The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-19
THE M'KAIG TRAGEDY.
10 Learns Of His Sisters Ruin the Night
Before the Shooting-The Haunting and
Provoking Conduct Of Deceased-Speci-
mon Of he Coloners Love Letters
Interesting Argument Of Counsel.

FREDERICK CITY, Nd, April 16. 1871.
Interest In the trial Of young Block for the killing
OF Colonel W. w. McKag, Is II possible, increasing.
This morning the court room was densely crowded.
ard great many unable to gain admittanca
At precisely nine O'Clock the Chief Justice, Mr..
Maulsby, and two associate justices, came In ana
the Court was opened for the Nth days proceedings
In tho case.
The defence continued their testimony for some
time. examining many prominent gentlemen as
to the character OF young Block. and they all testi
fed In his behalf In most natterinQ manner.
At fifteen minutes OF eleven o'clock Mr. John M.
Rcsley, OF Cumberland, Nd, was called TO tho stand
by the defence. He testified as to Blocks excellent
character He was then handed the following letter
anu asked to identity the handwnting:-
MY owN DEAnrsr-I will make an attempt to answer
your note Just received; but fear shall fail before get
untoriunaey took drink the other day and you Know
a Ss' .ss ;sp ss
Were Sa ts @ & WAS up street PLAYING cards ana
enng bad very good time but ten to would
Hing bow dare You tel me ssa. am losing ali "se for yoa
no, that oys you the less that am suspicious Of
YOU trying to make me believe that yoa are blind,
already we'll and YOU knew When You put tina. to
paper tina. ad not wantto sec you .hatyou telling
swear Ono won't swear because you that pro-
win b. sosssI opportunity Zip aud don't
me- viii be %
as there nothing ths world Prevent coming Al
and no, loop your dress and the back
IKE 10 zee you before the place Is closed So that we
understand each other and WIN have TO leave tina, for
you to arrange so soodoy my DEAR and think q me as
If you can read this you will do more than San
Mr.. Whitney, for tho prosecution objected to his
answering the question until the paper had been
spected by the Court. The letter was then handed
to Chief Justice Maulsby and, while the Court were
inspecting 1t MIR. Whitney prepared in writing the
following questions, which, he said. he would SUBJ
NIT to the defence for answer before Directing to
the evidence sought TO be introduccd:-
FtWhat object of the testimony, and what fact IL
it offered e establish or tends % establish
Scoaa-The ground upon which the defence claim the
right to establish such fact2
Mr.. voorhees,, for the defence, then offered to the
Court the following written statement in answer To
the interrOgattons OF Mr.. :. Whitney The counsel
for the prisoner offers 10 prove by competent evil
dence that his sister was seduced by the deceased.
such facts were made known to the prisoner prior
To the hOmicue, and had been the subject OF intense
the night immediately preceding the collision be.
tween the prisoner and the deceased, In which the
latter lost mis- life, for the following purposes:-
Ft-To show the condition of tho prisoners mind At the
time OF the collision and homicide
cation the OF homicide committed by the prisoner.
Mr.. Whitney. for the prosecution. said. In opening
the argument as 10 the admssibll:y OF the evidence
crossing the threshold OF this case; that they were
Just beginning an investigation that would develop
facts OF vital importance to Doth prosecution and
defence, and that he deemed 1t his duty here 10
raise the question, before obecng to the particular
piece OF evidence sought to be introduced by the de-
fence whether not the evidence OF seduction
would in this case be admissible at ALL He con-
tended, however, that the evidence was noe adms-
sible upon any ground whatever, and cited great
many authorities support OF hts position. He made
large quotations from tue trials OF Daniel Sickles,
Tor cue murder OF Barton Key, and Mary Harris for
the killing OF Burroughs. He, in quoting from the
lastnamed trial. said that the arguments OF Mr..
voorhees,, who was Miss Harrs' COUNSEL were the
ablest that 1t had ever been his privilege to read
during the whole course OF his professional lifc
was al times eloquent He occupied the attention OF
| the court two hours.
Mr.. voorhees,, for the defence, replied In compre-
hensve and exhausng argument contending that
OF law and justice. Ills remarks were f0rclby and
eioqlently stated.
Attorney General Jones concluded the argument
at fifteen minutes past three O'Clock when the Court
adjourned, reserving Its opinion npOn the question
raised until Monday morning. at nine O'Clock.
AS Mr. Whitney truly said, this case has Just COM
menced; the proceedings OF the past week have been
but preliminary questions to the main and all-tm-
have to-day Deen put forward ana Monday the gene
raj engagement VIII begin in earnest, and nat IL
will be bitterly contested battle none will doubt
who watched the proceedings or to-day. The war
upon the part OF the prosecution Will be waged with
great vindcnveness. No stone VIII be left untuIned
10 get conviction OF the prisoner. All the powerful
influences OF immense wealth are being used with
stint to accomplish that OBJECT: pat IT the gene
raj sentiment OF the community Is a criterion we
VIII record when the case Is closed verdict OF "Not
guilty"
The evidence on Monday will be unusually inter.
esting several gentlemen or prominence Will he ex-
amined. ana during the early part OF the week Miss
Block, sister OF the prisoner Will bc upon the stand.
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