The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-04
STOCKVIS NO. 2.
The Latest Outrage at Black
wells Island.
MALACHI CONNOLLYS MURDER
Sickening Evidence of Inhumanity
at the Penitentiary.

Croker Office corner OF Mulberry and Houston streets
large crowd OF people, including the brother and sis
OF the deceased assembled in front OF the Coroncrs
Office and a considerable degree OF excitement was
shown throughout tho preliminary stage Of the cxam
nation.
Henry Smith, being sworn, sad:-l reside at No.
Delaney street; | prisoner in the Pcntentiory
nine months, being discharged on August "a ! have
seen Connolly struck by keeper Gcary with club in
the yard, about twenty days ago; ! saw Reilly, a
keeper make Connolly carry big log for punishment
Connolly seemed TO be unsound in his mind; also saw
Geary knock and kick Connolly down and order two
convicts TO place Connolly in the water.
John f. Owens being sworn, sad-I reside at No.
103 Mott street was committed 10 the Pcnitcntiary for
assault June ), 1875; while there became acquainted
with Malachi Connolly who also prisoner there;
first saw him about Juno o; saw deceased
struck with stick by a German keeper who had
charge OF tier No. in the prison last Thursday
two weeks; saw deceased struck upon the
small OF the back with tho handle OF shovel; ;
away from the Island in June, 1874, and
turned there some timc ancr; Warden Fox in month
or so after had me relieved OF the irons; saw Gcary
few days before Connoly's death give orders to the
prisoners to chuck Connolly into iron tank full Of
water he in about thirty seconds, and then he Was
dragged out and put to work hauling lumber most OF
the keepers carried a stick about three feet long;
never saw Connolly strike back except OCCASION
when he took up pebble to fling it at Cowcnhovcn.
Counsel for the prisoners here nterposcd request
that the evidences given by the witness in regard to the
deceased having picked up stone to strike tho keeper
be incorporated in the testimony.
Owens then contnucd.-I saw Mr. Cowenhoven
Of those days take large piece of board, think
in Gcary's gang engaged in carrying lumber;
saw Cowcnhoven take up piece OF board and say,
to the hospital but III kin you you irish SON Of
-, before you 60 there | saw Mr.. Cowcnhovcn
strike Connolly with board and knock him into
Of the prisoners to pull and shove Connolly,
and say "work that man to death" | think
IL was the 10Th OF August | saw Geary, Cow
cnhovcn, Boyle and Reese ill.treat Connolly;
being thrown into the tank he placed in cell
in his wet clothes the next morning when he taken
OF his cell he seemed to be out Of his mind think
this about two weeks ago. he was then placed in
dark cell; raw him come out of the dark cell
carried in to dinner ono day and thrown
pile of bricks by Patrick Gcary, keeper on
Mt least two dozen times with cane the same after
noon; saw Geary strike Connolly on the shoulder,
legs and arms with piece OF wood on the following
day friday deceased was walking with
HANDS;
no seemed weak and fell forward when Covcnlovcn,
the deputy Keeper kicked the dcccascd Connolly got
up, and Covenhovcn struck him in the face; he fell
and struck his head barrcl Cowcnhoven said, 'you
son OF H. Ill send you the hospital :" Gcary met
HIM soon after and told Connolly To move along and
struck him with the handle Of OF pckaxc Connolly fell
down Cowcnhovcn also kicked the deceased on Satur-
day deceased not able TO stand in the line and
seemingly weak; saw hun IN cell the same day
have also deceased thrown into largo iron pot
used for washing buckets in have Connolly pick
up stone to throw at Cowcnhovcn alter Cowcnhoyen
had
KICKED AND KNOCKED HIM Dowy;
Cowcnhovcn kicked him about the body, and Connolly
would say Gods cake TO hit hun again; Connolly,
another OCCASION was carrying some boards, when
Cowcnhovcn, on the 24th or 25th OF August who
told the keepers that il they afraid to club him
he was not he then struck Connolly with stick and
also kicked him in the back; Gcary give his stick
to prisoner who struck Connolly, while he stood by
AMI laughed; for not working Connolly made TO
carry heavy pank at one end while two men cnrrcd
the other end and when Connolly wanted 10 rest Gcary
would strike him with club to make him go on; after
he had left the plank three men would run him down to
pick up another plank; the plank is about twenty four
feet long eight nine inches thick and three or four
inches wide
In answer TO a Juror the witness said: Il Con
molly IN dark cell about week previous TO h
DEATH he said that he would do all he could when they
were beating him; he was working in the same gang
with witness; never had any trouble with the
keepers and bear no hard feeling toward them never
Connolly until saw him on the Island; heard OF
Connollys death on Thursday or Friday; saw HIM
alive two three days before that never saw Con-
molly quarrel with any prisoners
John J. Fallon No 400 First avenue II am keeper in
tho Pcnitcntiary Backwclls Island have been so
since the 9th OF June; knew the deceased, Michael
Connolly; he was prisoner IN the Pcnitcnary; the
first time know anything about him about two
weeks ago; he placed in the gang that had part
charge Of Michael McKcnna and myself
the Keepers having charge OF the gang; At
that time gang unloading ashes from barges;
the first day Michael Connolly worked in the gang
noticed that he acted like man not having rational
qualities, and seemed TO be avcrsc 10 working, which
condition attracted the attention of the Keepers the
Deputy Warden, and in fact the prisoners themselves
force had 10 be employed make him work, and we
were Obliged to speak very harshly 10 him; the
keeper, McKenna strike him with piece Of stick;
am satisfied he did not intend TO hurt him and dd not
hurt him; this was when Connolly first came
into gang; he only three or four days in our
gang when he was exchanged into another gang there
was no particular reason for changing him except to
try the different officers who could work the man Con
molly best; from gang he went into the gang OF
Keepers Reese and Skclly; saw Reese whip him with
stick To make him 90 work the stick being about three
feet long and one and half inches in diameter; saw
hun hit Connolly more than once, but cannot say how
| many times; he struck him in the back somewhere
! the keeper seemed angry when he struck him, and
| swOro at him and threatened punishmcnt Connolly
| would cry and act foolishly; / think Connolly tried
! to do the best he knew how; | Reese
strike him on two different occasions; Connolly would
make foolish answers and sometimes threats. but they
were so entirely foolish that any one might know That
| he did not mean them; he only in tho gang ono
week when he was again transferred and lost sight
ing wv" when ' he came "s back KUN from his work
/ know that Reese took delight irritating and cx
riung Connolly and atcrward thrashing him; about
eight weeks ago heard that Connolly had been beaten
by Reese, and ancrward lockcl up in dark cell; on
occasion Connolly being beaten, and heard the
Deputy Warden COwcnhoven cry ont TO give IL TO him
have seen the Deputy Warden strike Michael Connolly
With stick never saw any strike him with their
fists but always with the stick that the keepers carry
the last time saw him beaten about eight weeks
but have heard OF his being beaten and that Keeper Gcary
used more violence than any other Keeper never raw
him strike Connoly II was common rimor every
night when Connolly came back that he had been
hckcd;" have heard that other prisoners had struck
Connolly IN presence OF the keeper, but never
IL done; Connolly told me that he was abused by
every keeper, and complained Of feeling sore and Of
having bruises on his body; have heard him cry out
/ that they would kill him before they got done with
him; he seemed to be- well enough in health, but would
not work unless forced to do 50; lie
would not refuse to work, but would nope
around and lag behind, and appeared not
~ know what he doing; he appeared 10 be quiet
sort of man, and never luarrclcd with any of his
fellow prisoners; on Wednesday morning last he was
taken on the grounds by two men holding HIM by tho
arms helping him to walk along; he seemed to
be weak, and, from his appearance, / Judged
him TO be a sick, crazy man. he was raying and was
taken back and heard lac Was placed ia dark cell /;
on the night before (rucsday) heard from those who
saw II that Michael Connolly had been beaten and
abused that day lot Of the keepers together,
and the topic of conversation The treat
mcnt that Connolly had received That
day; Connolly on Thursday evening
Ion. In, ltt N. a