New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-11
Local Intelligence.

CARONDELEr STREET TRAGEDY.-NO Con.
ctasiOn -iTrirea dt.-COrOner Creagh yester.
day finished taking evidence, in the inquest
on the body Of the late +. w. Perkins. The
jury, in attempting to settle on a verdict,
found that they stood two in favor of agree
ing on suicide, and three in favor of muir
der. This being the case, and as there is
no expectation of either of the ,jurymen
changing opinion, it may be necessary to 60
over the case again, summOning a new jury;
at least, such is the belief of the Coroner.
Colonel James T. Tucker was the first
witness, and, on being asked what he knew
about the case, replied:
Mr.. Perkins was my landlord; met him
Monday afternoon between half-past five
and a quarter of six, at my Otfice he came
into my office; he had a paper or letter in
his hand; he spoke to me in familiar man.
ner; / was in the army with him; he was
certainly cheerful enough then.
@. Will you tell what you know about his
embarrassments! A. know that during
the month of December he was much de-
pressed; think that during the month Of
December he was very much depressed on
account of the delay of his steamers, every
one of which seemed to be behind hand all
the time; this was entirely removed by
parties who had contracts for the mails
coming forward; these enbarrassments were
entirely removed during that month, or
before the first Of January; his whole man.
Rer changed, and he became cheerful; l re-
member now that he said, Jim, what's the
news
Question by ,juror-Did you ever know
Mr.. Perkins to be drinking man (. A. No.
do not: never saw him under the intlu-
ence of liquor.
r. Il. Post SNOWFALL l know about it is
that left my office, So Carondelet street.
at about eight, or a few minutes after
eight, on Monday night, and, as frequently
do on my way home, l stopped in at the
Messrs. Perkins office, having good deal
OF business with them, and found w. +.
Perkins in; after sitting talking with him
for ten or fifteen minutes, Captain +. w.
Perkins came in, and after the usual salu-
tation sat down to his desk, apparently
writing; nothing of consequence occurred.
and nothing unusual; my principal CONVEX
sation was with w. F. Perkins: l remained
there for probably ten OF fifteen minutes
after Captain Perkins arrived; no unusual
conversation occurred; after this left; now
l should never have thought anything more
Of it, and it never would have occurred to
NE had not this occurred, but when l came
to think of it remembered that he walked
il a little faster and with a little more
energy than usual.
Question by juror-At the time you
saw that unusual walk of Mr.. Perkins, did
YOU see anything that would lead you to
think that his mind was deranged A. Not
William P. Clyde, of Brooklyn. New
York, sworn.
Question bv Coroner-Will you tell us of
ANYTHING you know relative to the death OF
Mi. Perkins! A. l doubt if what know is
of sufficient Importance to be placed IN the
record; saw Mr.. Perkins in the morning,
then between two and three, and on the
evening Of the day he died; saw him at his
office at about a quarter-past two O'Clock;
he left me to go to the CustomhOusc to
clear the steamer Florida; he stated that lie
was going there.
O. When did you see him afterward
A. I called again at his office a little be-
fore three. and he had gone out with Mr..
Beck: l did not see him until eight o'clock.
Q. What happened then! A. saw him
then in the rOtunda of the st. Charles; he
came up to me.
@. Please tell us what conversation
occurred then between you and Mr.. FER
kins! A. He mentioned that he ha1 pceh
entirely successful in his business during
the afternoon; that he now regarded the
organization of the steamship company III
which he was interested-for which ne was
working-(the witness here corrected him
self)-as assured; we had a conversation
of some length.
The witness expressed the opinion that
nothing he had said or could say had any
bearing whatever on the case, and the Ior-
oner and jury concurring, Mr. Clyde was
requested to sign his evidence. The witness
went on to explain that he had known MI
Perkins only two weeks, and met MN Ill
an ordinary business matter. All that ne
could say was that Mr.. Perkins seemed IN
the best of spirits.
The jury at this juncture decided thac
they had heard what in their opinion seemed
to be all the testimony that had anything
to do with the case. The jury, after about
an hours deliberation, failed to agree upon
a verdict, and were adjourned until Mon
day, March 20.