The New York herald., 1868-02-20
TIE MURDERED CAR CONDUCTOR.

THE MURDERED CAR CONDUCTOR.
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Conclusion OF the Inquest and Verdict Of the
Jury.
The inquest in the case Of Thomas F. Lsveze,
car conductor on the Seventh avenue line, who
was assassinated ON Monday night by person ~
present unknown to the police authorities. was
commenced yesterday morning by Coroner RolNns,
at the City Hospital.
Mrs. Lavelle. who was present, said her has
band was twenty. eight years of aye, horn In lre-
land. and had been in this city about five years.
.o The he first witness was J; HaIligan living At hc.
lows:-I am the starter OF the Seventh avenue line
Of cars, corner Of Broadway and Barclay street,
and was on duty Monday night: the deceased WAS
conductor Of car No. lO4 and arrived ut the stand
about half-past eight o'clock; the conductor di.
rected my attention to man in the car, who, no
said, had got ON t at the corner of Houston and
Thompson streets aud wanted to get ont at Vesev
street, went in and told him that it he wanted to
get of ut Vssey, tue next street was IL; the man
was then standing up and looking out of the front
door to the driver; his reply was, Il don't want
to 60 to Vesry street, but to Seventh avenue,
up town. he then told me he had paid eighteen
cents on the Sixth avenue lie coming down. and
thought he should not be compelled to pay again;
then told him this car had nothing to do with
car, and if he rode in this car he should have
to pay his fare; he then took his seat. &he
car started on its upward trip, and I
rode halfway to Church street, but he was
very quiet; thought the man was somewhat iB-
toxicated; it was about forty minutes after whom
l heaid of the conducor's murder; the man I
have reference to was from thirty-fve to forty
years OF age, about five feet seven inches 10
height and had full black whiskers; he was neatly
dressed in black clothes, sack coat and silk hat;
from the dialect of the man supposed him 10 be
an Irshman.
James Murray deposed-I live at ZIG West
Thirty seventh street; was the driver of car l0l
OF the Seventh avenue line on Monday night
when the car reached the lower stand the man
referred to by the starter came to the front and
said to me, IL have paid three fares in the Sixth
avenue car, and am not gong to pay this con.
ductor another fare" He also said lie was "go-
ing to ride up and see Mr.. Bidgood. the superln.
moved;" made no r4ply; think he was slightly
intoxicated; Immediately after this the startes
and conductor came into the car, and told tbs
former that this man thought he was in xth
halfp eight o'clock in Church, nearing Cham
bers street, the bell rang and stopped the car:
there was loud conversation inside, and 0pening
the front door asked Whats the matter ~ the
conductor replied that this man would not pay
his fare, and he would be compelled to put him
Off, the man then said he had paid three fares and
would pay no more the conductor said II he did
not pay him he would have to get of; at this time
the deceased went t" the back platform to see 4
he could find policeman; could not; then came
in and Immediately put the quarrelsome man out,
the car was then started, and looking behind II Q
moment afterwards saw man running after te
on the sidewalk; a passenger, in moment after
that, shouted to me to stop the CAL that the oon-
ductor was stabbed; did so. and shouted "Watoh.~
platform and asked deceased what was the mat
ter he said he was stabbed and that the maR
ran down Church street the deceased was then
taken to the hospital.
street; on Monday evening got the car in quss
tion corner Of Broadway and Barclay street en-.
tering, saw man sitting in q rear corner no.
thing occurred uutil under headway, when he
used abusive language to the deceased conduo.
tor the latter took 1t calmly, did not get excited
at all he then began to collect the fares, and
soon went to this man, who said that he had
paid him thirty cents and would not give hin
any more ~ deceased said he had not, and woaid
"put him of if the fare was not paid !" the
man said. who'll put me. offg" Il
will" said the deceased; the car was
then stopped and the deceased went to the bact
platform after an officer; could not find one, and
re-enterng the car the man stood up and put
himself in menacing attitude and said he would
night him whether the man was pushed or helped
on the Car cannot say, as the ne xt that saw was
that the man was running on the sidewalk nesa
the car and trying to get on it.; it was moving
50 rapidly he could not jump on the step and be
then jumped into the street and ran behind the
car, caught. hold of the iron railing. and
struck or rather mase pass at the deceased; did
not see knife; the position Of the Conductor xus
with his face to the man; did not see the man af.
u
when the deceased came III from the back plat
form and sad II am stabbed" car was stopped
and driver apprsed Of the conductors condition:
the balance of this gentieman's testimony was
corroborative Of the preceding witnesses except.
ing that instead Of the man being five feet seven
inches in height. he was fully five feet ten inches.
Daniel M. Elmore. deposed-i reside in New
Jersey; was passenger in the car In question:; was
in company with previous witness; in essential
particulars agree with him; but on turning Church
street the man asked deceased, "how much de
you steals" he answered, laughing, II take al
can get;" he then was very abusive in his lam
guage, to the effect that 'all conductors were
thieves, nd all railroad companies were worse
than robbers" and continued IN this strain for
some time; the trouble Of the fare. the stabbin9
and slight search for the man aud his appearance
were detailed as above.
Thomas Il. Thornton deposed-Am an officer Of
the Third precinct; on Monday night, while on
of the car alluded to stop it tho northeast cor.
ner OF Rcade aud Church streets, and heard him
cry out, Watch :" ran over and asked what was
the matter; was told that there was man stabbed
in the car; asked who did 1t when was told THAI
the man had run down Church to Chambers
street; gave chase at once fr.. one saw wna
the switch tender, corner Of Chambers street: in
answer to my question he said no one had passed
there. then turned and ran up Chambers street
met some women coming down and asked them
had they met any one; they said no; Immediate
iy turned and ran as far as the corner Of Cham
bers and West Broadway; asked a young man
standing there IL he had seen man running by
he said no; then returned and helped two other
officers to convey the deceased conductor to the
hospital
G. NJ. Bell, M. D., house surgeon of the New
York Hospital, in the written posi.mortem xami.
nation submitted, said that Thomas +. Laycile
was admitted in the hospital about nine o'clock
=. NJ. Monday, February IL, suffering from an
incsed wound OF the right groin; IL was one and
a half inch long, horizontal IN direction, and
situated one and n quarter inch below Poupart's
ligament and about three inches to the right ef
the anterior medlan line on admission the de-
ceased was in o state OF syncope, pulse ess at tho
wrist his surface cold. respiration feeble and gasp.
ing; there was profuse venous hemorrhage from the
wound. which was Immediately controlled by the
application of ligatures to the wounded vein
meanwhile prompt measures were instituted and
persevered In to store the failing powers of his
heart aud nervous system, but In spite of all
efforts he died about ten o'clock p. M-one hour
after admission at tho autopsy II was found the
wound was backwards and slightly upwards, the
A., nj ha -inn nasscd int intnrnal 70 th Er.