The New York herald., 1869-06-18

Cutiou was v. Y. CnuOs, VINO said am Cicrh VI
Sing Sing Prison. the three prisoners at the bar are
convicts in the prison; George Lowden entered ON
the 9th Of April 1864 for the term Of four years and
nine months; John Burns the 7th Of August 1857,
for four years and nine months and Henry Muller
on the 10th OF January. 1851, for three years.
Thomas Forrest examined by the District Attor-
ney-I am keeper In Sing Sing Prison; am night
keeper and was on duty the night Of this occur
renee, the 18TH OF March; at three O'Clock In the
morning l unlocked these men and O'Neill
and let them out; the cells they were IN
are in No. gallery, lower moor; took them along
the hail and fetched them into the chapel, over
bridge leading from the main building; as they
passed through they all went through the door ahead
of me- and thirty feet from the head OF the s.ars
passed them, near corpse that was lying in the
chapel; as got to the head of the stairs O'Ne put
what they call 'mug' on me- he put his arms round
my neck and pulled me over on his hip; he garroted
me, and I knew nothing more for some time until I
came to; when came to they tied my hands
and feet, and Burns inserted the gag IN
my mouth (gag produced and identfed);
Lowden stood at my feet; did not see him do any
thing Muller stood at the head OF the stairs; only
unlocked four men; the other man, Mulvey, was
down in the kitchen running the engine with Craft;
Lowden and O'Neir then carried me half way down
stairs and set me on the step; Burns and Muller
passed through into the messroOm and the others
followed and passed through the door; the next
thing Lowden came back and asked me If was cold;
he then took me up and carried me into the boiler
room, where he set me down, and after standing and
looking at me couple of minutes he ascended the
ladder which led out into the gallery; that the
last | saw OF any of them. when they were insert
ing the gag Burns said "Open your mouth, Tommy.
or Ill cut you;N while was sitting gagged heard
the shoveling OF coal in the messrOom O'Neill then
returned to the foot OF the stairs and SAID, I'VE have
room; this was about quater past three; l
then heard noise as though they were
tempt to get loose as soon as i thought was safe:
moved my feet and burst them apart: looked
around to see If Craft was under the box; made
the alarm the best | could by rapplng on the WIN
dow with my hands; Mr.. Hitchcock came and took
the gag out OF my mouth and united my hands;
then rang the alarm bell; went to the messroom
and found Craft lying on his face; his hands and
feet were tied; when we turned him over he had
gag IN his mouth. and he was dead; from the time
hours and half had elapsed; Crafts post all night
was to keep the fires gong and run the engine.
Cross-eXamined by Mr.. T0wnsend-I had my dta-
mond pin on and my gold watch and chain and
money IN my lcket and they did not touch them;
have been In the army: believe told the prison.
ers some time that while was in the army was
paralyzed by shell; was always on good terms
with these men; when found Craft his pants were
down around his feet; saw the gag cut out OF Mr..
Crafts mouth; should Judge he had no teeth;
heard that when his mouth was examined tobacco
was found in it; did not observe any scratches on
him; his mouth was bleeding little: the blood ran
the top of the gag: life entirely extinct when
/ first found him; never heard HIM complain OF any
sickness; the knives and cleavers. axes and chop
pers were lying around promscously IN the mess
room; did not have pistol about me that night.
Dr. Isaac G. Collins, prison physician OF Sing
Sing, was the first witness called this morning and
testided-l saw the body OF Graft lying In the hospi
location in my Judgment, by gag Deng placed IN
his mouth aud his tongue being donbled up and he
having no teeth there less chance for sir: am
of opinion that he did not DIE instantly from the
marks on his f;ce showing that he had rolled around
IN endeavorlng TO free himself
The District Attorney here closed his case.
MIR. Bates on benalf of the prisoner Muller, ad
dressed the jury and then called as a witness
Henry Muller, Of the prisoners who testified
as foows-i am a convict In the Sing Sing prison:
did not have any part In the gaggng; did not know
OF II until they first got hold OF Mr.. Forrest; sepa-
rated from then, and went In the back Kitchen they
went To The back kitchen and went to the front
kitchen where Mulvey was, and renamed with him;
did not see Craft that morning; the next j saw was
O'Ne; he wen6 TO the meat bench and got q
knife; he pointed the knife at me and said, "By
Cd you have got TO go IL we let you stay here It
will hinder US from getting away;' and Mulvey
went out with them Ell.
Cross-examined-Bur had gone up stairs when
O'Nell told me must go; Linden mad also gone
ont; John Muvey went vita me and Hank O'Neill
came next: the way they got out they had hole
made; think 1t was plck Burns made the hole In
the slate roof: neither I, Lowden Mrvey Helped
nun any; we had no light; 1t was very dark; we got
down on the ground by a rope; dd not know thes
intended to 60 9way until they seized Forrest; Hank
O'Neill told me 20 stand guard over Forrest while
they went down and gagged Graft; told him |
would not have any thing TO do with 1t at all: did
not do anything TO Mr.. Forrest; did not see Mr..
craft at all.
TO Mr.. Townsend-The time O'Neil came In the
room and took up the knife Lowden was not IN the
room.
George Lowden examined by NJ. Townsend-I
did Eot Muller taAe any active part In gag
gng OF Mr.. Forrest or Mr.. Graft; the tlrst saw OF
the gags was tha morning in the chapel: think it
was ONeill had them: Mr. Graft and were on very
good terms; so were Burns ana he.
Cross-eXamined by the District Attorney-I saw
Burns and 0iNelli tie anG gag Craft that morning;
held his hands; could not say VINO tied his hands;
the last man that left the building; / re-
turned TO where Craft in about Ave or
minuIes; he was struggling ana appeared
to be trying to get his hands under
him. and took ana sat him up and he thanked me;
the sound not expressed III any words that You
could distinguish; the first saw Of the gags was
With O'Nei, IN the chapel he took them out OF his
pocket; think II was U'Nelll made them; when
went up the adder first could see nothing. 1t was
dark: some or the party were making a hole
through the roof: We all got down by The rope and
made orr escape Iuvey and were caught next
dav the others left me at Sparta; was unwell with
tEe rheumatism, ana colld not get along fast
the Others.
Redrect.-T had no intent to take life the
occasion nor did ! hear any OF the others express
that intention.