The sun., 1870-04-04
BROOKLYN'S LAST MURDER.
A DRUNKEN FATHER SUSPECTED OF
KILLING HIS Dor.

An Inebriate Husbands Counter Charge
against his wtfe-Attack upon Coroner
Joues-The Arrest and Incarceration OF
the Father-Gin In tho slums.
Yesterday morning James Eagan. who lives in
wretched hovel in that section OF "Darbys Patch"
near Bond and Butler streets, Brooklyn appeared at
the Butler street Police Station, and reported that
his child was lying dead in his house Coroner
Jones went to the house and found the body OF an
infant boy about six months old The Coroner began
to make inquiries concerning the and ascerained
from Eagan's wife that he returned home from work
intoxicated at about o'clock Saturday highland
called for some beer. Mrs Esgan therefore went
out TO purchase some, and on returning found the
door Of the room locked. She knocked for adfnis-
sion, but no response made and not desiring to
irritate her husband she gently withdrew to the
street. Here her husbands mother met her and said
that she had been driven from the house BY Eagan,
who remained alone in tile room with the infant
Mrs Eagan waited patiently for some hours, but
seeing no prospect Of getting into the room, she
procured On axe, and battering down the door, en-
tered aue took up the little one, who was lying In
the cradle. Her husband was asleep. Mrs. Eagan
placed tie child In bed and at about two o'clock
| yesterday morning arose to nurse him. The babe
was deadi The boy was dead whom she took him
from the cradle, but being very much excited, the
mother did not mako the discovery.
| While the Coroner taking the wife's deposit
tion Eagan who was In the room, suddenly inter
| rupted him, and accused his wife OF killing the
| child; wIieroupon the Coroner seeing that there
| was more In the than he had at first supposed
| stopped the Investigation. He was about to retire
| from the room, when Eagan jumped up and seized
/ him by tho beard Mr. Jones. however, shook the
i man OF, and retired. lie subsequently, gained Ger
| tain information from some Of the neighbors which
led lin to suspect hat Eaean himself had perhaps
been instrumental In the killing Of the child, and h'
accordingly caused his arrest by Roundsman ID
Clue Mrs. Eagan was also arrested, and aterwarC
| released on her own recogniZance. Her husband
was locked up In the Butler street Police station
| An examination of the body OF the child showed
| that there was discoloraton bohind one OF IN
| ears and other the upper part OF the ace
resembling the imprints OF a persons fingers DIR
| A. w. Shepard made q post Moftein examination
| but the result has not been made known.
| A SUN reporter visited the police station las
| evening, and saw the prisoner. EaRan Is an ordi
| nary looking man, about thirty wears OF age,
| painter by trade, being employed by Mr. Davis o
| Court street He had evidently not recovered mon
the previous nights debauch, and was very blasphe
| mous. lie said that he had not bad anything 10 ca
| since Saturday, and pronounced his arrest q d
| shame. On being asked how II was that he ha'
been accused OF killing his child, he replied that hi
| VIE was drunk and that the child had died OF con
| yulsiors tor the want OF some one TO take care @
| him Eagan also remarked, boastingy, to ono
the officers, that II he thought he was to be locke
| up he would have hnd hard hght hrst, ana ther
| would be an understanding some day"