The New York herald., 1874-08-28
THE BROOKLYN MURDER.
The Inquest Touching the Assas-
sination of Torrina.
A PRISONER TESTIFIES.
The Coroner Sanguine of
Proving His Case.

PROVING His Case.
The inquest before Coroner whitenn, touching
the mysterious circumstances which led to the
death Of the alleged counterfeiter, Salvatore Tor
rlna, who was found with sixteen wounds In his
body, dying in lot on Bedford avenue, on the
night OF August IL, was resumed yesterday after
noon In the once of the Coroner Kings county
Court House. There was large number OF spec
tators present.
WHAT THE SMITHS SAW.
Head q. Smith, the first witness called, tes-
titled that ne resided ct No. Xl Bedford avenue;
on the evening OF August IL he was sitting on his
stoop, when his son called his attention TO the
fact that there was man wounded across the
street. and he went over and saw Torrina lying
there, with his throat cut; witness held up the
head of the dying man in order to keep him on the
stone; Torrina said, 'ltalan." and then he said
..New York" ana Eighth street;" he might have
said Oak street; do not know II the persons
standing around at the time heard these words;
there was not person on my stoop who saw or
heard anything until the groans attracted the
attention Of my son; my son was OF the
impression that he saw more than one person In
the lots just before the groans; the night was
very dark; there were thunder clouds IN the west
at dusk, before sunset; my son thinks he saw men
there just before the groans were heard. Mr..
Nelson, who was on the stoop, also heard the
groaning and exclaimed, "What Is thatS" my son
replied,
"oH. IT'S A DRUNKEN CRowD,n
or something Of that kind; there was no person
IN the vicinity VINO saw any crowd or disturbance
there that evening; found no traces OF blood
whatever, though search was made for them. A
Mr.. RushmOre and MIR. S. s. Davis stated that
they saw the deceased Tying on the ground and
wounded, but they could throw no further light
upon the case, and the Coroner would not put
them under oath.
o'BRYoN's STORY.
Arthur O'Bryon, the oyster saloon keeper. testi-
ned that on the evening in question he kept a
place at the corner OF Bartlett street and Flushing
avenue; saw the body Of Salvatore Torrna at
Parkers Morgue, Z. D., and recognized him as the
man saw at my saloon about han-past seven
O'Clock on the night OF August IL; 1t may have
been twenty minutes to eight; three men came in
and called for oysters; / commenced to open the
oysters, and they stood in front OF the counter;
man, whose language could not understand,
kept pushing them back, and one OF the
fellows with him said "He wants larger
oysters;" could not help looking at him very
hard, as got angry; they were IN the place about
oysters between them all, but could not tell how
many the man who showed them back mad eaten;
the turee men dppedTeu 10 DC IutOAlCiteu, LHe
other two men seemed TO talk good English; there
was nothing ia their dialect to indicate that they
were foreigners Identified the 9ody IN the
stand while IN my saloon; had seen Two OF the
men upon different times before that evening;
DoNAnuE AND HOLLYWOOD IDENTIFIED.
Donahue and HOLLYWOOD, the witnesses, who
a anasf oous 6eoe oso yssS wSc a
once Identified them as being the TWO
men he had seen in company With Torrlna
m IN ntn Ia
coroner cautioned him against the consequences
Of perjury but O'Bryon was positive that he could
not be mistaken. Dolahue ana Hollywood are
hard looking young men and pear bad repuSa-
ton.
Witness continued-I had at one time some
words with one Of Them while l was tending bar
some time ago; 1t was with Hollywood, who had
refused to pay for drinks; did not know his name
at that time: never made any thr eats against
these men to anybody to the effect that / mad
these men wnere wanted them; am here simply
testilylng TO lacts. ana am giving my testimony IN
MY DUTY As CITIZEN;
1t was about a quarter 10 eight when they left;
works on Flushing avenue, towards Marcy ave-
nue. paid no more attention to them as went
into my room TO lgnt my lamps; nobody else
came in there while Torrna, Hollywood and Dom
ahue were there: 1t was Hollywood VINO said ''He
Wednesday night, and on Friday went TO see the
body; since identined the body was called upon
S sn Sns q 20 @ man ad beer keee
out OF there or the boys wlll get hold OF yon and
make short work ofyou;" on SATURDAY night Mrs.
Callahan, Tor wnOm was tending bar, told me.
about eight O'Clock, "You had better go home; -
on the same afternoon three or iour men 'aooked
at me pretty thick" but said nothing.
BY a juror-Torrina paid me tor the oysters; he
seemed TO take money out OF his pants pocket;
pocket; he took a $40 and 81 bill ont, but he had
more money besides that,
oysters; they aid not seem to be particularly
quain,ed. but rather that they had casually come
might have asked him to treat and he had said,
swell come along and get some oysters"
TESTIMONY OF MRS. BILLOw.
Mrs. Ann Billow, residing at No. 653 Flushing
avenue, at the junction or Bartlett street next
door to O'Bryon's saloon, testified that she heard
voices on the evening in question: heard O'Bryon
say he expected man coming up to open q saloon
for him one OF the men spoke IN brok IN English;
couldn't swear how many men were IN yhe saioon,
there we're 30 many coming there IL was between
half-past seven aud quarter to eignt O'CLOCK that
these men were there, as near as can tell: the
party was not there more than fifteen minutes;
there was but board partltlon between my sitting
room and the saloon, and could hear what was
being said; O'Bryon the next day told me be knew
the parties who were in his store; that was alter
seeing the account in the papers.
DoNAHUE AND AN ALTBI
Thomas Stewart, lad, residing at No. IS WAL
worth street, testified that be knew Thomas Dona-
hue and Felix Hollywood; had known the former
with Donahue that night August II, after return
ing from work; saw h1m catching bail on Park ave.
nue. about half-past SIX with man named Gtlle n,
James Fay, Mike F9y, James Donovan after the
game we all went and sat in a wagon, and re.
NAMED until the bells rung for nine. U,auChter)
The Coroner remarked that there should be no
levityshat those who Ielt funny should 70 outside
and indulge their mirth.
Witness c0Dtinued-Donahue did not leave the
wagon, but remained With us until after nine
O'CLOCK this wagon was on the corner OF sanford
street ana PARK avenue; did not see Holly wood at
all tnat night.
James Donovan, being duly sworn, testified that
Mt knew Donohue eight or nine years and Holly
wood four or five years; saw Donanue IRON half
past SIX until nine O'Clock; we were playing ball
there until DARK and then sat in the wagon untf
after nine O'CLOCK; no friends OF Domaine have
been TO talk with me about the testimony that