The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-01
THE MCNAMARA MURDER.
Leahy Committed to the Tombs
Without Bail.
The coroner's Inquest Yesterday Conflicting
Testimony Regarding the Shovel Which
McNamara Had in His Hand-The De-
tective's Story Of How It Happened:
Tho Light Went Out and the
Pistol Went OH"-The YER
dict Of the Jury.

Tho Light Went Out and the
Pistol Went 0H"-The YER
dict Of the Jury.
At about half-past eleven O'Clock yesterday
morning Coroner woltman began the inquest into
the manner OF the death OF Michael Mcnamara,
who was shot by Detective Leahy on the morning
OF the 22d OF February.
The court room was crowded with detectives and
friends OF the detective band who made the de-
scent on McNamara's house. The widely diverging
stories OF the friends OF deceased and Ofcer
Reilly leaves little doubt but that some one is
wrongwhetheri Intentionally or otherwise is yet to
be seen. The major part OF the testimony pub
lished below goes to show that the entry OF the
officers was boister0us and excited. There is
something wrong about the shovel story, for Mrs.
Mcnamara and Mrs. Murphy swear to different
shovels as the one used by deceased.
THE PROCEEDINGS.
After the Coroner had sworn the iury and told
them OF the duty devolving upon them the Clerk
called Rose Mcnamara, the wife Of the murdered
man. She is seemingly about twenty-five years Of
age, and gave her testimony in broken way
with a broad Irish accent. she said she lived at
No. $50 West Thirty-ninth street; that on Sunday
morning, February %, about three O'Clock. six
men came up the stairs Of her house, and when
opposite her door they began to kick and call to be
let in her husband jumped out Of bed and told her
and the children to keep quiet; he then got the
shovel and braced himself against the door. The
shovel was here produced witness recOgniZingtt as
the one which her husband had had in his hand on
the morning in question. 1t is a small ordinary
The men who came to the door did not say what
they wanted, and did not show any shield or sigu
by which she could have , known they were ofhcers
was opened, and while 1t was ajar shot was fired
by one OF the intruders; the ball found Judgment
In the stomach OF Mcnamara, making hole just
above the navel: after the husband had been
shot four men lean, came IN, and none one OF Them
ander McNamaras earl when 1't the ntrpa Ssn
found they had shot my husband they brought
him down stairs to the street, and then, for the
wanted; they then sent the wounded man to
Bellevue Hospital where he died. Mrs. Mcnamara
perate character in the house; she had heard of
him, but had never seen him; she also heard that
stairs; no strange man was in her room on the
night in question: and there had been none for a
week previous; on the morning In question s a
ments OF the McNamaras', and she had her cnild
with her.
MRS. MURPaY's STORY.
Mrs. Mcnamara having signed her testimony the
woman Murphy was called to the stand. She said
that on the morning OF February o. about half-past
baby, and hearings noise outside, she called MIR.
Mcnamara who jumped up and took shovel
to previous witness produced, but denied by wit
ness, who said the one Mr.. Mcnamara had was a
working shovel, with which he worked in the
sewerl This shovel was put under the lock and
Mr.. Mcnamara never lifted 1t to strike any one;
the men outside pushed SO hard that they moved
sae shovel and got the door aa one Of
way in, and while Setween the ss' door etr
s6o the door frame ne fred the Pistol
and shot Mr.. Mcnamara in the stomach; when the
dark man had done this he threw the pistol on the
head; Mr.. Mcnamara, mis- wife and witness asked
the man with the pistol for Jesus sake TO spare
the man Tor his children; she thinks that unless
Mcnamara in the head; then the rest OF the men
went into the room and looked around, but find
aUn e ey came f SscK S as
the door. wanting to know II they had hurt any
MRS S said they had shot her nus;
mara nor his ''' wife wanted f''i to leave leave
tine od Gey moi Row s
up stairs, and when he said 1t was pest to go to
the doctor Mcnamara went with his wife's con.
they the men who had shot him) put him in a
coach and sent him to the hospital; the intruders
never told who they were until they got to the
MRS. MFAY ON TIE DETECTIVES VISIT.
MIS- mrs. Margaret Moray M widow who lives In the
aroused on Sunday morning last by the noise Of
tramplng leet; some men came to her door and
she let them in, and they searched the house thor
oughly and went away; she knew nothing OF the
shooting until the next morning, when some or
the neighbOrs told her Of it.
THE DETECTIVES STORY.
Ofncer Philip Reilly was next called. He tells
the following story :-On Saturday afternoon 1 re-
ceived information from Captain Irving that at a
certain number in West Twenty ninth street we
would find Herman Landendorff, the man who shot
the Hudson River Railroad Waterman; at about
halfpast one A. N. Sunday morning l. in company
with Onicers Williamson, Wilson, Leahy and Null
corner OF Twenty-eghth street and Tenth avenue
where we got out and walked over to Eleventh
avenue whence, one by one, We went to the house
IN West twenty ninth street; we knew that Her.
mans mistress lived In this house, and had reason
to suppose ne would go there When we got
we left down stairs cried up that the oficer on the
beat said four young fellows, one OF them with q
white coat, mad gone into the house about an hour
before; we tried the skyhght and finding 1t locked
on the inside we knew they could not have gotten
out that way. 80 we began to search the rooms
loud whispering going on we coula not hear what
1t was about; we called out that we were officers
and wanted to get in; as the folks inside did not
seem inclined to allow us In, forced the door open
when got in McNsmara stood there with an up
raised shovel In his hand and made an attempt to
strike me when he aimed the shovel at me let my
lantern fall, and the shot went on at the same
instant IT was from the pistol of Leahy; when we
knocked hS at the door had my pistol cooked; then
let US In when we told him who we we're; he said
there was such hard crowd in the house he did
Avs hne W cb US ne ul0n' y DelleVe we were
0mcers; we brought him down stairs; / went to
Iwenty-eighth street and got the coach; we put
Mcnamara In and brought him to the hospital; ne
saw DR.. BROOKS and said he did not want to stay
as his wound didn't trouble him at all; the Doctor
told him to stay and he obeyed.
THIS witness closed the case and Coroner Volt
man charged the Jury, and 1t retired to deliberate
THE VERDICT.
Alter an absence OF about one-quarter OF an
hour the jury brought In verdict that deceased
came to his death from pistol shot wound I'm the
abdomen at the hands OF Oficer Patrick j. Leahy.
on the 22d day OF February, 1874, at No. $50 West
Twenty ninth street."
The prisoner was then informally examined, and
SAID MS age was thrty-fOur years. he was a native
OF Ireland and resided ut No. LOT East Twelfth
street. Relative to the charge preferred against
him, his counsel. Mr.. Hail, answering for
him. said .-nI shall ever regret the oh 70 n nni