The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-21
THE NEGRO RIOT.
coRoNER's INQUIRY INTO THE KILLING OF


THOMAS PErERsoN-A CAUTIOUS VERDICT.
Coroner Woltman held an inquest yesterday
at the COroner's ONCE in the case OF the negro
samuel Peterson, who was stabbed and killed
last Sunday in Thompson street by another Degro
named Thomas Sorrell. There was a large crowd
OF negroes and Glow whites" present at the pro-
ceedlngs great many witnesses were exam
ined, but no light In addition to that shed upon
the case at the time or the occurrence
was obtained. All swore that the killing was the
result OF a drunken row begun on the Saturday
night previous in a miserable gambling den In
West Thirtieth street, and adjourned TO and con-
tinued at the saloon Kept by digger, In Broome
street.
The first witness called was Eberhardt digger.
He testified as Iollows:-
On Sunday morning last there were anumber OF
coored men In my saloon, when all OF a sudden
"Bally Henery" began q row and attempted TO
seize mold OF some one; ran and TOOK hold OF
HIM aud told him To stop it; "Bally" sao, "All
right, Pll stop IT." all the colOred men then ran
out; dld not see any weapons in the hands Of
any OF the mea In my saloon.
Jane Richardson, colo ed, testified that she was
passing Dlger's saloon on sunday morning and
saw crowd run up tne stoop; one OF the men mad
knife IN his hand. Wituess Identified Henry
Braughnaugn, one OF the Witnesses, as the man
who mad the knife.
street testlned:-l went into Dlgers saloon on
sunday morning; there were three coored men
u
during IA snort conversation the man with a cut
head said that he had been
BEATEN UP TOWN
and had come down TO get eyen and would make
some OF their heads SICK; short time after
saw crowd running up Thompson street,
among wnom was Sorrell; wnen they got half
way between the BLOCK Sorrell turned and stabbed
one man In the back and another In the breast;
Sorreil was bleeding from a wound IN the arm
before he stabbed the two men, and ! noticed
that his coat was cut in several places; did NOS
see any light In the saloon.
n n m IN 1fKi naf "a
Tatrty-eighth street, was called next ana gave
his testimony as iollows:-l was standing on the
corner oil Broome and Thompson streets on sun
day morning; saw "Bally henerV" go into
grocery store and come out win cleaver in his
lager beer saloon; ana not see him alter.
William Green, colored, oil No. 33 Thompson
street testited:-I was in DIger's lager peer sa-
loon on sunday morning; Sorrell and Mathews
were III the saloon talking together; "3alIy
Helery" and Jeh Sanders came IN the saloon;
"BALLY', HAD CLEAyER IN HIS HAND
ana attempted to strike some one but was pre-
vented by Mr. Dilger; every one then ran out OF
the saloon ] saw that sorrell was cut when ne
lett the saloon; | aterwafd saw Sorrell speak TO
an otlcer in Thompson street.
Rosetta Palmer, OF No. So Thompson street, tes-
running up Thompson street, one man was run
ming up tue middle OF the street. ana the prisoner,
who was the sidewalk, went up TO Ih5 otAer
man and STABBED him in the breast and he Tell;
did not any one else stabbed.
Thomas HICKS (coloredl, of No. 1877 Mercer street,
testl1ed:-l was IN Dlger's saloon sunday
morning drinking with several others; 'Baliy
Heneryn and Jen Sanders came in; q scunle very
soon followed between Jen Sanders, 'Bally
Henery,u SorrelI ana Mathews; the proprietor
seized hold OF "Baly Heneryn and told him 20
stop; they all then ran out OF the saloon and [
noticed that sorrell was cut; SorreH then went
up TO an oflcer and told him tnat he was cut
tbat cut me >, the oricer then went after tne
man and went away; there mad been Quarrel
on SATURDAY night IN saloon on Thrteth
with pitcher; | was present and came nome
with Bally, Sanders and Mathews. 1t was evident
by the witness manner that he knew more about
tne anair than he desired TO tell.
DavidJ. DAVIS, Of No 5l7 Broome street test.
fed: Sundsy morning last was standing on
the corner OF bro0me and THOMSON streets: L
saw a man there with his coat cut OGicer LarKin
went alter Baily, and toen the man with the cut
coat ran up Thompson street ana struck a man ia
the breast, and the man fell on his face; / then
saw "A crowd
SEIZE HOLD OF BAUGHNAUGH,
and several OF tire ovid cried out, "LYnch himH
ala not see any weapons in the hands OF any one
that day.
street, tesufied:-l was Standing on the corner OF
Broome street on Sunday morning, aud saw a
man standing there, VINO put a knife up his
shortly alter, but could not tell VINO 81 abbed him.
Henry Bauehnaugh, colored. OF Washington, D.
C., test1ed:- IL went into Dilger's saloon on sun
DAY morning with "Bdlly Henery," Jen Sanders
anu Mathews; after playing game Of cards some
OF the men began quarrelng about fight they
had the previous night; nearing mat there was to
be fight ran out OF the saloon, went up stairs
ana afterward saw sorrel badly cut; | then went
seized by a crowd who threatened TO lyncn me;
called several men 10 protect me, ard | was
taken to the station house; when BaIly came
into the street ran out, and aid not see any,
thing of the 1ght.
Daniel Mathews. Of No. 1853 West Twenty.ffth
street, teslided:-I went down town on Sunday
morning lasr ana went into lager beer saloon on
Broeme street; there were several persons In the
saloon anG talked about q beating / mad got the
previous night We finally made It up and drank
together; Ia a short time Jef Sanders went out
and came back again with "BalY; - n short time
after 'Jenn began cutting Sorrell and the crowd
began 10 run; "BallYii had something In his hand,
but could not tell what 1t was; | went out alter
the crowd, but could not tell what occurred alter.
Several otner witnesses were examined but
their testimony Gully corroborated that given
above. Sorren made statement, when seemed
10 bear the amp OF ruth. He declared that he
only used his KNIFE In selCdelence, and at the
time of using the KNIFE was in imminent peril OF
losing his own life.
Alter having been out about fifteen minutes the
Jury returned the following verdict
That Inc deceased to his death from hemor-
rhage fold wing srab wound IN cnes inict cd NV a
knife Ia tue hands OF Thomas Sorre Oh sunday July
Is. 1873
The prisoner was remanded 10 the TOmns and
some half dozen OF he witnesses were sent 10 the
House %