The New York herald., 1871-12-21

The third murder trial which has occupied the
attention OF the December term OF the Court OF oyer
ana iermincr at White i'lains Westcnester county,
took place there yesterday, when Edward Morgan,
a convict from Sing Sing Prison, was placed at the
bar charged with having killed fellow convict
namei Alfred Walker on the 3Jth OF Juno last.
1t is a noteworthy coincidence that the three nur
ders were committed at sing Sing, the scenes
ol each terrible crime being located within o
radius OF perhaps half mile.
Considerable mystery has surrounded the
taking or OF Walker, who was colored
man, aud the presumed guilt OF the prls-
oner has hitherto rested circumstantlal
evidence OF q rather vagae nature. During tho
afternoon OF the day Indicated the deceased was
sitting in little lour-by-six shanty on the prison
grounds ana near one Of the lime kilns, when some
person
DROVE Az ADzE THROUGH HIS SKULL,
the weapon penetrating the substance OF the brain
10 the depth OF two inches. Notwithstanding the
terrible nature OF his injuries. Walker fingered in
conscious state for about ten days before he
expired. When first he was discovered
reeling under tho eject Of the murderous
blow, deceased was alone, the only sign to denote
that second party had hastily left the spot being
the cooper's adze which lay on the ground,
COVERED WITH BIoOD
On being asked who struck him deceased at first
sad 1t was Morgan, and subsequently stated that he
could not tell who delivered the fatal blow. As the
prisoner worked III the cooper shop and was known
to frequently visit walkers shanty the statement
or the latter was deemed conclusive, especially as
spot Of blood was found on MorSan's cap shortly
after the crime was committed. Tie prisoner
always denied the killing alleging that he was
In his own shop at the time deceased received his
death blow. 1t was limited at the time that Nor
gan's motive was revenge, on account OF revca-
| tions made By deceased charging the former with
disgusting practices. The prisoner lS about
| twenty-four years old, OF stout build, beard
| less face and rather prepoessesing features.
He ts serving out term Tor grand larceny, having
been committed In tue same urt which witnessed
his temperance yesterday BY direction OF the
! Court John g. Bates WAS assigned to defend the
| prisoner, District Attorney Dyknan, assisted by
| Francis LarRin. appearing Tor the prosecutloa.
PARTICULARS OF THE CRIME.
Nicholas uicn a convict, called on behalf OF the
| people, testified as loows:I knew Joe aiker; he
| was a black man; we w0rkcd together filing lime;
daT u he was i Killed It was IN the aternooa saw him
when ne was bsing taken to the hospital; shortly
1.-THE ee kss pdes ua k ?a n a
gan came IN IRON the cooper shop; he lusl put his
was IN the naet OF coming over TO the lime kiln to
see Walker; ne came over to see him every after
| noon;
| THEY MESSED TOGETHER;
drank coffee ana ate bread In the little shanty; they
were aiWaJs lriendS; uid not see much difference IN
Morgan'S manner on that day; ne only spoke lew
words to Walker and then went away; they talked
in q friendly way; WALKER said, morgan, you look
sfa WaSer .nsn sand naa better 90 SaS away
for while, as Morgan might have something to
@ had i his SIC Coat rasea up about his lace; did not
| notice whether ne had anything IN his hands; went
| away aoout twenty yards, and the next thing l
WALKER GOT HIT;
then them carrying linn To the hospital and the
blood streaming down MS lace; tins was about two
seconds alter iet tho place; ms soon as they car.
blood; my keeper had the adze covered with blood,
N his . hand had never G nor seen The he, aaze s
the adzc belonged there; the shop the lime
kiln. near that we could talk 20 each other; In the
| cooper shop tue convicts change their shirts
| every Monday. The adze was here produced, and
| Identified by the witness.
! on the croSs-examinauon Hien contradicted him.
sell some OF the material points OF his evidence,
portions ol which were subsequently lnpeached Dy
! half a dozen convict witnesses on tie ether side.
| Among other matters the wltness was obliged to
confess tnat the deceased mad tried hard at various
times 10 commit a nameless cneace on MS person.
SIN Hen, according to his own statement, was re.
| Ceiving colee and other
| from the negro up to the hour in wlicn the tool
was lmbedded In his Walker'sl brain.
s,Dg a Sing Prison; remember when Walker was
! wounded; ne was brought TO the hospital between
na ws SSd% S0tk ,ny II hc yer oG D he
was, led into the hospital; examined s his
!
anu thought the man woad d'e every moment;
asked him who did It, and he said a man Ill the
cooper shop; inquired his name, when Walker re-
Piled that II was Morgan; IN ABOUT ten minutes the
prisoner was found and taken up stairs 10 the ward
was and Ii he worEed IN the cooper shop, t. b0n or
which questions ne gave an aillrmative reply;
| WALKER Identified HIN
among five or SIX Others who were standing around
| the bed as the man VINO had sirick hin; Morgan
mad on at that time convicps clothes; do Aot renem
Der whether he wore a coat; nouced that MS snlrs
was perfectly clean, as though Just pus on mis-
he sG been 'V wasaihs % them; saw Mors@ns cap
after he was taken 10 u cell; there was u clot or
resa blood about US 81 arge s US !e nan Of my n'!e
knowledge OF the injares received by tie deceased,
SAYING he was not there at the time; y alker lived
| two inches into the substances OF the brain;
| DEATH RESULTED FROM THE WOUND;
(, Morgans coat Coud not be found; there was q
water, IN the shop where the prisonei woikea.
FOR inc pTSsec,Sn ao1g Ss, he% william sen; H.
from from the Hospital % ind Morgan; on entering
| the cooper sho, he colld not dnd the
prisoner ior few moments ana as ne was leaving
Morgan was standing by the door. me testimony
OF William Bingham na keeper ;" mel, IN charge Of the
tho murder, he having nrst seen tiat all the
convcts were al their respective benches; left tae
shop IN charge OF another keeper while hs went TO
10 the warden's oiilcc Tor the purpose OF drawing
his pay; beore he had been many inmates In the
THERE WAS DISTURBANCE
In hts shop. Having INST antly repaired fhtther he
found nothing unusual ana, ON ASKING oae OF the
men what the trouble was, he was Informed that
nothing had trauspred except that Keeper
Snute had taken Morgan OIL OF the
shop. To his further inquiry as to
What Morgan had done, they replied that he was
si'iing on his bench reading o book. IL appears
that the men the cooper shop generally perform
their allotted task by dinner time ana thcn devote
the afternoon to reading or some otner kindred
amusement.
THE OFFENCE.
In opening his case 10 the jury counsel for the
prisoner took the position ina. nis client
near Walker at tle u ne the blow was struck; that
his innocence nad already beea proved by the Wit
ncsses for the prosecution, and u u TIE Jury suolld
acguit Morgan wiihOut leaving their aus.
TIE first witness called f0i the de ence was
Patrick Burns convict from Sing sing Prison.
who testified as follows-l rencnlber when the
colured ma Walker WAS hurt 1T the Dr son In june
lasf. WA auupl IN a. n inl,