Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-11-01
The DrOIni0s I'm Real Life,

Daniel Murphy was called to the bar of the
General Sessions to be tried on an lndlc' ment
for robbery in the first degree He looked
about wonderfully, and when Edward . Neil,
first officer of the brig Gambia mounted the
witness stand to testify against him. he seemcd
lost in amazement His counsel, Mr.. William
+. Kintziug, noticed his peculiar expression;
and asked him what was the matter. why,
said Mr. Murphy, Il never saw that man be-
fore in my lte He is not the man who
charged me with robbery" Thereuron Mr..
Kiutzing suggested to Assistant District At
torpey Rollins that probably there was mis-
take, and he had the wrong Murphy. . Neil was
thcreupon asked, is that the man who help
ed to rob you ?' II think it is" answered
O'Neil, but he is dressed little differently,
and had light moustachc the night L met
him
Have you any doubt that this is the mau?'
continued Mr.. Rollins
None whatever" said the witness.
The case went on, and O'Neil gave the de-
tails of the robbery, which he said was commit
ted on the night of the l4th inst, u>t after he
left saloon at Market and Monroe streets.
The policeman who arrested Murphy was next
called, and was equally positive as to the lden-
titv of the prisoner with the man whom he
took to the Madison Street Police Station on
the night of the robbery. He suggested, how
ever, upon being closely cross-examined, that
possibly there was an attempt to entrap him,
as he noticed that the prisoner had blue shirt
instead of a Dolly Warden, carried slouchcd
hat instead Of cap, and had cut Oft his
moustache.
The prisoner, swearing in his own be
| half said that he had never seen either
| the mpainant or the officer. aud was not ar
rested at all Last Friday or Saturday (he
couldn't remember which it was) he heard that
somebody bad accused him OF robbery, aud
knowing himself to be innocent, he went to the
Madison street police voluntarily, and was lock.
ed UP. He was not taken to the Tombs until
Monday. His cross examination showed that
| he lived 10 the same street, was OF the same
age, and so far as he knew was the Daniel Muir
phy for whose sin he was called upon to aD-
swer, but he stoutly denied the robbery, or any
knowledge of it whatever, and stuck to his
story about the manner aud time of his impris-
| onment
The jury, impressed with the manner of his
swearing, believed him, notwithstanding the
charge of Recorder Hackelt, which clearly
pointed out the improbabiity that the COM
pIanant and the officer could both be mistaken
and the uncorroborated prisoner right, and
| gave FclulCl VI uot < u'i'J. =! IA pug h"'ihS
been discharged, walked out Of The court-rooul
a few minutes aferward, Mr.. Rollins dcs-
patched one of the Court officers to bring him
back to be remanded, on the ground that on
his own showing he should be tried for some
other offence The officer had no difficulty in
overtaking him as he sauutered toward Chat
ham street, and he made no objections to allow
ing the authorities to try him again: La about
ten minutes another officer brought up from
the Tombs another Daniel Murphy, with iufor-
nation that be was the right Que, jud giDg by
the books of the prisoner. The Dromi os were
placed at the bar together, and then the mis-
take was apparent to everybody The two
men, besides having common cognomcn, and
being in the same prison for the same offence,
were as much alike as twins. Indeed, it almost
needed the little differences in clothing to era
BILE one to distinguish them They are straug
ers. The second Murphy says that he too is
innocent. They were taken back to prison
handcuffed together, and Warden Johnson was
admonished not to let them get mixed again
| N Y Sun.