The New York herald., 1870-12-20

Margaret Dunn soy tho Killing OF William
Davis-Convicted OF Manilaughter in
the Second Degrees and Sent to the
State Prison for Seven Years.
Tne Grand Jury was cmpanecd yesterday morn
ing In the Court OF General Sessions william A.
Budd having been selected TO act az foreman. The
Recorder after calling attention 70 the statutes
which the Court Is required 20 charge said suhsan-
TALLY az follows:-You will continue a. coordinate
workers with the Grand Jury now acting IN the
oyer and Terminer. have nothing TO add TO the
charge or the distinguished Justice who presldes
that court except TO formally call your attcn-
tlon under mandates OF the statutes, TO The EmI.
grafton, Usury, Lottery. Election aDd lntenperance
laws which are length referred 10 In the printed
instructions which Will be placed before you IN
the Grand Jury room, and TO invite your
attention TO recent appalling calamity In
Thlrty-hIth street., whereby four persons lost
their lives and perhaps by The criminal negligence
of the Commissioner of Public BUILDINGS or the
builder or owner OF the building which fel aud
constituting mansaughter. This case VIII uDdoubt-
edy be laid before you. Examine II rigldiy anu
thoroughly, ana whether officials or other persons
are responsible. or both, do duty iearessy and
independently.
room which Is usually occupied by the grand in
quest the Recorder discharged the jury OF the Cen
eral Sessions till Wednesday.
BRIDGE STREET HOMICIDE.
Margaret Dunn elderly female, was placed ~
the bar charged with killing william DAVIS Oh tile
14th OF August, at No. Bridge street, near
the Battery. Assistant District Attorney Fellows
opened the case, remarking tnat II was
unusual for woman TO be put
ON trial for murder. and that however
strong the testimony which the prosecution may
prove to sustain the charge IN the ndctnicnt
the spring OF 1865 the people OF this country looked
with dslavor upon the cXecU ion ol woman. lie
pected to show in tins case that while the deceased
was belplessly drunk IN her she beat him 80 Sc
verely that wounds were inflicted which caused his
death some days afterwar1. Ii appeared from The
testimony OF the people thai the deceased VINO
laDorng man III that locality, was in the tenement
house between seven aud eight O'Clock, where he
subsequently lost ms life NJ midnight In the hall
way "ioolingi with the prisoner She asked HIM 10
treat her but he declined and went away Daniel
UConnor who knew Davis saw hiui between
eleven and Twelve O'Clock the night of the oc-
currrnCe Inc street helpessly drunk; saw him
la several Times on the sidewalk, and then helped
him to his own door, No. Washington street, Witch
was two or three blocks from No. Bridge street
mat witness did not see any marks of violence upon
Davis. Then Assistant District Attorney Sullivan
called the inmates Of the tenement house No.
Bridge srreet-Thomas bowling, Martin sullivan,
johanna Murphy, Bridget Croker and Catlarlnc
Tobn--wnO substantially gave the same account oil
four O'Clock the prisoner. who lived in u room on
the top floor. went down to Mr.. Uowhng's apart
ment and told him that thero was man in her
room. lie told her to club hun out and declined to
CO. Mrs. Croker, who happened 10 be in the room,
volunteered to accompany the prisoner up stars.
Downg went up stars from three 10 1--WE minutes
afterwards aud saw Margaret Dunn (the prisoner
have young DAVIS tthe deceasedl Dy the coat the
landing at her own door, saying that she would hit
I'm al npr
room ana he laid down on tho landing.
Downing told her not TO hii him and
was killed. and he tDowiing) thought the prisoner
said she had given IL 70 hnn or would KIN HIM, or
| three feet long In her hand, which he took from
her, and threw 1t away on the landing. Davis was
taken TO the hospital that night, and Mrs. Dunn
arrested. The other witnesses, when the alarm was
given, Went 70 the top 1oor, ana saw Davis lying
on e me Top s n p pGo roe ~ me s neaa
O'Connsr gave the cearest account OF the AFFAIR,
and stated @ that MIS-, Mrs Dunn knocked 1a at her door
out, " Mrs. COnnOr, come out; there Is u rOwdy in
my room and loaier In my bed!' She got mp ana
dressed herself and upon gong out saw the IN
mates and the prisoner standing around The pris-
pointed 10 her room, where the deceased lay
bed on the noor Mrs. COnnor did not know al that
time who the man was, Tor his face wa5 turned
down, and there blood all around him. The
prisoner said .Take hin ont OF here; il you do not
win throw him down stairs.n The prisoner raised
heavy stick, which looked like cart rung, and hit
him once on the head a hard blow, and was going
TO hill him the second time wnen Mr.. bowling took
II from her. Mrs. Conn0r, being frightened,
turned to her room, but came out in a few moments
and saw woman wash Davis head In pail of
water. The policemen came and took hinl
stretcher 10 the station house. Johanna Murphy
testified that man who stood NJ the foot Of the
STAIRS said 20 the prisoner "You killed my brother''
The prisoner replied, "I did not do anything 10 him
only what would do to you"
AL Of the witnesses for the people stated that they
did not hear any noise in Margaret Dunn's room
previous to her calling for Mr. bowling 10 come up
and they united In saying that the accused was 4
peaceable woman.
DR.. Marsh, who saw Davis when he was brought
morten examination Of the body OF the deceased
fifteen days altcr, testified that he found two incise
wounds the left side Of the head each about TWO
inches long and threequaiters OF an inch apart. At
the post-mortem an extensive fracture OF the lett
par1etal bone was discovered, and he gave it his
opinion that the Injuries were sufficient 10 cause
death.
At the conclusion OF the testimony for the people
recess OF fifteen minutes was taken At the rcas-
sembling OF the court
MI kintzlng opened
TIE CASE FOR THE DEFENCE
the deceased received might have been obtained IN
some ARRAY or by falling IN the public highway
THE PRISONERS STORY.
Margaret Dunn made her statement. She SAID
that on saturday evening she had been washing
and left her clothes on the roof. About twelve
O'Clock she went for the clothes, and when she
came down she saw somebody In the room. She
went down stairs and told MI. Dowling that there
was some person in her room and she was afraid TO
go IN. Mr. Bowling did not 20 up but Mrs. Croker
cid. She Cthe prsoner had lamp IN one hand ana
y broomslicx IN the other. She went inside the
door, saw the man In the bed and gave him two
strokes with the broonstick which she found out
side the door lie never moved nor made noise.
She tthe prls0ner never stirred him nor to0k him
of the bed. she said She had been in the country
fifteen years and worked for several persons.
officers JOnn Murphy and John Eagan testified 10
the good character OF the prisoner for peace anu
qnetncss
Mr. Russell then addressed the jury III bchalf OF
the accused and was followed by Assistant District
Attorney sullivan in an aDle and dlspa.sionate
gument for the people.
THE RECORDERS CHARGE
Recorder Hackett, IN charging the Jury, stated
that the good character of the accused should bc
taken into account, and then SaidThere Is no dis
pute but that from the WOUNDS received by the de-
ceased during the night OF the 18th OF August
he came 10 his death. The questions To he con-
lre--ErsI ~ n.ll NNnr thn n