The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-29
ANOTHER EXECUTION. |
Bridget Durgan 10 be Hung at New
Brunswick, N. j., Tomorrow.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE MELAN-
CHOLY EVENT.
The Crime for Which the Unhappy Woman
Suffers Death.

Sor the highest crime known to the law, is so
rare an event in this country, that there is great
excitement attending the preparations which
are now being made in this city for the hanging
of Bridget Durgan tomorrow. The peculiar
strocity and ingratitude attending the crime for
which she is to suffer death, and an almost uni
versal belief in her guilt, tend to allay this ex-
eitement somewhat, and to prevent a marked
expression of sympathy for the unfortunate
woman.
The scene of the murder for which Bridget
Durgan yields up her life tomorrow was New
Market, small village Of Mlddlesex county,
New Jersey, about seven miles from this place.
The Household
which was broken up by the deed of blood con-
sisted OF Or. w. w. Coriell; his wife, Mrs. Mary
Ellen Coriell, who was thirty-one years OF age,
and to whom he had been married ten years;
his young child; an Irish servant girl by the
name OF Bridget Durgan; and Asa 5. Busn,
labOrer who slept at his own house. Toe
house in which the family resided was irregular
IN outline, portion of it having two stories
and a garret, while the remainder was but one
story 10 height.
Mrs. CoIiell, the victim of the sad tragedy
which was enacted in this quiet country resi-
dence, was an accomplished lady OF irreproach-
able character and highly esteemed by all who
were acquainted with her. Bridget Durgan,
the murderess had been living in the neighbor-
ing township of PlscataWay, where she had
frequently been attended by DR.. Coriell. She
stood that it was at the request of DIR. Coriell
that she went to his house to live, that he
might the more conveniently attend to her In
trinity. She went to DR.. Corel's on the 22d of
October, 1866, and remained there up to the
time of the murder, with the exception
OF a few days which were passed in
New York. DR.. Coriel, in his testimony at
the trial OF Bridget Durgau, said that she was
quiet and peaceable person, and had always
treated his wife with respect. Her month had
expired on the Friday previous to the murder,
and Mrs. Corlell had then discharged her on
account of her filthy habits. As she had been
suffering from an attack of catalepsy during the
greater part of the week, and had been under
the medical treatment Of DIR. Coriell, he had
told her that she might STAY for two or three
days until she got better. Bridget, it seems,
did not want to leave the family, and had said
to Mrs. Coriell that if permitted to remain she
would stay at dollar or two less month.
The Murder OF Mrs. COrteII
occurred on the night of Monday February 25
1867. At about $50 o'clock on the afternoon of
that day, Dr. Coriell started out on visit to
some of his patients When he departed his
wife and chlld and the servant girl were IN the
house. AS the Doctor started out he said TO his
wife that If he did not return by late bedtime,
he would not be home before morning. At the
time he said this to his wife, Bridget Durgan
was in the adjoining room, within easy hearing
distance, the door communicating between the
two rooms being open. 1t is not certain that
the girl heard what was said, but she could
easily have done so; and IN view OF the terrible
night, it is more than probable that she did hear
the remark made by DR.. Coriell, and coDse-
quently knew that she could perpetrate her
deed of blood without molestation or inter-
ruption.
Shortly after twelve o'clock that night, while
DR.. Coriell was still some miles distant from his
residence, Bridget Durgan stood at the door OK
the Rev. Charles E. Little, who lived near by,
exclaiming loudly, "0h! dear, let me inW In
answer to a question: she said that there was
trouble over at DR.. Coriell's., She was let into
the house, when it was found that she held in
her arms the little two-year old child OF the
family with whom she had been living. When
asked what was the trouble at the Doctors she
replied that two men were there when she left
they had arrived just before she left she
said, and Mrs. Coriell, after opening the door
for them, had cried out to her, Bridget
go for the Doctor" Bridget was then
asked what these men were doing, but
this she did not know, and in further reply
to the question she made the remark that she
did not know whether the house was on fire OF
not. lamp having been lighted. it was the1
noticed that there was spot of blood on hel
skirt, over half foot in diameter. The blood
looked fresh, as though not yet dry. When the
girl saw that they were observing her skirt, she
folded it under her and sat down on it.
Several of the neighbors were aroused by Mr.
Little, and together they proceeded to the resi-
dence of DR.. Coriell. Arriving there, Mr.. Little
before entering, called out, MRS. Coriell, there
are friends outside; don't be afraid" There
being no response, the party entered the hous'
by the sitting-room, and noticed smoke proceed
ing from an adjoining bedroom. Water wa
procured and thrown into the room to extin
guish the fire, and then Mr.. Little entered thu
mysterious apartment carefully, creeping alonl
on his hands and knees. After going four o.
five feet in this manner his hands came in contac
with a human body, which proved Il
be the lifeless form OF Mrs. Coriell
not yet cold. but fresh from the hands 0
the assassin. The condition of the body sho wed
that a desperate and protracted struggle haC
taken place. There were three deep gashes OF
the right hand all cutting through to the bone
and six large gashes on the head. Altogether
there were on the corpse twenty-siX distinc
gashes, excluding those on the hand, while The
cuts and scratches that simply went through tht
skin were almost innumerable. In the righ
groin there was wound an inch in length, an(
another In the left; there was another wound
three inches in length, on the right leg, anC
other shallow cuts about the legs and back
The right leg and both arms were black anC
blue, the face was badly bruised and mucl
swollen, and from one of the shoulders largt
piece of flesh had been gouged entirely out
The right ear was nearly cut through, and oI
the face were the prints OF four upper teeth. Oh
the throat there were at least dozen differen
cuts, one of them having severed the jugula
vein, and thereby relieved the mutilated woman
from her sutferings. The corpse was covere'
with blood, especially about the neck, shoulders
and chest and large quantity OF 1t had issue
from the mouth and nostrlls, as well as iron
the gaming wounds. The hair was also matte
with blood aud feathers, and portion OF 1t ha
been torn from the scalp. Was ever toulel
more horrible crime than this committed by
fend in human shapeY
The body of the murdered woman was re
pooved 10 another house, and then Mr.. Lltt
returned TO the residence OF Dr. Oorlell' Wnel
he foupd the fire in the bedroom stlil raginl
n was not entirely eXtnglished until poruo
of the bedstead and OF the partition wan ma