The New York herald., 1874-11-28
RUM AND RUIN.
Investigation Before the Coroner
Of the Cart-Rung Murder.
A ASa!urday Nights Spree and Its Fatal Issue
The Accused Committed.

by coroner Woitman, IN the case OF theu1eceased,
John Carnacon, who died early on Sunday morn
ing last. rom wounds received in drunken
brawi, in Washington street, a few hours pre.
vious. George Washington Murray. tbe accused.
u man named Pertain, Martin joyce. alias Reddy
Joyce Michael Mullen aud John Gibbons were all
arrested after the occurrence, Murray being sent
to the Tombs and the others to the House OF De-
tention. Gibbons, however, gave bail and was re.
leased but the three others were still detained for
the investigation. The prisoner was defended bv
Mr.. Schwab, who asked questions through the
Coroner.
THE TESTIMONY.
John Gibbons. who keeps liquor store at ss5
washington street. was the first witness EXAM
ined He testified tnat he knew nothing about the
quarrel, and that he closed his place OF business
after the party here in question had left: there
was no argument among the crowd; John Carna.
con. his friend and two Others, whose names
he did not know; they were talking OF the ,long-
shoremen's strike; witness requested them to
leave the store. because It was q quarter to
twelve O'Clock anp as there was q chance OF q
quarrel; Pertain came back to the store after The
party left and said that the "Dlg boat, was laid
out and that Murray had done 1t, but the term
"bg bl0atn was favOrite expression o; this
young mans; he did not see anybody lying on
the sidewalk; he heard talk going on outside for
about twenty minutes alter he closed the store;
the first he heard Of the assault was from the
0iiicer on duty in the neIgnboraood, except what
he mad heard from Pertains there were six per-
sons in the store some time previous to closing;
three OF them did not interfere in the argument;
Murray was asleep at the time, lying on the table,
ness neeyed sSa sna let tue store
lore the disputants were tod & to leave did not
no angry word spoken In the house that night
that could raise quarrel
PERTAINS ALLEGATIONS.
ytnn Enpt tAtn n IN vctp
the next witness examined-About halEpast eleven
O'Clock the crowd were in Gibbons store; they
them, as the last round was not paid for; they
had been talking about the strike and then got to
leave; alter they went out .cach snatcned his
man. ana they got TO rolling in the gutter Tor
about 1ve minutes; they were not fighting they
were rolling on top OF each other; lady came
into the store with pitcher ana went out on
the sidewalk; two OF them then ran up Washing
sidewalk; Murray came 60 me and asked II Gip.
bons was fighting. ana he then went to truck
and took cart rung and, as Carnacon was get
ting up he struck him; witness then went into
the store and told Gibbons that he thought Murray
had Killed man; Joyce and witness then went up
washington street to a liquor store at the corner
Of West Tenth and Hudson streets where Murray
ssayea in the liquor store until five O'Clock and
then went to mouse In Greenwich street, from
which place witness went hom q nd had his break.
last; went into the store about hall-past eleven
and there were four men there; me crowd lett ar
he then put the bars on the door; witness re-
mained in the store until The lady came, and Glib.
! went out on the sidewalk saw Wash Murray
strike the man while he was on his knees getting
Know what became or the cart rung the three
men with CarnaCon went away; witness had no
ill-will toward Murray and never mad any quarrel
| with him; witness was out OF work one week and
had been in his last place seven months.
JoYcE's STATEMENT.
! examned-Was IN Gibbons store at aguarier to
the bar; did not know any Of them: they rot OF
4 growing among themselves and Gibbons ordered
them out: they continued quarreng on the side
came in and said mfr. GIBBONS, believe Murray
has killed man;' Gibbons said to the man that
he would not give any more drinks until the last
ones were paid Tor; believed he lurncd them
out because they had not paid Tor tie
SIDE, and the deceased man was lying on Wash
| ington street; Pertain ana witness went out
Hudson streets; Murray came there some time na1e
a!terward and called for drinks Pertain said to
| (Murray) had Killed the man. and Murray made no
reply; witness heard nothing further about the
store; first saw Murray that night in Glbbons at
about twenty minutes to twelve; Murray was then
asleep yng on na ta9e ana ana tne no!,e Of the
absent IRON the store about two or three mlnutes
beiorc.he returned TO say that Murray had Killed
the man.
WHAT MULLEN HAS TO SAY
Michael Mullen, Q! No s4a Washington street
last at nine O'Clock, with John Carnacon: Murray.
whose name witness did not know then was in
the store and came up and drank with us there
was discussion about the long shoremen's strike
Carnacon saying that every man ought to be
whisKey went round 'spretfy nush," aud there was
more talk about the strike; we went out ON the
side*alS & and the the mrs irst thing witness knew was
ness did not understand what occurred then, put
the FIRST thing ne remembered next was tina:
lie saw hS friend CarnacOn lying on the
sidewalk with his face covered with b,ood
the other men had run away; witness
and took both Carnacon and himself to the station
house; never had seen Murray before that night;
witness was under the influence of liquor when ne
entered the store, but was not drunk; Murray
sang a song ana then laid down on bench or
Carnacon in the barroom; could not tell word
about why or how they left the store; was too
ueh under !he % influence nee o. lquor TO remember
bons' store.
THE OFFICER WHO CAME on THE SCENE
Oficer vanarsell. OF the Ninth precinct, testified
10 having, with the assistance or some citizens.
tentlon was attracted TO him on the sidewalk by
his heavy breathing; he saw no one at the place
in a state OF intoxication and enueavorlng to get
up out OF the gutter between the curDstone ana
tile truck.
DIR. MARsH's AUTOPSY.
DR.. Marsh, deputy coroner, testified that he had
made an autopsy o. the body at Bellevue Hospital.
and found the nose broken IN ana the face acer-
ated; large quantity OF blood was in the back OF
the mead: the brain was congested and the
stomach contained a quantity OF nud, which
smeed O.! whiskey; he believed that death re-
suited rom compression OF the brain; the injuries
might have been the result OF blow or fall.
THy VERDICT.
The Coroner then summed up the facts and
gave the case to the Jury. After about an hours
deiiberation the jury re turned the following ver-
dict:-
death OF john Carnacon fnd that he came t. his
death by b.ow ON in the hands OF George
Washington Murray, on the 2lst November, 1874
Tne Jury would state that they came TO this conclusion
on direct testimony OF only witness, named William
H. Pertain
MURRAY COMMITTED.
The prisoner being asked by the Coroner what
he had to say In reply to the accusation against
MN, answered through his counsel, Mr.. Scnwab,
mitted Murray to the Tombs, to await the action of
Tue Grand Jury. Pertain, Joyce and Mu len were
sent TO the House OF Detention.