New-York tribune., 1874-11-10
|THHELEUrION.DAY BRAWL
VERSIONS AND COUNTER
CHARGER

CHARGES
tusQpEss IN HE M'KINMA CAsR-JAMEs O'BRfEN AND
wM H. BoRsT TESTIFY THAT CRocKER WAS TIE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. rRooF ON rfIR oT1BR nAND
THAT HE WAS UrAiRMEp.
The inquest relating 10 the death of John
McKanna, the uettm Of the afray on the morning OF
eleetton day, begun before Coroner Woispan yes
tesday In the Coroners Office. Long before n O'Clock
t,e sadswalks were thpon9ed with politicians, especially
from de Xsh and Xrth Election Districts. An extra
force Of police under Capt Cfspehy OF the Fourteenth
Precinct opduty, and two men were stationed at
the street aud two at the door upstairs with
orders to permit persons 10 enter tho Coroners
Office except those engaged IN the case Col Fellows
appeared adviser Of Coroner Richard Croker ana
the defense and Assistant DistrctAtorney RusselWas
there In his official capacity though he took part In the
proceedings only through Coroner Wotman. Among
other persons present Hon. John Kelly Capt
John Mullay, Henry r. David, Jefferson NJ. Levy, ana
T. C. Campbell, Assemblymanelect.
Coroner Woltnan told the jury that IL had been re-
ported him that OF the members Of the jury had
approached and tampered with 10 this case ana
they could be permitted to act In this very I'm
portant case he call upon them to answer upon
their oath such questions he would put to them
Philip A. Harris was then sworn. Then the Coroner
asked: Have you talked with any about this
case 2" mo" "Has any person approached you upon
this subject held conversation upon this case
the inquest into the cause OF the death Of John Nc
Kenna3" ." mo" " Have you told q Mr.. Loring In
Thirty frst-st. that holding high official posi-
tions this city have been to you In relation to
your action on this jury" "No." "Can you perform
the duties Of jnryman In this in an impartial and
unbiased mannerp "Yes." The same questions IN the
main put to the other urymen, and all were an
swered satisfactorily. The jury then sworn again
Coroner WOltman then urged them to attend closely
the case and carefully weigh the facts that might be
brought out by the testimony. He then called David j.
Daley but changed his mind in regard to the order OF
witnesses, and sent the man back to his seat Before
hearing tho first Witness Coroner WOltman turned to
Capt Cnchy and ordered the to cleared OF all the
witnesses in the case sending them up stairs into the
above that might hear the testimony OF the
others. 1t also ordered that after witness had
given his testimony he should quit the building
and go away without entering ntO conversation with
any one interested in the case.
JAMES o'BRIEN'S TESTIMONY.
The Coroner then called James OBrien as the first
witness in the OBrien seemed TO take the matter
very coolly He began: live at No. IA East Thirty
fourthst; came down from my house on the morning
of election day about 745 O'Clock, and going for
cup of coffee stepped off Thirtyfourh-s car at Sec
Ondave about 40 feet from the corner OF SecOndave
the car William Borst beckoning to me- saw a
crowd collecting the corner aud asked him to come
away, fearing trouble and hearing angry words then
heard crowd threaten him, and said Come away
Billy :" Croker said, You you sucker, we've got your
want to have anything do with repeaers; at this
all pulled pistols anu cried "GlVc III 10
-" l saw Croker put his pistol to McKenna's
head and fire; he then handed the pistol think, to one
shouted The police; Hickey pointed his pistol at me,
aud Craig went to ft up the man upon the pavement
called upon the police arrest them. but they felt
tind, while the firing was still going on about
succeeded arresng them, and taking them to the
police stations there the Hckeys made charge against
next thing heard that the Coroner had released
them bail the shooting was between and 8; do
| fpa n carr wnf
OBrIen then described how the body of McKenna lay
pavement. IA diagram Of the scene of the airay
.hot he stood close to McKenna halIoed for the
police and said man INA mas Seea h e0 from ne
me knew that Mckennd was badly hurt by the way
he fell saw no blood but his head hung down limp;
Craig went 10 pick him up. and Hickey aimed down aud
shot at the two men should think that seven or eight
1 saw pistols taken away in the station, but
did MT look at them" -, -
either side putting questions to witnesses Coroner
usual in such and II the counsel
either side wished to put any questions they must do 50
OBrien-I said to Borst, Come away from there,
Billy" and then Dick Croker insulted me; suppose
that he felt hurt because called him repeater. which
he knew he used to be. [Sensaton In tue courtroOml
Coroner ,wotman sternly)-rhoso remarks are not
OBrlen-I was going to the pollinQ-pace when I was
struck; Croker's back was toward the polling,pace.
was between to the right lpointng out where
McKeuna was when shotl
a
swear positively that he Croker fire the shot
caused the death of John McKenna To this oBrien
tinued: "There only one man with Borst, and
Croker had six seven with him at the outset never
carry pistol; saw George Hickey fire shot, also
Croker sheridan the other Hickey was aourisnng
pistol, but could not say whether he fired not"
IS TESTIMONY OF WIN. II. BoRsT.
william III. BOrst then called O'Brien asked per-
mission to remain and hear the testimony, and Coroner
woltman permitted him to do BOrst said that he
lived at No 1877 West Forty ninthst He lived upon his
income. "I was coming up secondave., between and
on election morning, with friend, Mr.. Costello, when
noticed that Coroner Croker, the two HIckeys. and
a%I r Sacks toward the spee Croker sad
What you doing hereP said 'WhyP Croker then
OBrien to state Prison within year he called OBIen
insulting and said that he would swell his head
and beat him by 1000 majority George Hickey then
drew pistol and dourished it over O'Brien's head
Croker struck O'Bren and heard shot; Big Hickey
pulled out a pistol: the man McKenua then Jumped
toward him l heard shot and saw Croker with a
pistol in his hand when Nc kenna fell at Crokers feet
he stepped over his leg, and ran up TO Thirty thlrd-st
ave." The witness explained the situation upon the
diagram and was Questioned by the Coroner jury: and
positively that Croker did not pass his pistol to anybody
else This ST 9s way tha b the missing pistol was
pistol found upon Coroner Croker when he was
Patrick Craig of No. 2i East Thirysxth-st testified
that he heard shot aud fall into the street
/ ran up aud stopped to raise him. when Hickey said,
and said V to policeman there man has been muir.
dered down there you ought G arrest the murderers
assisted him into CHAIR; took his hand aud said,
Johnny, who did thlsl" McKenna answered, "p tell
von: Dick Croker shot :" went to the police sta
lion and prepared charge Of murder against Coroner
Croker before Sergeant Randall; when went up to Nc
Kenna as he lay in the street Hickey fired at Inc.
ONE OF THE HICKEY BROTHERS ACCUSED.
william II. Winters Of No. 593 Second-ave testified
that he heard q shot the morning OF election day
while he was standing at the polls, and McKenna