New-York tribune., 1874-10-29
MRS. MERRIGANS TRIAL.

rup DrFFNsE FOREsHADOwED - THE ACCUeED
ALLEGED TO BE INSANE.
Tho trial of Mrs. Sarah Merrigan for the
ra., n, Miss Sarah Hsmill resumed yesterday In
the Kiues County Court OF Oyer and Terminer. Dr.
Creamer testified that the death OF the deceased was
caused py stranguation He did not think thas sne
committed suicide She would have become insensible
too soon 70 have accomplished such an amount Of vio-
lence upon herself Adoph Gener testified that he saw
MIss Hammil enter the prisoners house In September
1873.
ofacer Edmund Brown Of the Fifth Precinct testified
that he went TO the house the alarm OF re saw the
fire I'm the bedroom and In the closet In the front room
there was no of fire between them He found the
line the next morning in the closet where there
had been no fire. Fire Marshal Thorne testified that he
examined Mrs. Merrigan's apartments on Sept
g. 1873, and found the straw bed and car
pet saturated with kerosene oil. Most OF the
fire had been in the Ibedroom. Capt. woeon
OF the Fh treSinc. SIsrs p he snake TO Mrs
Merrgan about the affair on sept tbev SPOKE aoout
Margaret Ha%n M apae sd Tectse S tse Canaan .f The
Court ruled the testimony inadDissiDle. the witness
said n sSs Sar Walk ies e aea
feeble; when talked with her she was
going on James G. Hammill, the brother Of the de-
ceased testified mainly AS to the rents collected by Ills
Alter recess, Margaret Welsh testified that she was
sstern.law OF Mrs. Merrgan, and that on the Tues
Mrs Merrgan came to her house. They came at about
IO:sO and Mrs Merrigan remained until ihe next morn
ing She complained OF being sick While tins witness
was giving her testimony one Of the jurors fell asleep
Marian Dixon Of No. 207 Nnth-st testified that she had
often heard Mrs MerrigaD speak OF Maggie Hammll !;
had heard her say that Miss Hammill often gave her
money and that expected 10 be remembered in her
The Dlstrict-Attorney here rested and the Junior
counsel for the defense opened for the prisoner ne
said the facts the case had not been made
known before Mrs. Meri gan, he said, when young
girl was in the habit OF visiting monastery In Hop0ken
She became imbued with kind OF religious mania ana
became an inmate of the Convent OF Our Lady OF
Charity. In this institution she was introduced 10
Maggie Hammin, who was also an inmate Mrs Mer-
rigan and Miss Hammill became fast friends, and SO
Miss Hammill left the convent, and Mrs. Mer-
rigan became lonely in consequence and also lett.
After leaving the institution she became very
sick, and soon after her recovery she married
The counsel explained the circumstances OF MISS
Hammi's death, claiming that Mrs MeTrigan had ac-
companed Mrs. Knowles to her house. and was absent
is or 20 minutes When she returned and found Miss
Hammil hanging with rope around her neck, horror
stricken sank upon her knees and began TO sob ana
pray a nd from that moment insane. Her conduct
in giving away the property OF the deceased to her
neighbor was cited to show that sue was de-
mented. The counsel claimed that her insanity was
hereditary The first witness called by the defense was
Camille Stevens, known Madame La Rosa. clarvoy.
ant of New-Y York, who testified that Mrs Knowles and
Mrs Merrgan visited her house about Aug TO- ls73 and
consulted her. the latter said that she wanted 10 have
and worry Of mind affected the witness. who told
her she would be connected with some tragedy ana ad'
vised Mrs. Merrigan to pray.
Tue case will be resumed To-Day