New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-25
A CircumstantiaI Case.

N@S"- N-S LNSANOA ACAN5ANPhF JuN -Bsl
In the history of modern crime, the New
tOn-StewaTt murder will occupy a promi
nent place. The victim was a banker liv
ing IN acOunty tow in the north of Ireland
The foul deed was accomplished in the
ban itself, a few minutes after the close OF
busines5-that is, about a quarter past
three on a summer afternoon. The bank
was situated in the principal street Of a
rising town, and there were servants in the
house at the time. The murderer made
assurance dOubly sure" for the dead man
had nO4eWer than twelve wounds on his
head, and in addition an office file had been
driven by force through one OF his ears into
his brain. 1t was evident that the assassin
knew the ground and the Situation" The
town was on that day deserted by a
large number of its customary police
force, drafted of to a n~eighbOring fair;
one of the principal clerks was as usual
away for the day; and just after the closing
of the bank, the chief of the establishment
was likely to be alone, and probably en-
gagged in counting money. 1t appears that
1t Is not the custom for Irish branch banks
to have any record of the numbers of their
nOtes-a very strong inducement to rob-
berry or theft, so strong that we can not un-
derstand the absence of the precaution.
Some days after the murder a bundle of
notes, to the value of $1,000, was found in a
neighbOring wood. They were stained with
blood. We have here all the traces of muir
der and robbery, and, considering that the
scene is laid in ireland, the first idea of
many readers will be that some of the as
sassins who have hitherto devoted them
selves almost exclusively to agrarIan crime
tempted by the absence of the police and
the unguarded state of the bank to commit
this atrOCiOus outrage. But the facts indi-
cate that no stranger did the work, for such
a man could hardly have got in or out Of
the bank without arOusing alarm.
Again, the ease and silence that accom-
panied the crime indicate that the victim
must have been entirely u~nprepared. Either
the murderer, if a stranger, stole upon his
victim without being seen or heard-an I'M
likely suppOsItlOn-Or a opposed friend
standing by the bankers side, struck him
dead. Even the extraordinary completeness
of the outrage suggests the work Of one who
knew that if he only half did the task he
might be denounced by the dying mana
pTeCautiOn which a stranger, who ran no
such risk, would hardly take. In the face of
these facts, obvious from the first, the local
chief of the police, sub-InspectOr Montgom-
cry, instead of showing himself ''active and
intelligent'-adjeCtivGs that almost belong
to the tOTce-displayCd strange eCcentriCitv,
He went to a house to examine and
search a suspected person, but refused to
knock him up, lest he should disturb him.
l1t 5uSSCSLCu LAdJ the htdiu Di2lL nave
been caused by suiCide-thOugh the c0pDse
had twelve wounds, and a file had been
forced through the ear, He wished to send
a message by telegraph that there were
suspicious circumstances when the tact
of a foul murder was clearly established. 1t
is now asserted by the Crown that this very
sub-inspectOr, Montgomery, was the muir
derer himself. That is the groundwork of
the prosecution, which was concluded on
Monday Of tho TvpoUa A5Ciyao orI --I;.l,
has resulted in the discharge Of the Jury
ard the remand Of the prisoner.
The evidence against him was purely cir
c~umstantial. Nobody saw him strike the
blow; no weapon was found on him; there
was nc blood on his person, and the notes
were not traced to his hands. Considering
the twelve wounds and the spots on the
walls, the absence of all stains is very sin |
gular if Mr.. Montgomery were the actual
perpetratOr of the deed. So much is in his
favor. Against him was produced a chain
of suggestive evidence formed of links,
some certainly small and weak. In the
first place, before he had entered the con |
stabulary he had been an accountant in a
Belfast bank for over seven years, SO that
all the rules and customs of such institu-
tons were familiar to him. On one Occa-
sion he had remarked to one of his own
c~Cnstables that it was strange no one had
attempted to rob a bank, since it could be
easily done by knocking the cashier on the
head.
The prosecution wished to give evidence
to show that the prisoner was pecuniarily
embarrassed, but the judge properly, we
think, rejected it as irrelevant. Guilt ought
to be proved without going into the point
whether the accused was tempted to the
deed by poverty. That is an incentive too
to be dragged into a particular
case.
A few minutes after the murder must
have been committed Mr.. Montgomery was
seen to come out of the bank door without
hat, to look up and down, then go away.
When engaged for several hours afterward
IN investigating the case he kept complete
as regards his presence at the bank
1T or near the very moment of the crime.
Next day he went with another ~sub-inspeCt-
to examine the premises, and then put to
lIm the following question: eff a person
seen coming out of the bank without
any stains of blood on him, could
le be convicted of the murder ?" The other
Inspector replied, Il think not" Then for
he first time Mr.. Montgomery mentioned
hat he had been at the bank shortly after
.hree o'clock. 1t was also proved that he
lad been a%nxiOusly asking whether the
police had found the notes in Grange Wood
md whether such a discovery would affect
nm. Evidence was given to show that he
lad made inquiries as to the best draught
or causing insensibility, and as to the
eadiest means of knocking people on the
lead with a life preserver. Tie theory of
he prosecution was that he had meditated
he murder for many weeks, and that his
ormer experience and position enabled
to plan il with ease q execute il with
GOODNESS. He was personally known
o the victim. He could enter the office
fter business hours, could be closeted with
he banker without being suspected, and
Guild leave without attracting attention.
is only fair to say, however, that as much
night be asserted of any other friend, or
intimate acquaintance Of the murdered
ian.
The peculiar interest of this trial arises
rom the social and official standing of the
A sub-inspeetOr of c~onstabulary
/ Ireland is a gentleman by birth and posi-