The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-13
ANOTHER DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.
Probable Murder OF q Woman by her Illus.
band in Wcstchcstcr County.
No Demon Rum at Work Again-A Child Tell
ing the Story Of Her Fathers Brutality
Shocking Appearance Of tho Deceased
Verdict of the Coroners Jury.

The usually quiet little village OF West Farms
was yesterday thrown into o fever OF excitement,
caused by the intelligence that Ann Ennis had
been murdered by her husband at their residence
In Cross street. The death of the woman was dis
covered in the NEST accidental manner by Mr.. H.
Hc0felA county constable, who when
passing through Cross street yesterday morn
ing, was informed by some boys that
Ennis wife was dead. Mr.. Sconeld, VINO
knew the character OF the persons was not
saow to suspect that something was wrong, and
Immediately wentto a groggery on the corner OF
Main ana Cross streets, which was favorite resort
pf Ennis, and there found the husband, who in
formed him that his wife was dead. Mr.. ScoHeld
insisted xis going to the house with him, which,
after much hesitation, EnSis consented 10 do.
The house Is O double frame, very dilapidated
and dingy in appearance, and Is occupied by four
families. including the Nanises, who rent the
second moor, which consists OF two rooms. In the
largest Of these TWO Mr. ScoHeld found the body Of
Mrs. Ennis stretched AT full length on the moor.
The room being dark he could see nothing but her
form, and so raised the blind, when most sicken-
Ing sight met his eyes. The woman's head, which
was within o few inches Of the stove, was covered
with cuts. and the CONCEALED
BLOOD HAD MATTED AND sTIFFENED HER HAIR.
Her face was disfgured beyond all recognition
while her hands and breasts-which were ex.
pesed-were covered with bruises and much dis
Agured with black and blue blotches. Mr.. SEQ
neld now knew that the woman had been NAL
treated, and as he was about to leave he noticed
that Ennis boots were covered with blood and con
sequently arrested him.
when brought to the fremont station house En-,
mis- denied all knowledge Of the cause Of the death
Of his wife. He says when he awoke yesterday
morning he found her dead on the noor The blood
on his boots, he maintains, came from Bucking's
skin dressing factory, where he is employed. The
HERALD reporter saw Ennis in mis- cell yesterday
he Is short, thick-set man, with low forehead,
small eyes and coarse mouth. TO all the
heterogeneous put to him by the reporter he re-
furned monosyllabic answers He does not re-
member anything that happened on Tuesday night,
when ne awoke yesterday morning. During the
conversation he was very nervous and had the ap-
pearance OF man OF Incorporate habits.
THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
At five O'Clock yesterday afternoon Coroner MIL
Ter held an inquest. The first witness called was
Mary Ennis the eldest daughter OF the deceased.
She is remarkably intelligent and handsome
child OF ten years of age, and told her story with
the truth OF what she said. When Coroner Miller
asked her II she knew what an oath was she said
become of her if she told lie. the following is
her testimony
MY name is Mary Ennis am ten years old; have
tw0 sisters and one brother; father came home at
half past twelve In the day; he was very drunk |;
mother was reading paper; he kicked over the
her on the mouth with his clenched fist; mother
then fell the floor, and he began to kick her in
kicked her in the face and Knocked her down
again; she did not cry nor make any noise,
Go fn 1P
and short, but did not stir; when she lying on
the floor my father caught her by the throat and
took q big knife and was going to stab her saw
him and ran and took the knife from him; he then
took up pair OF scissors andwith them tried to
his hand and wrenched them from him; the
knife was long one and sharp on the top {;
were about eight or nine inches long; father then
went out, but came in again in short time and
turned that he tried to stab her it was about three
O'Clock; am sure OF the time because my little
sister and brother had just come home from school;
father went to bed about six O'Clock and woke up
about halfpast seven; mother was breathing hard
all the time; then went to bed and this morning
father woke me and told me my mother was dead.
The next witness called was Mrs. Caughlin, who
resides in the same house as the Ennises. She
said that both the man and woman had bad
name In the neighborhood, and consequently she
did not associate with them; she heard noise In
their rooms ON Tuesday night, and knew that the
man and wife were lighting; but as it was an
everyday occurrence she did not take particular
notice. She heard Ennis screeching and
noise like that Of hammer knew the
woman by sight, but had never spoken to her:
MRS. Ennis was in the habit of getting drunk; only
heard 1t from the neighbors; saw the body on the
moor yesterday morning, when Mr. Scofeld entered
THE DOCTORS EVIDENCE
Drs Henwood and ROdenstein, who performed
The nost-mortem examination, submitted the
following evidence They found that deceased
had sustained I'VE severe cuts upon the head
which had opened the scalp; one i'm
nediately over the right temple was the
severest and had congested the brain. but in
their estimation there was not sufficient to cause
death; they discovered that deceased's kidneys,
liver and heart were in very unhealthy condi-
tfon and think that the violence she subjected
TO may 10 some degree have accelerated her death.
The jury returned verdict to the effect that
Mrs. Ennis came to her death at the hands Of her
husband.