The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-16
Sentence in the Case Of Jere-
miah Dunn.

m1an DUNN.
Tne trial of Lawrence Sullivan, charged with
killing John O'Brien In Whnehal street. in the First
ward on the 18th OF June last was resumed
yesterday In the General Sessions before Recorder
Hackett
Counsel for the prisoner placed him on the stand,
and he proceeded to give his version Of the tragedy
STATEMENT OF THE PRISONER.
n June was working at Mr.. Knapp's grain and
feed store; was going home at seven O'Clock on
the evening OF the 18th OF June lived in 10 Albany
street, with my brother: my wfe's broIher-in-law,
Michael Sweeny met me ana told me to go up and
ret my wife out OF there; that there was nothing
good going on, and that julia Buckley and his (Su
hvan's wife threatened to kill him the night before;
asked him to accompany me- but he refused; went
into her room after getting up on the landing; my
wife was not IN there, but found her In Julia
Buckley's room; l put my hand on her
shoulder and took her into her own room
Julia Buckley took the child from her
! went back and brought the child in;
wanted my wife to leave there, but she did not
want to leave till the end Of the month; did not
say to my wife in julia Buckey's room, II will
run you through" never saw John O'Connor be-
fore ne came into my wife's room; told him that
wanted my wife to get out or there, that the room
for the summer; GOT up TO come out and met my
mother-nlaw: O'Connor stood inside talking to my
wife; my mother-n-Iaw, HRS. Swecny, had a stick
OF wood in her hand and struck me three four
strokes with 1t on the chest, asking If going
70 beat my wife; told her was not; she com.
menced to beat me again and struck her with an
umbrella; did not hear my wife call
me numbering villain or say that I had
murdered her brother and interded to muir.
der her; John O'Brlen (the deceased) was standing
at the head of the stairs, as was going down and
says. "What do you strike her for, you crazy
OF q b--hf' Says /, 1T Is Of your businessn
He then struck me three strokes Of III, fist In the
face and cut me; he seized the STICK OF wood that
was In the landing and struck me two strokes in
the head and knocked me down scnseless; pulled
out the knife when was down; he was kicking at
me; pulled out the knife to defend myself when
saw my own life In danger; ny wife hallooed "mur-
der'' when she saw me knocked down; never had
difficulty with O'Brlcn before, though the parties
In the house are very wicked they were all thumb
Ing and beating me, and had knives and revoly(f;
! saw John O'Connor have revolver
Tho Recorder asked the witness how many per.
sons he saw with knives and revolvers at the house.
The prisoner replied that the party had knives
and revolvers Mt the station house; they followed
hum and hallooed murder; they all ran out to Kill
me after O'Brien was stabbed; was married about
two years and half ago; tho reason why my wife
left me ave months before the occurrence was be-
cause her mother wanted to get me down among
the crowd TO kill me; mean O'Brien and other
parties; they have Kehoe clubs, rev0lvers and box
ing gloves, and they are able to knock down any
man; about two years ago John O'Connor and his
wife followed ME up Broadway twice; was born IN
Ireland, and am about twenty-five years old; have
been In this country nine years, and worked i've
II Mr. Nav rtpr No * Nnrfh rv I
attended school half year In Ireland.
A PLEA OF IGNORANCE.
COuns said he wished to show that Sullivan was
IN ignorant man.
Assistant District Attorney Fellows said ne would
conceae that Sullivan said that he had illwi or
malice against O'Bren and that he was the only
party in the crowd that he would speak to. In his
cr0ss-examlnaton he said that he was
LIKE DOG BETWEEN A LOT OF HOUNDS;
that he remembered when the officer arrested him;
aud that the blow which O'Brien struck raised a
lump the crown oil his head and he had TO pour
water upon 1t every day at the Tonlbs. The prisoner
dtd not remember whether Mrs. Buckley was al the
COrOncrs inquest or not and said they a lot
PnRENoLoGIsr ON THE STAND.
Mr.. Samuel X. Wells, the phrcnologist, was
called and said he had dcvoted himself To The study
of physiology and the structure 81 the brain.
jeCt OF examining this Witness.
The counsel responded 10y saying that he wished
such that under the circumstances surrounding
the killing he would be subject 10 the control OF
his animal impulses that his WILL would have no
power, ana that therefore, he could not be respOn-
olble for his action.
Assistant District Attorney Fellows said thar il
the counsel desired TO prove by the witness that the
prisoner was insane that was one thing: but II he
merely wished to prove that by reason OF his phren
illogical organization he was a man OF brutal pas
sions, easily excited to anger aud likely TO take ne
he would conccde that
The Recorder decided that such testimony was
inadmissibe.
Mr.. Wells said he was an expert in regard to what
caused insanity, Temporary or otherwise, by the de-
whole. From the evidence Of the prisoner to which
he listened, he should regard the prisoner as case
OF imbecility rather taan insanity, except such q
state OF frenzy as weuld arise from excitement
O. Would the circumstances OF this case SO far as
you have heard them, be sufficient to throw this
provocation would quite ambulance him, US he Is but
an unfortunately or llly developed person; he Is
CHILD WITH MANS BODY.
O. Would such circumstances as these totally sub
&sct him 10 the control Of his animal lmpuisess A.
BY the Court-Did you make one examination OF
this mani A. Yes. SIR; but one only. during the
present week, at the Tombs.
THE TESTIMONY RULED OUT.
me Court shall exclude all this line OF inquiry.
Counsel said he wished to show The capacity with
which the Creator had endowed tile prisoner and
took exception TO his Honors ruling
TESTIMONY OF MARIA DOYLE.
Maria Doyle, who was In the tenement house No.
Whitehall street on the night Of the killing, testl-
NED That she was on the hight of stairs and
O'Bnen and sullivan there; she did not see the
killing, but heard MISS Kinney NOW Mrs. Br0gan)
shout, "GIvc 1t to him ~ but she Qhe wltness did
not know who she meant; the witness saw Sulli.
vans wife looking over the bannister anu hallooed
out he was murdered and would never come up
those stairs again. shortly alterward she (Mrs. Sui
nvan) looked over tue bannlster again and SAID,
''Here ne GENES with knife III his hand and
RE WILL KILL US ALL;'
the witness then went into her room and saw no
more
EDWARD sULLTvAN's TESTIMONY
EDWARD sullivan the brother Of the prisoner, said
that ne prisoner bore good character while ne
stayed with him. which was live months before the
0lhculty; the prisoners wife refused to live with
him. and 1t seemed TO AFFECT him that he was like
man out OF his head.
TESTIMONY OF NANCY SwEENY.
Nancy Sweeny, the mothern-aw OF the prisoner
was the next Witness IL was found that she was
unable to talk English, and an interpreter Of the
Irish language found; but the witness spoke so
unintelliglby that was Impossible To understand
her. This much learned from her, that she was
at her stand and word came to her that Sullivan