New-York tribune., 1874-12-11
he about stepping OF the curbstone when no heard
n ahnt fred Craker and Q,Rren Xere aiandpR facing

oBrien and Croker were ciinched, as ass,,ar me
He nothing In the hands either Of them. This he
McKenna was on the north side Of OBren and Croker,
the uptown side. As he lay the ground after the
nS s na : Re 5 S
center of the street he was on the lefhand SIDE OF
houses When fell ns head fell toward tho street;
S @ % npss he sa% was hS o
He asked what he did when he heard the shot ure
bred % he got Out Of the crowd az quick as he could
Important part OF the .witncss's testimony was the
feet were three feet ip the rear OF Croker.
Going over the ground again the witness said after
that Crokers cncbed hands were held up. and one OF
H. Tae Witness about i've et away when he turned
after the SHOT was fired although he admitted the Justice
near which be stood when he turned "a feet from
the Sidewalk He was. Il is true IN Crokes rear ent
front and toward OBIien and that both OF tnem were
clencned Mr.. Pnelps put the question:; Dldnt you
mony before the Coroner aud that was all truef NO.
Sir was the reply The witness differed from tne olaer
witnesses in saying that McKenna lay Oh the sidewalk
instead OF the street. and is the only witness VINO
claimed 1t. His testimony given In an apparently
very frank manner.
TESTIMONY OF JAMES CONNOLLY.
James Connolly, carman, next took the stand. On
election morning standing the northeast cor
Of Thirty fourthst, and saw OBren and Croker on
the southeast He was standing he sad iore-
nnst the telegraph pole, and saw Croker strike at
L
the blow" When he saw McKenna, he (McKenna) was
eight OF nine feet the street. TO the
best Of his opinion Mckenna dd not Iall nntl after
the third shot, the oest OF his opinon He saw the
hands of OBrien and Croker, and they hal nothing IN
them They had their fists shrt." As Mckenna feH,
self say southwest. As McKenna lay. his head was
not SO f.r west as Croker was He was asked II he
morning to him yet aud have known him by sight for
four @ Of I'VE dOns my nome Sy &
On crosse xanlinaton he SAID the hrst he saw OF
there than so people there
aoouts lie was asked il ne Was excited and sald with
away. wouldn't =" "well, were you not AFRAID of
being shot - was asked No, no." was was ,d, Tue ia,
have anything to lose shot, at which there was
great laughter The witness sand that noore the first
shot was fired he saw pistol IN the hands not OF
Croker. but of a man whom he didn't know, black
cotn coat on He also saw pistol in Georce Hickeys
hands. However, he dc Mt see shot hied. Ia answer
opinion that McKenna fell after third shot. and
simply positive tnat he did not fan after the rsS shot
Croker struck at each other there fighting going on
further up town, and that Was where Mekenna got
shot. As he pointed 1t out on the diagram ne made out
his own position at the telegraph pole Croker and
OBrea street, the gutter, opposite the first
awning post next the telegraph pole III otner words,
TWO feet west oft. McKenna eignt or nine feet
by the railroad track iS WAS the there e that @
this crowd that McKenna "tell out Of; he heard Hck
STONE nHa to hit Hickey with it, aud Hickey
said, If you do amt aieared to shoot you; hickey
witness could see Officer HOGAN had hold of Hickey at
the time he re peated threat All this testimony was
dfTerent from the other witnesses tnat even Judge
Barrett had TO smile at the variation. lie, however,
dcate he influenced by the positive tones and
| honest appearance OF the witness.
| TESTIMONY OF PATRICK BRITT.
The next witness Patrick Britt porter who said
he was on spot at time Of the shooting just after
voting. O'Brien and Croker facing another.
OBrien struck the first blow, which was returned by
| Croker. O'Brens back turned toward the curb,
1 and Croker was facing him. McKenDa was seven OF
eight feet from the two when he fell and at this time
OBren and Croker at close quarters striking at
each Other This witness described in detail though not
pOsitveness the occurrences aud positions durng the
began the quarrel with the to Croker that he
was dirty repeater" and made Mckepna's position
after falling to toward the southwest his feet being
toward the north and also toward the curo: He only
heard four shots in ALI aud saw Mckenna ia after he
first shot He heard no remarks from oBreh OF any
body like ARREST that mani"
TESTIMONY OF sUsANNAH HOFFMAN.
Susannah Hoffman, bright and intelligent little girl,
Il years DID, was called by the defense Her testi
mony was given In a rapid, clear manner and her
upon the stand created considerable sensation
in the courtroom She testified that she lived at No.
6C7 Second-ave On the day the aflray commenced
she q carriage pass that she thought con-
tanned Mr., Hewitt the candidate for CONGRESS res,
nace % 'ns She ssw oBen on the street and went to ask
him whether he had seen Mr. Hewitt AT that time a,
O'Bren, who near Croker, SAID. WHO Is thiefF
Croker said, "You and your crowd O'Brien then
struck Croker and Croker reanea @ ana
TO pick up the hat but at that time the shot was nre
aS sSe saw M and she then dropped the hat and
home Az the time she picked up " nat she
was near O'Brien aud Croker, and saw no weapon III
either of their hands.
TESTIMONY OF CHARLES sMYTHE.
Charles smythe. the police officer who arrested Croker
after the shooting gave the following description Of the
affray: am police officer of the TweDty-fourth Pre-
cinct: on the day of the election 1 was sent
10 the xIth Election District, which is at the
corner Of Thirty-fourth-st. and Second-ave.; saw
Croker and O'Bren there, and heard some high
words between them; turned and looked IN
the polling for a second, and as turned around
heard snot fired got near The spot before the second
shot fired when got there Croker was IN the act
and had their hands closed; am positive about that
when l got there O'Bren turned and said. Officer,
arrest that man." and Immediately arrested Coroner
Croker: / searched him the spot; he opened his
hand and looked in his pockets but found nothing IN
them: took him to the station house afterward;
never my hand off of him from the time arrested
him until he got to the staonhouse he mad no oppoT
while he was in my charge at the ne was
The examination Of this witness elected the fact
that he had conversation with Patrick Randall IN
himself as the powder had marked his (the witnessed
face and asO that during the shooting ne saw George
ton In which he fell aud that he Sheridan fire three
shots He also testified that he had never made state.
mony In the case for fear OF being prosecuted py
ORrien's friends for making false statement On the
Way 10 the Croker told the witness 10 look
out crowd which followed might hre on them
Sheridan had been previously arrested ana
were going ahead pistol was taken at the station
house from Sheridan with one bail III IL ana Also ono
from George Hickey. In answer TO question from Mr.
Clinton, one Of the prisoners counsel, he said that
O'Rricu procured him an appointment on the pOnco
force and that he had no acquaintance with CROKER
Peter FarroD, the next witness, also testified that he
waa present at the shooting OF Mckenna, ana saw
OBrien speak Croker at the corner OF Thrtyfourh
AT and the alteration wnicn ensued
between them When the first shot fred they were