The New York herald., 1873-10-02
A LIFE CONvICT'S LAMENT.

McKenna. Who Killed Lunny I'm Clark.
son Street, Complains that He Has
Been Mislcd by His Counsel-Hc Wants
New Trial-His Letter to the Herald
and nm Interview with Him at the
Tombs.
The following letter was yesterday received al
the HERALD office from Peter Joseph McKenna, a
convict in the Tombs, who has been sentenced tC
Imprisonment Tor life Tor killing a man named
Michael Lunny. by stabbing HIM in the abdomen,
at No. 81 GARRISON street. Subsequently reporter
OF the HERALD had a long conversation with
McKenna in his CELL and If the story given by him
then "a summary OF which follows) is true
McKenna seems to have been, to some extent, the
victim OF njudicious advice to his plea OF guilty.
The letter reads as follows:-
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
DEAR SIR am confined for my term OF life for a
crime that am not guilty Of. II have been sold by
my counsel Is there no law in New York : Iclam
nothing only justice. Is a man to be put out Of MS
boarding house and followed and stabbed IN the
public street, and then to get q term OF life IN
prison for saving his own llle Dear sir, you will
please send me reporter Immediately, for claim
here away from my people. | have not one single
friend IN this country, only God and In His name
Dear sir, | have been forced to take this place by
my counsel's advice, and man who calls himself q
man OF justice. Judge Brady did not wish me to
take the place did; but did not know the law or
understand anything as to plea. For the love OF
God and the affection of an aged mother do some
thing for me. Send me reporter who will take
me from here, and claim Just trial.
PETER JOSEPH MCKENNA,
Tombs. First Tier.
AKENNA's STATEMENT.
When the reporter arrived at the Tombs McKenna
was feeling his position very deeply and 1t re-
quired the exercise or considerable patience to
get from him connected story Of what he deemed
his wrongs. Substantially his statement was as
follows -
had boarded with Lunny for about three and q
half years when this thing occurred, which was on
Saturday night the sth Of July WAS WAS employed on on
New YORK and Rio Janeiro, and was not at the
house more than two weeks every three months
had been q friend to them many times got them
respectable boarders and did what could to help
them. on this saturday night Lunny told me
hearted Tor they had not got enough in the house
TO carry them over to Monday. tod
not any money by me, but | went out and borrowed
IS and gave it to them. | returned to my supper.
should go out with them to market and get a
"clam chowder." Lunny, his wife and went out
out. When we got home went to bed, and was
woke up by a 'muss' between Lunny and his
wife. There was fgnting going on. went out in
the lobby, and did not interfere until saw Lunny
was going TO give her q long kick. Then stepped
in and begged OF him not to il-treat his Wife, He
me with being intimate with his wife. 1t is ialse
He thought all the men in the house were so. The
mans mind full OF that idea He was
very quarrelsome, and he ordered me out l told
him / would go, and asked him to give me my
pants and vest ana would go. He told me ne
would throw them out OF the window TO me. Irem-
onstrated against this, but he had carving
knife in his hand went down stairs, and put on
my pants The woman put her head out OF the
window and screamed "Murder!" Three men
came along and they took up a stone and drove
the panel OF the door in. went along the street
putting on my clothes as went, and took clas p
knife from my pocket TO cut chew OF tobacco.
Lunny overlook me- having the carving knife In
his hand, ana tried to strike me with 1t. At the
moment forgot that had the knife In my hand
and struck MIN with my fist: the knife cut him
and he died. / knew that he was drunk.
| knew that he was then bound over to
keep the peace, and he had cut
me with knife before and had stabbed another
man. What did was IN seli-deence. Lunny's own
wife, though she was to receive $1,000 from the
'Longshoremens Society, would have confirmed
this story. My employers whom l have worked
for ever since / have been in this country, would
have gwen me character, and should have been
able to put my case before the jury so as to show
that | didn't intend to murder this man. have,
however, no money. paid my counsel $25, and
they took the Coroners dispositions and convicted
me on those. Some men here have done worse, q
good DEAL than | have. Some yesterday were
sentenced one to two years. Imprisonment and
others to ten days. Imprisonment each. Is that
fairf Is that Justice?