The New York herald., 1874-10-29
THE MURDER or MISS HANNILL.
Third Day OF the Trial OF Mrs. Sarah {. Mtr-
rigan for the Crime.
Open ng for the Ds'sncG-A Curious Recital
Death Of the Wet m Laid to the Charge
OF Faith in Fortune Tellers-Heredi-
tary Insanity in the Fam
lily of the Prisoner.

Promptly at ten O'Clock yesterday morning the
Court OF oyer and Ierminer or Kings county. be-
fore Judge Tappen ana Associate Justices, re-
suIned the thread OF the trial dropped the AFTER
noon previous IN the case OF the People VS.. Sarah
G. Merrigan. VINO Is now before the par TO answer
an Indictment charging her with having murdered
Miss Margaret Hammil at No. 100 Ninth street,
BROOKLYN, Z. d., on Tuesday, September 2, 1873
The accused was IN her accustomed seat by the
eide OF her counsel. and wore the same pale coun-
tenance, which at times, however, flushed deeply
when the testimony bore heavily against her.
She was accompanied by her little daughter,
child four years old. who INDUCED in childish
prattle and gambolled about the knees OF her
wretched mother and the court officers all un
conscious OF the aw al predicament in which the
author OF her being was placed.
DR.. Joseph Creamer, the surgeon. who made the
post mortem examination oil the body OF deceased,
was tne first witness called, and was cross-exam-
iued as TO his direct testimony OF the day pre-
yious by General Tracy. He said:-I made no
measurement OF the body. but the deceased was a
medium sized woman think she nad a large neck,
but could tell accurately account Of the way
IN which it was swollen through strangulation;
she had been dead about seventy hours when l
made my post mortem; Judge she was strong,
healthy woman; death did. in my judgment, en-
rue rom strangulaton.
Redlrect-l DO not think the death could have
resulted rom suicide because OF the evident vio-
lence which mad been used; it could not have been
lelfinncted.
The next witness called was Adolph Gull
ner proprietor OF the house IN which the body was
iound. He was examined tnrougi an interpret ter
and testified that on the Tuesday OF the alleged
murder he saw some one pass into Mrs. Me-ri-
gan's apartment; the person was lady, who
had on light dress ana carried a satehel and um-
brena 1t was ABOUT noon when lady entered.
WHAT THE POLICE FOUND
Patrolman Edward Brown, OF the Fifth precinct,
deposed that his atten ton was called TO the prem
ises In questl on the night OF September 8,
about half past nine O'Clock, by the alarm OF fire.
and ne subsequently arrested Mr.. and Mrs. Mer-
rigan; the fire he noticed had been In the back
room ana there was body there on a oed; wit
ness found clothesline (wnca ne identlded) in a
closet IN the front room he arrested the prisoner
End her husband at her sister-in-laws, Mrs.
walsh and on the way to the station house Mrs.
Merrgan told him that Miss Himmill had come TO
ler house that afternoon drank and wanting some
coffee; that, as she had nothing but tea in the
house. she went out to get some coffee and during
ler absence deceased must have upset the lamp,
Thereby firing the premises. Witness further resti-
ped TO having opened trunk and found therein
several articles OF wearing apparel and jewelry;
In a tool chest he ound pair OF pantaloons and
vest, and in q pocket sergeant Bunce found a
pocketbook in which was ring, an anchor
(cnarm) and s57 in bills The contents were lden-
tined by witness.
Cross-examined-I never saw a woman carry
a pooketbook such as the one ound In the trunk;
1t is mans pocketoook: the ring is such as q
child wears ana could not be worn by grown
person the rope shown me IS the same one that
] found in the room; It appeared TO nave been cut
of with q scissors.
MIR. Parker, the undertaken was recalled, ana
testified that the remains ound in the room were
the same which DR.. Creamer referred to.
Mrs. Maria Coleman called testlf1ed-I was her
tenant and paid ner some money September /,
1879, for rent paid ner 500 co. the receipt shown
Is the same she gave me for the money hau seen
ner twice before and nave not seen her since.
Sergeant Bunce, OF the Fifth precinct, testified
that ne went TO the house OF the Merrigans on the
Monday alter the fire, and made a search OF the
premises Ia a tool cGest he found some tools,
pair OF pantaloons and vest, and in pocket
pocketbook, containing $50, small gold ring
md charm.
Cross-examined-I found pocketbook such as
are usually carried by men ia the vest; the money
was IN IS bills chiefly found q small child's ring
Rnd gold anchor; don't know whether such
Charms are usually worn oy men.
Mks. MRRRTGAS GIVES HER RECEIPT.
Charles kraushaar. Property Clerk OF the Police
Department, was cahed, and read from a list the
various articles found at Mrs. Merrigan's house by
the police and placed in his cnarge the money
had since been claimed by Mrs. Merrigan. and he
mad PAID the money 70 her on an order from Mr.,
Britton, giving MS consent To It's surrender; paid
the money on January 26 at The District Attor-
neys Office: the money was handed by me to Mrs.
Aerrigan, VINO signed the receipt book.
TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN woGLOM.
captain M0giOm OF tue Fourth precinct police.
deposed that ater MIS- Merrgan's arrest he had
a lengthy conversation with ner; he told her ne
believed that ne knew the whole story ana she
mad better tell 1t al 10 aim; she told hIm Maggie
under the influence Of liquor, and asked Tor some
coffee; Mrs. Merr1gan said she had no coffee, and
went out 10 get It; Oh her return TO the place it
was on fire; witness questioned ner as to the Jew
elry wnicl they nad Iound In her trunks, and told
her ne would oe a iather to her II she would be
candid and reveal tue truth; sue gave him bunch
oi KEYS whlcn Il tea dressing case, a box and
some fancy cases In Miss hamm lis room FORTY
eighth street, aud witness going over there found
the keys fitted ana that there was much nice Jew
elry there; Tor several days after ner arrest she
was pale, deiicate. wretcned and exceedingly alb
sent minded.
James Hamml, brother OF the deceased and
resident OF Riverside Conn.,, testified tnat
his sister last about ten days before her death
she received money, but never Kept a bank ac-
count; he collected her money generally and gave
II 10 her when she wanted 1t; the 1st OF Septem-
DER, 1873, was the 1fst time she had collected her
rents; about ten days before her death lie handed
her between $3.50 and $500; saw the remains at
the undertaker's Parker's), and identified the
body T. ON "A that was on her forehead,
tending IRON hall inch below her hair down
between the eyebrows; have seen the gold anchor
SHOWN me before; she wore gold watch and
cnain, which the brother OF witness gave her; the
small gold ring ne could not recognize; Margaret
was about thirty years old and weighed about lao
pounds ana was OF medium height; witness FUR
nIshed deceased with $4,000, and she dressed In
accordance with her means; she kept box with
the sale Deposit Company, in winch there were
deeds ana bonds, but no money; there mad been a
quarrel between his brother and deceased some
time before her death, but IL was al settled before
che died.
= srTMoYY OF THE sIsTER-IN-LAw OF THE PRISONER.
-. rgaret Walsh deposed that she lived 10 North
ma street In 1873, ana is a sister in-law OF the
ceeone remembe ed Mrs. Merrigan and her
prisoner ming 10 ner house about hall past ten
,n ~ ~ esday night september 2, 1873; they
DV,oIA ,tn W ~. or eight O'Clock the next morn
80. Ne 49, complained or being SICK saw
ysss ~ u .. meI rlsa. month before her death,
snan sha a.iu mn a sooa Mrs. Merrigan; first heard