The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-11
UNRAYELLING A MYSTERY.
THE INQUEST OVER THE BODY
OF MARGARET IuAMILI..

Testimony Of the Prisoners Ncigh-
bOrs-Mr. and Mrs. Mcrrigans,s
Suspicious ActiOns-Wbnt Two
Boys Saw and Heard.
TIE inquest over the remains of Marga-
ret Hamill, who is supposed to have been
murdered and then burned at 1876 Ninth
street, Brooklyn, Z. D., was begun
by Coroner Whitehill in Justice
Elliotts court room at Fifth and South First
streets, which was jammed to suffocation.
James Merrigan and his wife, who are held
to await the result of the investigation were
in the room with their counsel, the former
being represented by II. b. Davis, and the
latter by ex-Fire Marshal Patrick Ready.
Mrs. Merrigan is 23 years of age. Her
husband is one year older. She was at
tired in stripped calico and wore a plain
black hat. In her lap nestled pretty little
baby clothed in blue. The mother patted
her child and looked innocently around.
There is nothing bold or brazen about her,
and she does not look like one addicted to
drink. She said to Il e San reporter that
one of the New York newspapers represent
ted her rs q habitual drunkard, and asked
that the story might be denied as it was
false. Her husband has sharp features,
smooth face, and bushy hair. He is stair
builder by trade. During the examination
he manifested great interest and frequently
became excited. His wife listened quietly
and patted her baby's cheeks rs though at
home in her own room.
THE FIRST PROOF OF MURDER.
Coroner Whitchill was assisted by Assis-
tant District Attorney Cullen. The first
witness called was Barbara Guldear, wife
ofcwner ofpremises 1876 Ninth street, where
the Merrigans lived. She testified that Mrs.
Mcrrigan rented an additional room from
her on Wednesday, She saw many per-
sons who did not live there enter the house
last week. She could not remember hav-
ing seen Miss Hamill. Her (witness's)
husband remembered having seen a woman
answering the desi ription given of Miss
Hamill 90 in on Tuesday. On Thursday
shortly after 0 o'clock in the evening, she
saw smoke ascending from the windows
of the Merrigans' apartments. She was
with Mrs. Merrigan at the time entering the
alleyway leading to the rear dwelling. Wit
ness asked Mrs. Merrigan whether she had
the key to her room, and received the re-
ply, ''Yes, here it is but don't go in the
room with light as think Il lamp is bro
ken. Kerosene is burning"
FINDING THE BODY.
Witness said she was afraid Mr.. Merri-
gan was in there, as short time before she
heard him playing flute. Mrs. Merrigan
disappeared soon afterward. Her husband
remained until the fire was out, and then
went up stairs when told that there was a
dead body there. The firemen asked how
the woman got there, and he said he
didn't know.
Mr. James G Hamill, brother of the late
Margaret Hamill who lives in Riverside,
testified that he positively identified the
body as that of his sister. She boarded al
236 West Forty-eish h ST. .et, and frequent
~ carried large sums OF money, sometimes
several hundred dollars. Ho had not seen
her for about ten days before she was found
dead. Was not aware that she knew the
Merrigans. He thought that one of keys
found on the body was that used by his sis
ter in unlocking
which she had in the Stuyvesant Deposit
Company in New York. He could not iden-
tfy red satchel found near her. She al
ways had much more money, he said, about
the first of the month He told Counsellor
Ready that she was 32 or 33 years of age,
and was eccentric. lie had not heard that
his sister had threatened suicide, nor knew
of any one taking arsenic from her.
David G. Coe, who boarded at 200 Ninth
street, was examined at great length. He
has been fireman, and when he saw smoke
pouring out Of Merrigan's windows he ran