased In their FIVE O'Clock
evening We had noticed that they had been around
the house during tho day, and examination found
the keys In tho door on the inside; pushed them
through with another key and unlocked the door and
found them lying in bed dead afterwards went after
TESTIMONY OF MRS LAURA BLANCHARD
Laura Blanchard sworn-I let out rooms this house
that do not requires do not keep boarding house
the deceased TO live here about tho LIST OF March
they had resolved to leave here to- morrow; he had
always paid his board regularly until within the last
three four weeks; he had not taken meals In the
house himself for week or two past: they here
talking and laughing together on Sunday as pleasant as
moro than that snc told she Mira King and thai
he her husband; was not in the house at the time
being tho under them, heard, she thinks,
port OF pistol about eight or nine O'Clock Sunday
mornings know nothing further about tho occurrence
TESTIMONY or 0rYIcER HICKMAN
Gerard +. Beekman sworn-I am patrolman Of the
Twenty ninth precinct; was detailed down 10 the fair
in Sixteenth street; the girl there about ten In
the evening, and told there two persons dead
In her house; came up here and went up 70 the
and found Alfred King lying on tho bed and found
pistol in his hand with three chambers exploded; the
rr was living dead beside him; Immediately notified The
station house and remained u the house.
TESTIMONY or DR. WOOSTER BEACH,
DR. Wooster Beach sworp-I have made examina.
ton OF the bodies Of Alfred II. King and Matte Green
man. and find that the former came TO his death by
pistol shot wound the head and that the death Of
latter causedt by two pistol shots; the bullets In
both lodged In the BRAIN and the wounds caused
by them wore my opinion, sufficient 70 death
VERDICT
The Jury then without much consultation, delivered
the following verdict "That Matte Groenman came 70
her death by pistol shot wound the hands Of Alfred
r. King the 10th day Of June. 1857 ut No. 30 East
Nineteenth street; that Alfred r. King committed
suicide by shooting himself In the head with pistol
the 10Th day Of June, 1897, At No. 90 East Nncteonh
ufr