The New York herald., 1869-10-19

TIE Gas House KiiIng--Triai and Conviclion
OF Owen Hand for ihc Murder o, Jun,es
O'DonDelI.
Before Judge Gilbert and Associate Justices.
owen Hand was tired before this court yesterday
for the murder OF James O'Donnell Tie prisoner
has nothing in his countenance that would indicate
the inpress OF the mark OF Cain, there beng NO
traces Of vice upon the neaments OF his face. He is
about forty years Of age married and has two isle
children. The aDily were al present during the trial
and eicited no tte sympathy Tor the awful position
IN which the husband and father was placed There
also among tue audience the widow OF the VIC
tim, who was attred III deep mourning aud bore IN
her arms beautiful chlid about ten months ola
Ihe accused ana the deceased were both employed
In the Citlzens Gas House IN August last where
they had for several years previous worked
slight difficulty arose between them, which cuim-
mated III Hand, IN an evil hour OF bad passion stab.
biBg o'Donneil in the groin from which wound death
ensued IN two or tliiee days after its innicton.
The case Tor the prosecution was opened by Dis
trict Attorney Morris, who reviewed the circun
stances IN detail attending the AFFAIR and held that
he would show by dinerent Witnesses that Ii was
clear case OF prenleditated murder.
Inc fret witness was DR.. 4. Warner Shepard, who
testified that he made post mortem examination
on the body OF James U'Donnell on the I4th oil
August last There we're three Sounds-one on the
outer side OF the Lett arm Que on the left breast ana
another IN The abdomen which ex,ended down to
the LETT groin, winch was undoubtedly the cause Of
death.
john Green testified as follows:-I was employed
In the gas house iast August and know James
uDonnel and owen Hand; on the lIth Of August
the house and the other on the other side;
when the men resumed WORK alter dinner
O'Donne appeared 70 be a little under the infu
ence OF hquor, anu got excited when spoke 10 him;
ABOUT two O'Clock q ODonue met Hand IN the pas.
sageway, anu went anu toln 0'Donnell to go 10
his own side OF the house, ana lie paid no attention.
after had gone ABOUT twelve yards | heard them
again guarrenlnR, and turned back TO separate
them Hand said to me, "Can nave peace do my
work ii not shall go hoine;'' ODonnell went TO
has own part ol The house ana commenced to change
his clothing, and white dong so i saw Hand 20
4
oid not know Hand wanted drink; watched them
CLOSELY and In a few moments saw O,DonnelI maxe
q pass at him with his hand: Hand fell back a lew
steps and tnen made some passes at nlm: the last
was maoe with 81 his might; It made
separate them, and Hand threw knife away
aad said, "There, I've Killed nm y Hand had
to 90 about one hundred ee 10 get 80 where o'Don-
neil was sitting; the knife lie used was taken from
a long box where towels and soap are kept Hand
had no necessity 10 use 1t IN his business he stated
that IL belonged TO hun "a common sheath knife
Was shown 10 witness who said, ''fha looks IKE the
knife !; after Hand had stabbed 0'Donne lie walked
hufiIedly away, anu went up 10 look at lie wounded
man; ms bowels were protruding al the time, and
started for a coach.
James KIrwn testified a. follows:-I was standing
near where O'Donnel was changing ms clotnes:
tiand went up TO speak to him and oDonnell made
jumped at him ami made two passes ar him: ran
up ana Hand said, '1nere. I've Killed the son OF
b-h;i then ne walked away; o'Donnell said to me-
.'Jn. lay me down somewhere, so that 4 can DIES,
did so and he said Find some cool place for nj
to dle;" ne asked me 10 send for his wife, ana /
cause they we're cnt; owen Hand before The stapbng
| took place mad soid ,nat he had something wDich
/ would send ODonneii's soul TO hell
Cr0sseXainned--I had known OiDonnell for a good
many years; don't know that he was particular
Trend ol mine; don't remember that ever said
that y swearing would hang Hand, woud 40 II.
hedrect-i think may have sald that would
| let tue Bench know all about H.
/ several other witnesses corroborated the above
| testimony One witness, James Burns testified that
\ before the ARRAY lie had heard D,Donnell ule de-
ceased say, s'FA Nil the Odd crpplen tmeaning
/ EX-Judge Moore then placed the prisoner on the
saud, VINO testified as fOliUws:--I think am forty
| years or age; am married aud have q family. I
nave been IN this country Tor twenty years and
known UDolhel Ior slA years; on the day the afrny
occurred we were at work ia the Gas House he " AZ
at the east side and TIE west side: AFTER dinner
4 ne came round 10 me aud said, 'sYou sou OF a b-u
| Iii Kick TIE lids OF OF you; we had some talk and
then ne struck me: said to Green, III cannot get
peace bere, Td better 20 home" and Green ordered
O'Donnel nome; a1ter some tme went To ger n
! drink OF water O'Donnell was there and he
SAID, ''g0u son oi b--n I've got sou now IIl xiii
you, and then cut hlm; dd not know q fDonnei
was thefei my Ung object ia going there waz TO ret
o drink OF water ] had a right to 20 and geP n
drink of that water: was working m The placs of a
gnife, found 1t IN John Green's box; had pot Inc
kDlfe TO cut the nails on my toes: / went then In
wash myself and found Il there; my soap ana lowell
were Kept there; after used it TO cut The nais of
my toes cut corn for William Lyncn and then AZ
IL was tune 70 80 10 gOfk closed IL and put II in
my pocket
Crossexamined--I gct the Knife ont OF the box
The Day before the s.abbina; sharpened IT to cut
Lynch's corn; / never TOOK 10 home aud aid moi
sharpen Is there; do not reooecs Green asking me
whose Knile IL was or OF telling lin 1t was mine /
did not say 50 Jaines kirwin that J had something