The New York herald., 1872-11-19

two O'Clock yesterday afternoon, on the stairway
OF the building No. AZ Pine street. in this city, by
James G. King. All the facts and circumstances at
present known go to prove that q more cold
blooded, foul and dastardly murder was never COM
mitted even in this city, where the coolest and
most atrocious murders have come to be considered
almost every day g sseesugrenees r. nc
THE MURDERER
in this case, James G. King, is lawyer, residing
las he stated) at lAs East seventeenth street, in
this city. He is about thirty years ofage and
here some years ago from California. He married
an amiable and accomplished lady in San Francisco,
whose beauty is stn something to wonder at but
soon after the marriage it is stated his vicious
habits and still vicious temper brought trOu-
BILE and difficulty and all manner OF unplcasantness
between him and the partner Of his bosom. There
were braws without end and scenes OF elimination
and recrimination between them in public, while
the abuse and il-treatment which she received in
private az the hands OF her natural PROTECTOR
are characterized as atrOcious in the extreme.
Some years since they removed TO this city, he
bringing with him a
CHARACTER AND RECORD OF
antccedents which no good citizen could envy. 1t
Is known that his wife was not the only victim OF
his bad temper and evil disposition. He was
quarrelsome to an unbearable degree with every
body who was unfortunate enough to have any
thing to do with him, and he never hesitated to
resort to the use OF the knife or the pistol for the ad
justment OF his never-ending misunderstanding"
He has been even known to boast Of his exploits in
this direction and IL Is rccollected that his boasts
are justified to the extent Of at least shooting one
dead IN the Sandwich Islands, and ge etting into
durance vile for an attempt on the life OF another
in San Francisco, whence he soon afterwards found
"a
ter, as related Yesterday by those Of his acquaint
ances who visited the
SCENE OF TIE TRAGEDY
and the New street police station where the muir
dercd man and his murderer were both conveyed.
One respectabc-lo gentleman, who did not
give his name, and who had been thus relating his
"reminiscences Of King to Inspector Walhng at the
station house, was admitted to the cell OF the
prisoner ''tO see If IL was the same man" he had
been telling Of He soon returned, saying, eyes,
sir that's the man exactly"
After King and his wife had removed to this city
their welded life became no more pleasant than
before; In fact, their miseries had greatly in
creased. He treated her to every conceivable de-
scription OF contumey and cruelty, and admins
tered all sorts of punishment, from neglect and
starvation to the most brutal and cowardy species
OF personal violence. This
THE UNFORTUNATE WOMAN
bore with, until it at last became positively unbcar-
able; SO, in the long run, she had a suit for di-
vorce instituted on the ground Of cruel and inhu-
man treatment.
The case was handed over to Judge Josiah Suth-
erand tCity Judge elect as referee, and IL has
his chambers In the building AZ Pine street One OF
the scenes OF the alleged "cruelty and inhuman
Station on the Erie Railroad and others are differ
ent places on the line OF the same road. Among
the principal witnesses for the plaintn Ia the case
MRS King were Mr.. Anthony +. ONeil, at one
time detective and recently freight master on
the Erie road and his wife, both of whom it seems
had frequently witnessed the most brutal assaults
perperated by King on tue person of his beautiful
wife. Their
EVIDENCE BEFORE THE REFEREE
was conclusive and damning, anu upon II Judge
Sutherland, 1t was supposed, had decided to grant
the divorce sought. IL may here be stated that
King had for long time pretended that an i'm
proper intimacy which be supposed to have long
existed between Mr.. O'Neill and Mrs. King was
one Of the grounds on which he tried to Justify his
unmanly conduct; but the testimony OF Mr. and
Mrs. O'Neill and others completely exploded that
idea.
About halfpast two O'Clock yesterday the hear
ing OF the case was concluded in Judge Suther-
lands chambers, and the parties concerned and
the witnesses took their departure. O'Neil was
with both hands In his pockets as II searching for
his gloves, when pistol shot was fired behind
left OF the spinal chord and little above the LETT hip
THE WOUNDED MAN
turned hurriedly around, Just IN time to behold
King standing at the top OF the stair landing with
a pistol in his hand, and again levelled at the
victim. The miscreant fired second time, but
missed his aim the bullet entering and imbedding
itself in the wall. The wounded man had advanced
two steps toward his assaant when
THE VILLAIN FIRED AGAIN
and then ran back through the hall and up the
next flight OF stairs. The last bullet struck ONel
on the right lapel OF the Overcoat he wore, and
recton, and through the corresponding portions of
his inside coat, vest, shirt and undershirt and en-
tered his body about two inches to the right OF the
medal line, plainly pursuing Its course directly to
his heart The unfortunate victim OF this atrocious
Notwithstanding his reception Of two
such irightful wounds, and though by no means a
man OF great physical strength or powerful vitality
succeeded In reaching the top OF the stairway,
where his murderer had stood, and rushed into
Quick as one OF his law chambers. Here the
wounded man dropped into a chair his eyes start
Ing from m their sockets his face as pale as marble
hard struggle he got out the words,
but failed to utter another syllable distinctly. In
a few moments he fell heavily on the floor where
he lay about twenty minutes, at the end OF which
ne breathed his last As soon as life was decidedly
extinct q stretcher was procured by the police
and the corpse was carried to the First precinct
police station, in New street.
After the firing, as has been said, King rushed mp
stairs to the third fo0r and entered the chambers
OF Judge sutherland, to whom he handed q medium
sized smith 4 Wesson revolver, three barrels Of
which had been discharged. The dreadful state Of
into which this proceeding threw
the venerable Judge, after he had heard the firing
on the stairs, may well be imagined. King then
entered another room and locked the door after
him on the inside.
Meantime messenger boy, about fifteen years
Of age, employed In Judge Sutnerland's ONCE had
been coming up the lower flight Of stairs, which he
had reached just In time
TO WITNESS THE FIRING
Of the third shot, He promptly ran back and into
the street, where he met Oficcr McGibney, to
whom ne hurriedly related the terrible occurrence
he ,n had wi witnessed. The ofiicer at once accom-.
panied the boy and proceeded up stars to the
apartment OF Judge sutherland, who pointed TO
the door which the murderer had entered AT this
the officer knocked, but received no answer. Then
he burst in the door and found King alone inside,
VINO surrendered without a word or another re-
sisting movement. The oficer then conveyed his
prisoner down stairs, passing the door in which
the murdered man was at that moment expiring.
When they reached the street door they encount-
cred
TERRIFIC SCENE.
The street along the entire length OF the block
WAS nlied by \ closely packed crowd Vl men IN