The New York herald., 1874-08-09
THE KILLDUFF MURDER.

Commencement OF the Inquest-Con-
nictinE Testimony.
No tragedy has excited q greater commotion
IN the Eastern District than the murder OF James
Kildun the society mason, during quarrel with
some non-society men on Friday evening. The
Merrill and Dwyer tragedies, BY their deeper horror
excited greater curiosity, but the animus and the
causes OF the present crime traced directly to the
influence Of the trades unions have caused o
greater amount Of feeling among she workingmen
so that all day long, Notwithstanding the rain
large numbers OF them have remained congre-
gated in the neghborhood where the deed was
committed, or around the station house where the
prisoners and witnesses were confined; and vart-
GUS were the comments mace upon the occurrence
1t appears from general conversation that the
deceased, James Knldun and James Burke had
formerly been In partnership but II had been dis
solved in consequence OF quarrel 30 that there
was
BITTER FEELING
between the men, which had been still further
aggravated by their sttempt to cut under one an
other In jobs OF work, the deceased having so
obtained the job on which he was engaged when
he was killed In Meeker avenue. he had bid $50
lower than Burke, obtained the Job, and when the
fatal quarrel commenced, tainted Burke with his
the inquest into the cause Of the death Of Kill
dun commenced py Coroner Whitenll at the sta
ton house on Fourth street yesterday has
brought forth considerable contradictory evi-
sTaSsay are 50 maos 90 tsas
when the jury decided to adjourn the investigation
fused to Sa either The or the
in the case who had been already incarcerated.
The following is an abstract OF the testimony
boy aged thirteen years, who was not sworn be-
cause he did not know the nature Of an oath,
stated that ne was standing IN front OF the new
FOurth DetWeau North
Sixth and North Seventh streets, and saw Kil!dun
and Mclaughlin 60 by drunk, enter the build.
ing and heard them challenge james Burke and
J0nn Kiernan to come out and get licked; !;
they were ordered out, and because tney would
the and third time when they EcIed
out, deceased receiving o bad knockdOwn blow
from Burke; while he was down. the watchman,
Francis Stuck, came up with hammer In his hand
and ordered him to get up and go away; deceased
got up and struck at stuck with his fist; Stuck
down, who attempted to rise once and then sunk
back and did not move again.
JAMES wATTERSON
testified that he was working in front OF the build
lngs making mortar; saw deceased and McLaugh-
lin approach, both drunk ltne latter was pointed
menced abusing him, entering the place to do SO !;
Keernan put them out, and then Burke struck de-
p and e ass tas sns his
against the edge OF some dagging set perpendicu-
lary in the gutter he only half rose up after that
witness did not see the watchman strike him. and
thinks there was only one blow struck.
SAMUEL B. EASTON
testified that he was sitting IN the window Of his
residence, and saw two drunken men enter the
buildings; heard loud and angry talking; then the
two men were pushed out; some more words fol-
lowed, and Burke came out and knocked down
deceased, whose head struck some stones lying on
the sidewalk, so that he never moved afterwards; |;
he was sure that deceased was not sGruck with q
hammer, as he saw that that was not raised dur
ing the melee
JOHN KINGSTON
testified that he had worked and drank with de-
ceased, and followed him from Meeker avenue to
where he met his death; deceased was drunk and
quarrelsome. and raised q row with some one in
the new buildings on Fourth street; but who
struck the first blow he did not know; he saw o
carpenter with hammer strike deceased.
The investigation at this stage was adjourned as
stated above.