The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-07
rrr.' GREvENING HOMICIDE.
- ~ the Coroner-Discharge
e Prisoners.
haid a.

r. ~ the Coroner-Discharg
e Prisoners.
coroner oroser ,e-,. f,'ay held an inquest a
the Seventeenth precinct s. stie'a mousse 10 the cas-
OF Peter Grevenins, the Germ III, ~'e NO. -
East Fifteenth street, whose dea> ""' o"use" "
injuries received the evening Of ne ISL ins'' y,
being Knocked down by some one dur. ns stree'
fight, In avenue A. between Filth an oiXtn
streets Deceased with his sons-in.law, ArcA 'oaio
T. DE Hays and Frank Scheid, had been out maS-'g
New Years calls, and, being more or less intox1-
Gated came In collision with another "boozy" par
ty. with whom they exchanged compliments OF the
season till fight was the result. During the quarrel
deceased was knocked down by stranger and the
injuries received by the fall on the back OF his
head caused death, although it is believed there
was no intent TO cause death by the person strik-
ing the blow. The son-in-law OF deceased was
unable to identify either OF the prisoners, Moore
head or Link, as The one wh0had indicted the fatal
violence.
The most material portions of the testimony will
be found below.
Henry Blake, living at No. so avenue A, deposed
that on New Years night, while standing near his
own door, he heard a quarrel across the street.
and looking over saw man with light coat
strike man, who fell on the sidewalk, when the
man with the light coat and another person ran
away: did not know any Of the parties; heard that
the man knocked down was not much injured; he
was then taken away to drug store,
archibald 4. De Hays, OF No. $40 East Eleventh
street, deposed THAT on the evening Of the LIST inst.
he was coming up avenue A, between Filth and
Sixth streets, when party going the opposite
direction wished MS party HAPPY new year,, anu
ene ~ i hs ana o ann the
or seven in number; they then commenced an as
saulr on Frank oched, when the witness was
struck by three OF the strangers, one OF whom he
struck IN return; the parties tnen separated, but
the strangers renewed the assault the second
asked why they beat the young men-Frank
Scheid and the wltness-when they asked
nlm what business It was TO- to aim at
turned upon and struck him and he Tell backwards
on the sidewalk. The witness afterwards said he
did not see the blow struck, and cannot tell which
or the two men who stood near deceased at the
timc struck him: the two men then ran away;
the corner OF Seventh street and avenue A; he Is
the tall man, who wears the light OvercOat: de-
ceased mad drunk three glasses OF wine and three
hot whiskey punches from four O'Clock In the
afternoon up TO the time OF the occurrence, but
was not intoxicated after being attended by
house deceased walked home with assistance;
recognize Louis LINK mere present as the
tail man wearing the white coat and the man
Frank Scheid sOnn-law o deceased, cOrrObo-
rated the testimony q the previous witness. ex-
man VINO struck and Knocked the deceased down;
deceased fell on his back.
CAROLINE IQcHauu, OI NO. so avenue A. saw
deceased struck and knocked down in front oil her
own door, by man wearing q light overcOat;
the man With the light coat and another one then
run away
Jacob Wellng, an officer OF the seventeenth pre-
cinct testified that he arrested the prisoner LINK
who admitted that nc hadibeen in Tight in avenue
A, ON New Years night; he did not know the mans
name, but he had side-whiSkers, and wore high
hat; also arrested John h. M0Orehead, who told
officer Gallagher that ne had been In q row in
avenue A, near Fifth. street. on New Years night
that he was struck and struck back; did not know
the man he struck.
Moorehead was placed on the stand and said that
he was assaulted in avenue on New Years
night and struck young man who he believed
had struck him.
Louis Link, OF No. SOC Sixth street, deposed that
on New Years night he saw row In avenue A,
near Fifth street. and on gong over to see what
was the matter he got struck in the back OF the
neck, and struck some one back, but don't know
who 1t was.
Deputy Coroner McWhinnie, who made post
mortem examination on the body, testified as to
the cause OF death.
The case was then given to the Jury, who rem
dered the following
VERDICT:
"That Peter Grevening came to his death by
compression OF the brain, the result OF fall on the
sidewalk IN avenue a, between Filth and Sixth
streets, on January !, 1874, and we believe from
the testimony that said fall was the result OF
blow received at the hands OF some person or per.
sons to us UNKNOWN
on this verdict Coroner Croker discharged LINK
and MOOrehead from custody.