The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-03
THE O'BALDWIN INQUEST.
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE CORONER wo1rMAN YE

PROCEEDINGS BEFORE CORONER woITMAN YES
TERDAY--yERDIcT OF THE JURY.
At eleven O'Clock yesterday morning the Coroner's
Office at the of Mulberry and Houston Streets
crowded occasion of an inquest held by Coroner
woltman in the case of the killing OF Edward o'Bad-
win.
The proceedings begun promptly at eleven
O'Clock, and were concluded at two. The prisoner,
Finnell entered in charge of a policeman from the
Eighth precinct and took seat beside bis counsel,
William F. Howe He looked much better than on
the night of his surrender, and while paying the
strictest possible attention to the proceedings main
tanned judicious composure throughout On every
hand burly looking men, with low brows and
bare necks-a class much better known by the police
than by the Church.
The first witness called Pelham Hills an ell
derby man. who said he in the saloon at the time
0'Baldwin took Finnell into the He did
not hear any words pass between them but heard two
shots fred and going the apartment found the
prisoner and
DECEASED STRUGGLING
with each other for the possession of the revolver
each having hand on it, Others rushing into the
took the pistol and Finnell left, not to up
again until his surrender to Sergeant Woodward, at
the Eighth precinct station house. o'Baldwin said,
''HE KILLED ME;
he shot twice." and opening his clothing exhibited
two wounds
James Nelson, better known 'the eater" the
''terror ofthe Eighth ward, placed the stand
He is not what would be called handsome man, hay
ing an ugly scar running from his right to his
nose, and vicious countenance. This man asleep
a bed in the where the shooting done, and
says he first awakened by the reports of the
revolver he knew nothing Of the shooting or of any
quarrel preceding It, Several witnesses among whom
the barkeeper testified that o Baldwin had been
drinking gin cocktails and beer all the afternoon None
Of them knew anything Of the shooting until II was all
over.
o'BALDwIy AGGRESSIVE
Samuel Kavanagh, a sailor living at No $40 West
street. was in the saloon before ana at the time Of the
shooting. He sat the door leading into the adj
joining room IN which the tragedy was enacted, and
saw the two men go IN few moments later he heard
a scuille and mans voice saying, 'You -, / will
kill you anyhow" and pistol shots followed in
quick succession; he ran into the room-he claims to
have been the first to enter-and found Finnell and
0Baldwin struggling desperately for the possession of
the weapon; o'Baldwn had Finnes head under his
arm, or, according TO the parance OF the r r, in
chancery; the witness, with Others separated them
and got the revolver
Coroner Woltman read 0 Baldwin's ante-mortem
statement 10 the jury and Mr. Howe objected His OBJ
lection based on the ground that the document
inadmissble nasmuch as o. Baldwin said, at the time
OF making it. that he did not know whether not he
had hopes OF living discussion ensued between the
Coroner and the counsel.
Captain Mcdonnell was now placed on the stand, and
testified to the facts connected with the surrender of
Fnne the night OF the 10Th ult The Captain said,
in a decidedly bombastic manner, that Finnell had
stated that he knew he the captainl close on his
track and that further efforts TO conceal his where
abouts being useless he had surrender Yester
day the captain swore that Fnne merely said
rendering himself, 81 have to give myself up;
shot u Baldwin, but did IL in sefdefence -
Deputy Coroner Cushman detailed the autopsy and
said that wound tho right breast penetrated
to the liver; wound the abdomen puncturcd the
omentum, ileum and colon. Death was caused by
peritonitis
Coroner Wotman charged the jury in plain straight
forward manner, and committed the TO them.
They were out but few minutes when they returned
with verdict TO the effect that the deceased
his death from pistol shot wounds at the hands Of
Michael Finnell on the night OF September 81 1875.
Finne, on being called TO the stand and asked what
he had to say in the matter replied, through Mr..
Howe, that no merely used the pistol in self-defence.
Mr. Howe requested the Coroner to admit the pris
to bail, and in making this motion took occasion
10 animadvert somewhat severely upon the life
and character of the deceased fighter. He SAID
O'Badwin was man of brutal passions and worse in
stincts roaming the earth beating and women.
His very carried with i everything that is brutal
and debasng his character being we'll known that
counsel seemed think the Coroner should admit his
client to bail general principles The Coroner smiled
and refused. Fnne then committed 10 the
Tombs to await the action oil the Grand Jury.