The New York herald., 1874-11-13
THE POLITICIANS MURDER.
Conclusion Of the COroner's Inquest and
Verdict Of the Jury.
CORONER CRoKER's TESTIMONY
Killed BY q Pistol Shot at the Hands of
Some Person Unknown.

WOlNtuau. iHcit u IuTgeT lLlcnuaQcc than
on any previous day during the hearing. In the
morning there were present for short time Mr.
John Kelly, Mr. W. Il. WicKham aud Mir. Abram S.
Hewett-
TESTIMONY OF POLICEMAN HOGAN
Omcer hlchard Hogan said ION the election day
j was gong into the polling place; just as went
LII saw Croker ana O'Brien in scutfie; saw
George Hickey take pistol out; before / got to
Hickey he fired one shot; as soon as / got to
George Hickey ! wrested the pistol out OF
his hands; asked him what he was going
TO DO with the pistols he replied
fhat ne was not damned fool and was not
going TO have stones and sticks knock his head
OF; myself and another oflcer got the pistol from
him; he, however, fred another shot; O'Bren
said that Croker had murdered McKenna, and that
he had shot man down the avenue; Croker said
that he accused them Of assault and battery;
George Hickey and turned round together aud
saw McKenna fall; heard a shot fired before
got to Hickey; McKenna was about five feet from
the curbstone; could not swear positively that
Croker ana O'Brien had pistol; did not see q
pistol in the hands OF either OF them; only saw
pistol in the hands Of George Hickey; just as
went to Hickey heard shot fired; think 1t
was No. smith Wesson revolver that took
away from Hickey; he fired two shots.
BY the Jury-As was going toward Hickey
heard shot fired behind me-
BY the Coroner--I did not hear O'Brien make a
charge against any particular person.
BY the Jury--Alter McKenna was shot did not
go TO the drug store; had George hickey in my
custody; saw hickey jump out OF the crowd and
fire the pistol; George Hickey was IN the street
when saw him draw the pistol; asked him to
give me the pistol, but he said he was going to
protect himself and he kept 1t IN his possession
and l kept BY the side Of him; don't know
whether O'brien said ARREST this murderern or
not; my back was toward O'Brien and toward
Croker.
TESTIMONY OF POLICEMAN SMITH.
John Smith, a police oficer oil the Twenty
FIRST precinct said that he saw a crowd and Coro-
ner Croker strike OBrien on the morning oil the
election day l heard the first shot fred just as
was leaving the polling place; saw pistols in
the hands Of the two HicGeys; saw Sheridan fire
o shot; took Croker TO the station house: at the
time the man fell / was putting my hand on
Croker's shoulder; did not see pistol either in
Croker's or OBrien's hands; they could not have
had pistol in their hands without my seeing 1t;
Croker had his hand IN his coat pocket: l felt in
his pockets and there was no pistol on him; had
my hand on Croker all the time; l heard seven or
eight shots fired; saw hickey fire shot after
The man fell
BY the Jury-It was not more than three seconds
alter O'Bren and Croker cllnched that the shot
was fred; O'Brlen said TO me- "Of1cer, arrest tins
man" at the station house O'Brlen accused them
BY Assistant District Attorney Russell did not
take any pistol from any one; saw pistol taken
from sheridan saw only TWO pistols on the desk;
reside ut No. 563 Thlrd avenue; this was the
Seventeenth Election district and the Eighteenth
Mckenna fall; was eighteen feet away when the
shot was fired, and got there before McKenna
the snol was fred; | am very sure mat he dld
strike OBrlen at that time; when heard the shot
hred ran between Croker and U'Brten; nobody
ran awac at chat time rom the crowd. or should
have seen them.
Q. now, officer, have Q purpose in asking this
question. Have you talked with anybody since
o. Have you always told this story-tnis Same
Q. Never deviated at anp A. No.
Q. Did you ever say you mad Coroner Croker
EVIDENCE OF POLICEMAN MURPHY.
Michael Murphy, police officer, attached to
Ing between Thirty-rhird and Thirtyiourth streets
when he heard some shots fired; he saw man
ana some ane one a
o revolver away from him and delivered 1t to the
sergeant at the desk: Sheridan had a revolver in
his hama when arrested him.
EVIDENCE OF SERGEANT CHRISTIE.
Sergeant Christie SAID that he was duty at
the desk OF the station house on the morning OF
Croker, the two Hickeys and sheridan to the sta
ton house; asked wnat was the trouble, and
Onlcer Smythe sad III saw two shots fired by Cor.
oner Croker" Coroner Croker then said that he
made a charge OF assault and battery against
shooting McKenna:" then took the pedigree or
the prisoners; two pistols were then taken from
them end marked liked the p,stos the prisoners I
say that Coroner Croker fired two shots; the pistols
were handed to me by the officers; TWO OF the
oss csEes were out Of one PISTOL and one out OF the
witness identified the pistols.
By the Jury-I am positive that Smythe said
fhnt (rOk er fred the shots
BY colonel FELLows-The otlcers whose names
have mentioned were there; the doorman was
0t the door, too; took the names OF number Of
witnesses; saw person there named Craig; he
came around to Croker at the station house ana
Croker ana said, you've shot my cousin M iG did
not take this statement; ! called upon them az
have been sergeant Tor eight years.
The question put by Colonel Fellows, 'fIaye you
been aware o. any political differences between
sstant District Attorney, and, after a long argl-
ment. the Coroner sustained the objection.
EVIDENCE OF SERGEANT RANDALL.
Sergeant Frank b. Randall, OF the Twenty-filst
precinct, said IL saw sergeant ColbroOk run out
o. the house on elecs,on morning; ne tod me that
see and found 1t was John Mcxenna, whom
knew; asked him who shot him he said. "Dick
know how this occurred, wish you would tell me
how 1t happened;" he said, "For Gods sake give
me me drink Of water; somebody proposed to giye
that ne saw the Senator and Mr.. Croker strike
each other, and he ran across, and he said
George Hickey said iers rive it 10 the sons Of
b-s,' and as he said SO he struck him, then
Coroner Croker shot HIM, nnd he said
shots at me-" DR.. Schults was In the
store at the time, and he said that the man had
better be taken TO the hospital; he also said there
that Croker shot him; he made o remark to me
that that "cowardly wretch, croker, shot me IN
this wny;' he wanted me 10 get doctor as quick
rs possible. and asked that cnloroiorm should be
given 70 hlm; | was at the corner OF second ave.
nue. and Thrty-flith street when heard the Shout
lag.
By Colonel Fellows-I went round from the hos
pital TO the district, and saw ofncer Smytne;
SAID TO him, "You ought to know oil about this IL
occurred IN your district:n saw Croker strike the
Senator and fire shot at him, and there were
G0ree shots hred over my shoulder. and they went
30 close &c my head that they singed my hair wit
ness did not attend McKenna's funeral; he was as
tue wake.
TESTIMONY OF A BELLEVUE SURGEON.
VI: Benjamin J. Harland, house surgeon of Belle.
que Hospttal sad that about EIGHT O'CLOCK on The