The New York herald., 1871-09-09
LyAyEs FROM CRIMINAL LIFE.
A LITTLE GAME SPOILED.
Charge Against . City 0ficial DismIssed-A
Monomaniao on the Subject Of Outrage.

:. The court room Of the General Sessions, Judge
Bedford presiding was crowded to excess during
the greater porton Of yesterday tue attraction"
being the trial or George Byrne clerk cmUl0yed In
one OF the public departments OF this City. Tor an
alleged outrage on married woman named Marga-
ret Fielding. on the 25th day OF July. 1870 In open
ing the case Tor the people District Attorney Eel
lows delivered one OF his charactersticay f0rcible
addre ses, dwelling on the magnitude OF the crime
charged againt the prisoner, and the heavy penalty
TO be indicted II The testimony addaced should sat
isy the jury Of the guilt OF the accused. Mr. Fellows
continued at some length. citing the penalties In
ficted In foreign countries and in some States OF
this Union where the crime mere charged is punish
able by death. ana in Others by long terms OF i'm
prisonment After he concluded h,s remarks the
complainant and only witness for the people was
placed upon the stand and stated the story OF
TnE OUTRAGE
In tremulous at first but as she was encOur.
aged proceed by the Court she gradually assumed
q boder voice. though she considerably agitaied
throughout the entire trial.
The facts OF the case, told by the complainant.
Margaret Fielding, are substantially as iolows:-
On the 18th day OF July. 1870, she (the comDIainanp
entered the City Hail and inquired at the Mayors
ONCE for Commissioner Burns. she was directed to
another quarter OF the buid ding. While engaged in
she met TWO men, ana askei them for iniorma Ion
regarding the whereabouts OF Mr.. Byrne's ONCE.
They told her 10 apply AT roo n No. II. Here sne
asked for Mr. Byrne, and IN few moments the
prisoner presented himself and SAID
WAS THE PARTY;
she replie that nc vas not the gentleman she was
ia search Of rs the latter was an elderly man, with
whom she wlsnea 10 transact some business. Tne
prisoner than said that ii she would tell INN hel
business he might be able co assist her. US the Mr.
Burns sne was IN searci Of was ! particular friend
OF his. This size eusea to do, but Deing fur, her
Importule at last IN Ormet ain mat her bu>IIe eSs
related 10 ge iina session Of her deceased cnl
whicn was az .lat time on h rts Island, Wnlle
(oayers.Ag the riionar led ,ie unsuspectlng wo-
10 the large chamber o. the 0 ri o der.
men, wnerc he tod her that Mr.. Burns could be
found.
AFTER orTriNG INSIDE
he secured the door according 10 plaintiffs stare.
ment, and Immediately aterwatd made improper
proposals 10 her. eating the ouenslve Prop
.ce and soicitlng her compliance. She 'eiased
~ made an aiienptio ieacn the door AM escape,
h defendant prevented ana then succeeJed In
ON nttln the alieaed OUTRAGE.
Since The commission oil the lence TN com Dlain
Garet Pei RS. she resides with her hus0and in
Albany, and she came to the CITY for the purposes
o. this prosecution. ON
rns GRO .s-RxAMrNArIoN
some rather curious facts were broagnt to ught. II
appeared from the admissions OF the complainant
that mad preferred something like hall uOAcn
similar charges a.ainsi otaer individuals.
TIVE DEFENCE.
The defence put seyerai officers OF the Castle
Gardcn Emiyrant DepOt upon the stand 10 swufe
tnat Margaret was In The habit OF spending many
hours late at night Oh tho Battery. and mat sac
never performed any LABOR as
HER VISITS ThE DEPOT
were often she being Ia The haot OF going off some.
where and return ng again alter brief absence
each time II was 80 papably evident inat tns case
Tor c people was not snbStantis ted ny .dence OF
q sincerc ana tiuthul nature that Mr.. Feows SAID
that upon the testimony thus adduced he conid not
ask any Juror to convct he meanest man OH eartn.
TIiE COURT COMEDIES.
Judge Bedford then gave ciear ald very Impair
tial statement OF tue lacs 10 the jury that
reasonable DOUBTS belonged 10 Tie accused.
Honor said that 1t was burning shame 10 think
that any persOl holding an o c.l position In tnis
CITY would. at ten O'Clock In the m hrning III the
halls OF Justice. nave committed such an outrage;
hut he was not on trial Tor sucn an improper nc j,
unless the Jury believed II was accom- latr,i WIN
vioience and was a.aiusL the viii OF the woman.
The jury rendered a verdict OF not guilty.