The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-25
Coroner YOung's Inquiry as TO the
Death of the Victims.
A SPHINx-LIKE SOLUTION
Blissful Ignorance and Wise Ret cencc-
An Open Verdict Returned.

Twenty-second street and Seventh avenue. There
was palpaDle evidence that the recent intense ex-
! element OF the public had died away. There were
NOT more at any one time than fifty persons In the
room, and the majority OF these had been summoned
| as witnesses Coroner Young presided and
there were also on the bench Assistant District At
tornev Sullivan and the Deputy coroner,
| Dr. Marsh. The inquiry was confined TO the
Coroners jurisdiction and that exclusively OF ascer
taIning the cause Of death. None OF the witnesses
could Identity any person who fred shot py which
| any OF the parties came 20 their untmely end.
There was not q scintllla,icn OF new light thrown
upon a tragedy that has left an indeble brand OF
blood upon the history OF civilization In the nine
teenth century. II Ia probably inevitable that 1t
should be so, but 1t was nevertheless somewhat
strange to see an investigation into the cause OF
death Of more than forty people killed. under CIR
cumstances OF unusual publicity. yielding no more
satisfactory result than If 1t had been as to how
some poor unknown wanderer had found his or her
way to the'bottom of the river and whose body had
been taken to the MOrgue unsuccessfuy, for ldent-
] fcation.
There was OF course quite an absence OF excite.
ment, and the only circumstance that broke up the
dead now OF formality that characterized all the
| proceedings was the appearance Of Mr.. Stephen J.
| Meany, at the examination OF the third witness.
he rose at the conclusion of the examinaton-in.
chief, with an eephantlne Kind OF dignity, and said
that he wished to ask the witness few questions.
| Coroner Young also rOse and blocked this little
game. Mr.. Meany's appeal that he appeared "for
the relatives of the murdered victims" did not have
any effect upon the unyleding Coroner, and MIR.
| Meany took favorable opportunity to retire unob.
served even by the very small audience that only
| partially filled the upper room.
From large number Of names the following were
elected as
THE JURY.
James Dugan, 1872 Nassau street, Marshall LET.
ferts, "a Beekman street; JOS b. Demorest 266
Eighth avenue; Frederick p. Wood, 272 Eighth ave-
nue.; william II. Roome, 25e West Twenty.lrst
street, Henry C0mstOck. 2lO Eighth avenue; AL
gern0n Towle, lss South street; John Duane, Fulton
street.
After the swearing in OF the jury there was delIv
cred the following
ADDRESS BY THE CORONER.
h. OF hr 1 You have been duly
where certain persons who have been named to
DEATH In respec, Of these matters your duty make
true nsoS according TO the evidence offered to
~ ae ns
was guilty Of 'Au'in ao sa ap Sssh vn SHS to
he SUSPECT Of na al 10 Ss
death Received their mortal wounds The loc.y
at the same %t e., Of the h nsn The
and will trust acnts ate efforts to find out the facts.
II Is certainly right for me to to that In prosecuting
this investigation we shoald keep ourselves strictly
whatsver,s extTansoas to that, stIoah to
tribunals The duty devoIvins upon us is one OF
solemnity and responsibility. Let perform that duty
calmly, conscientous.y and without fear
DR.. Marsh read over the names of the bodies den.
titled who had been killed IN the rios. or had died
from their wounds afterwards, and Warden Brennan
gave evidence to the identification at Bellevue
Hospital.
Aaron Parker, log Eighth avenue. said:-I am a
painter; did not know any OF the deceased parties
during their lifetime; the only body I saw after
death was that OF Walter Prior; l saw 1t at my
house; the body was brought into my store after
being wounded. on the 18th instant; saw the body
after DEATH the injuries consisted of wound IN the
lett leg; do not, OF my own observation know how
the deceased received his injuries; there was
A DISTURBANCE
in Twenty fourth or Twenty-nith street; | saw a
pistol shot fred in the plumbers shop between
those streets; | could not identify the marty who
tred saw the military fire shortly after that; the
fire seemed to be general.
BY District Attorney Sullivan-I cannot Identity |
any one person who fred pistol at any one else
BY a Juryman-fhe pistol shot was nred towards |
Joseph White, 3l2 Eighth avenue, said:-I am a |
stenciler was al my place OF business on the 18th
was Pages; saw II in The middle Of the avenue:
was al my window In The second story; heard
sSW e G1s no1 f% nov a sa
who fired a shot; heard some shots before the
TIE EIGHTY FOURTH REGIMENT
was Immediately IN front Of my house; saw their
Patrick O'shay, 3os Eighth avenue-Keep an oyster
house there; was LOOKING at the people the day
of the 18th; at the procession; saw the military
firing on the people on the sidewalk: saw no shots
fired from The sidewalk no missiles thrown from
the roof OF the house: all saw was tue military |
idcntify any partcu ar person who fred the shot.
j.; J. Geswein said:-i reside at 2s2 West TWENTY
ne n az keep OF M SOC sa AVE-
July, at three O'Clock IN the afternoons; heard some
saSts thn% ed aeTe cannes se vino mred them
on 10 the roof on my house, and also through my
windows; saw the bodies after death; =.
SAW THE MILITARY
fire. but did not see any particular person who
fired; | saw stones and missiles thrown at the pro.
solomon S. Townsend-I reside at SO West Fifty.
fourth street; my place OF business Is 3l4 Eighth
avenue; was there the 18th OF July looking out
Of the sash door window; heard shots fired from
the sidewalks saw shots fired by the military; |
could not identify any person; after heard the
shols saw the stones thrown; on the east side of
the way ] saw bodies fail; 1 don't know OF my
knowledge from whom these people received their
injuries.
James Hagan sa,d:-I am In business at 80
place OF business on the 18th Of Juiy was on the
third story, looking out OF the window; saw the |
hear any shots ed from the sidewalk dd not s ses
any missiles thrown from the streets or the tops OF
Davld Laughlin-I reside at 1885 West Twenty.
fourth street; my place OF business POI Eighth ave-
nue.; am In The iurnture business; | saw "a dis
turDance at the
CORNER OF TwBNTY.FOURTH STREET;
this Is nall block from my place; shot fred
rom The sidewalk: heard the military fire al.er
That; 1t was about ten or twelve minutes afterwards
heard the military fire; this was between two aud
three O'Clock; do not know who fired that shot from
the sidewalk
by District Attorney SuIlivan-I did not see the
man who fred the sn0t; saw the smoke from the J
sidewalks; that was tue first shot neari; ,d NOT
hear any other shot until the military Tired; when ,
neard this shot ran up stars; was before that
standing on CHAIR outside; saw almost dozen
bodies, at the least, on the sidewalk; The bodies
were removed right away by the citizens a. soon az
possibc the police did not in this; they went
away with the pr0cessiOn the bank book OF Charles
Petit was taken from his pOcketboo2 10 see who he
was.
Nv the jury watched from the ROOF aller got I