The New York herald., 1874-08-26
THE TORRIEA TRAGEDY.

Coroner Whitchill-What the Resid ents
of the Scene of the Murder Saw and
Heard-"Dicgo' Whites Knowledge of
the Deceased and His Associates.
Yesterday forenoon Coroner Whitehl COM
menced an inquest touching the mysterious cir
cumstances which led to the death OF Salvatore
Torrina the supposed counterieiter, who was
found wounded and dying IN a lot on Bedford ave.
nue. near Hayward street. on the night OF Wednes-
day, August IL. The Jurors sworn were :-Charles
HAPPIER, John Dtmar, c. Richards. Hugh Schwab.
Ruland Smith, Alexander Nolan, Charles Quinn
and A. b. Hodges.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN A. COLT.
Jonn A. Colt, OF No. 237 Bedford avenue, one OF
the gentlemen who found Torrina dying on the
sidewalk, testified that he was sitting on his
stoop on the evening OF August II; ne heard three
groans, and, going in the direction from whence
they proceeded, saw man walking from the
direction of Bedford avenue; he walked with him
to the place from whence the noise came and
there found a man lying with his head against
stone; he was facing toward Wythe avenue and
was lying on his right side; he was alive then !;
he was covered with blood, which came from his
face there was no conversation except about send
ing for the police; the gentleman met was Mr..
Edwards; he spoke to the dying man and asked
him "What are you doing therer' The dying man
told him he was an Italian and wanted a priest !;
a Mr.. Smith was also there when the policeman
came; it was not moonlight at the time saw the
man;it was near eight O'Clock and was quite
dark; did not notice when the street lamp was lit
that night the lace of the deceased was toward
the lot and right close to pile OF stones the dis
tance from the stoop to this spot was about 1sO
eet; witness had been sitting his door steps LOT
an hour and hall and had seen nobody pass.
Coroner-You are not very observant Are your
WtnesS-N0t in some cases; had heard no loud
talking nor anything that would indicate u
GLIMPSE OF THE AssAssINs
Samuel Il. Mills was the next witness sworn,
and testified that he lived at No. 235 Bedford ave.
nue.; on the evening OF the murder, about eight
O'Clock, while sitting on my stoop 1 heard the
groans of a man in distress which seemed TO come
IRON across the street rom pile OF stones; it was
very dark night, and saw some persons going
there: | got lantern before gong across; l met
Mr.. Colt, who said there was man badly hurt
over there; when went there found a man lying
on the ground and very bloody; had no CONVERSE
ton with the man, who was taken to the station
house there is an impression on my mind that
heard some talk three or iour minutes be-
fore heard the groans; l have an Inn
preston tna5 o, saw three n n,s or our men
stones some time before; l am not positive about
1t; the men were TALKING In low tone OF voice; it
was about three minutes or so later, think, when
heard the groans; it Is quite thOroughfare
there and there are great many persons passing
that way; paid no particular attention to the
circumstance until the following day, when the
impression alluded TO recurred TO my mind; l
not H
voices and persons there; / saw no person
come out OF the lOt had done SO | could not
have had any doubt about It,
TESTIMONY OF l.. J. IGNORE.
Mr.. L. J: Lenore, residing at No. 80 Lynch street,
testified that on the night of the tragedy Mr.. $.
S. Davis OF No. 172 Lee avenue, called on him and
said he mad just seen man very badly hurt lying
by that hole that had been dug out Tor building,
opposite Mr.. Mills house; Davis wascoming along
Bedford avenue, when he heard the grOans OF the
dying man, and went over ana saw tnat he was
badly hurt; witness then accompanied Davis TO
the spot, and found the police had been there ana
the man mad been removed.
THE POL1CEMAN'S NARRATIVE.
Onicer Jausk OF the Sixth sub-precinct testified
that while on post on Bedford avenue Oh the
night IN question he saw man who told him ne
thought there was an intoxicated man lying
over in the lots; the citizen who informed witness
OF the fact was Mr.. Mills, who resides in Bedford
avenue; went there and found the dying man In
the lots on Bedford avenue, between Lyncn and
Hayward streets; he was lying about four or five
feet from the sidewalk on his right side the
time was about hve minutes OF eight; asked the
man what he was DONG there, and, receiving no
reply, took the lamp and examined him carefully;
his shirt was lull ol blood; witness asked nlnl
where he got the blood from, and
he moved his head, ana then witness
hands at the same time and seemed to understand
the questions, but made no answer; asked tnen
where he lived, but ne couldn't tell got wagon
and took him TO the station house. where we Or
rived at twenty-five minutes past eight O'CLOCK,
witness passed that spot about fifteen minutes be-
nobody in the lots at that time; doAt recolecI
having seen any groups of men about the neigh
DorhOOd made search with other Oitce1S l0r
traces OF blood leading Off IN some Other direction,
but failed to find any; when witness passed the lot
about twenty minutes Ok eiga 1t was quite DARK