The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-15
THE MANUEL MURDER.
A Respite Granted the Con-
demned Man.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
How the Prisoner Accepts the
Situation.

Michael Murphy was TO have been hanged yester-
day in the little village or New City, IN Rockland
couIty, N. T., bad lie not been resplted. on
Thursday OF last week Judge Donohue upon the
application OF henry Daily, Jr., issued q writ OF
error in the case OF Murphy, and authorized stay
OF proceedings upon the judgment against the
prisoner uuti the opinion or the Court OF Appeals
can be mad upon the writ. This IS the second time
Judge Donohue mas delayed the execution OF the
sentence Of death passed upon Murphy.
Immediately after the prisoner convicted
or the murder OF Mrs. Hujus last fan he was SEN
fenced to oe hanged upon Friday, the 18th day OF
December, 1874. Before the day OF execution ar
rived Judge Donohue issued a writ or error and a
stay OF proceedings, the former OF which was soon
anerward overruled by the supreme Court at It's
General Term. Murphy was therefore sentenced
again IN BrcoGyn, and yesterday, the 14th
day of May was appointed as the time for his exc
cution. The writ issued on Thursday OF last week
gives Murphy new lease or life at least until
next month, when the Court OF Appeals will render
a decision and deny or accord MIN q new trial. II
the statements which Will be detailed below are
exact IT appears very probable that the court OF
last resort VIII permit new trial 10 the man VINO
Is now doomed TO die.
THE CRIME
OF which Murphy is convicted will probably be
readily called To mind by the reader. So mauy
strange, even revolving. circumstances preceded
and accompanied II, and such equally remarkable
testimony dictated the conviction of Murphy or
its commission, that they must nave made deep
impression upon the minds OF the people
There appears to have been success
sion OF evil doings IN the case-a chain
whose first link was the criminal conduct OF Mrs
Hujus and Robert Gamble, during the lifetime OF
Mrs. Gamble and after the suspicious death Of that
lady; the final nnS being the murder or Mrs
Hulus, Tor which Michael Murphy Is now under
sentence Of deat1. THIS entire cham OF crlml-
nality was lorged in the little village Of Manuel,
Rockland county, which is in section OF country
peopled py Germans, most Of whom are thrifty
thriving Iolks-no better aud no worse than the
residents Of villages generally are. In the middle
OF this village OF Manuel Robert Gamble and his
vile lived about six years ago. IN the house Or
Mrs. HdJus. rms woman did not bear such q rep
utation as good woman wonld like 10 nave, ard
IL was very oIten whispered that she was
THE CAUSE or DIsCORD
between Gamble and ms VILE, VINO IS said to have
been 4 very respectable person. Mrs. Gamble
having died very suddenly her husband merely
announced the event ~ saying IN the pubic house
OF the village tnat .'au accident had nap
pened III ~ family and acted with
that she had been murdered. Her body was ex-
amlned and Or. Doremus discovered traces OF
were both conflned in the Rockland County jan,
at New City, for several montns; put were dis
mad administered poison TO Mrs. Gamble.
They returned 70 Manuel ana took up
their residence together, seemingly having the
re.atlons OF ma rico people, although Mrs. nujus'
husband was alive travelling in distant states
Mrs. Gamble az the time Of her death was pos
sessed of considerable sum OF money, anu owned
a laTm near the village OF Manuel. Her husband
claimed and TOOK possession OF tns properly but
Mrs. Candles srOtners ana sisters, the former OF
whom were Micnael and Thomas Murphy con-
tested MS claim, aud endeayoured to force nim 10
render up the estate OF their sister to them rney
all morally convinced that Mrs. Iamblp IN
been murdered ana they entertained otter feel
ings toward her nus)and.
TIE MURDER or MRS. HUJUs.
The suit Tor the possession OF the property went
on Tor years being tired az intervals. hearing
AprI, 1874. out a sinister event Whica happened
on the previous evening delayed Il. AT nalfpast
seven O'Clock on the evening OF Sunday, tue 18th
inst, snot startled the quetness OF Manuel. Tue
sound came from the direction OF the use
IN which Robert Gamble lived with Mrs. huus:
aud two persons on tue main road not only neard
It, but saw tue nash winch preceded 1t and also
tue person who discharged the weapon They
soon as the shot was nred. a man bound past
them and disappear in the mist and dark
TOO too sudden, aud they were not too SS' muc S
startled 10 discover that the fugitive
knees, and "A slouched nat pressed down over his
face When the mouse oil Gamole was entered lt
vas found that Mrs. hujus had been snot dead ana
Gamble wounded by snot fired through a window
IRON the outside Of the mouse. Iaere were no
exact indications as TO who nad committed
when the murderer TOOK IN escaping, AS Michael
and Thomas Murphy were gnown 20 hold both
Gamble and Mrs. HuJus IN enmtty, IL was inferred
that theY might nave been impeled 10 commit tue
murder.
at their residences In Jersey Ciiy on Monday and
taken Tor confinement 10 tae jail in New City.
Thomas soon proved an allbi conc usivey aud
was discharged from Gus ody. MIchael was nelu
Tor trla ana was convicted OF murder last lall
although several persons testified that tEey saw
him IN Jersey Ciy on tie day Of the muraer afIer
the only train for Manuel had started.
1T l. STRANGE FACT
That but lew persons outside Of kockland county
knew mat Judge DonOhue nad granted a second
writ OF error, although tue Instrument was issued
IN this CITY. In order 70 learn the effect
death the writer visited MIN yesterday In
the jail at New CITY. rms village IS
the county seat OF koeGland county, and
though not rOmantically situated u Is surrounded
BY hills. Untn within two weeks there was no
railway access TO II, but now branch Of the New
YORK and New JERSEY line runs to he village rom
Manuel The reporter was introduced
INTO the Jail and 70 Murphy by Mr.. Wlll-
lam Z. Seaman, who acs as one Of the
SPECIAL guards over the condemned man Upon
being called murphy came forward from the rear
OF ms eel, and eaned against It's grated door lie
appeared to De man about tnlrty-nye years Old
sIurdiy buIt, about five leet eight inches hlgn,
having iace expressing ntu as
from the mood OF pleasantly to that0 anger. nls
forehead protrudes somewhat, but Is OF very good
Que wnO sees murphy Is mat ne Is man VINO
might do violent act In a moment OF anger, but,
altnouBn oDshhale. would not deliberately plan
and execute "A crime.
MURPHY's STATEMENT.
In the course OF conversation he became quite
cordial. In response TO the greeting gwen hun uy
the reporter ne sald:-I DON'T want to say any
thing. l have already said all 1 can say, and I
meant what | SAID TO the last reporter
VINO came 10 see me 10 be my dying
words. II l mad been hanged to-day they
would have been. what DO | know about
new eyldencef Ihis ne SAID. trrltaDly, In re-
Spouse 20 query rom the WrlterJ only KNOW
tnat am Innocent, and tnat \ ktew the names
murder was committed / would nave been all
nght long age. But dou't know their
names. ! only know them by sight. /
never did learn tie mines 81 the people
met rom day 10 day, not even those OF most or
my nelgnbOrs, great many peope knew me by
name whom Gully knew ~ sght. now could
work IN one shop, with M name over tue uuOr
am live In one nelgubJruoOd for nve
years without many people knowing me
Dy name and by slgnte on the day
OF the murdcr as I walked through the street
met number OF people who knew me and wHOm
/ knew Dy sight, but | cannot call upon them 10