The New York herald., 1876-07-22
THE BERDELL-MURRAY TRAGEDY.
MURRAY DEAD-THE CASE STILL IN COURT
BERDELL's WITNESSES SWEAR THAT MURRAY
HAD PISTOL ALso-THE INQUEST.

BERDELLS WITNESSES SWEAR THAT MURRAY
HAD A PISTOL ALso-THE INQUEST.
MDDLrrowN n y, July 81, 1875
Wsner Murray, who shot at Goshen, July l3 by
Robert H. Berdell whom he had horsewhippcd for al
legged insult to his mother died 40 this morning
from the wound In the head. He was thirty three
years OF age; President Of the village Goshen
and assistant cashier Of the National Bank OF Orange
county, Of which his father, Hon. A. S. Murray, WAS
president He served in the Seventh New York regi-
ment at the PennsyIvana invasion in the late He
leaves wife and young child, the former daughter of
Chauncey Barnard. Of New York. and sister Of Bcr-
dels divorced wife. The divorce suit was the first
OF the trouble. Coroner Little, of Middletown
commenced the inquest this morning. Alter taking
medical testimony the Coroner ordered post
morlem examination. The inquest was then adjourned
until saturday morning
rnE INVESTIGATION IN THE PoLIcK COURT
The Investigation before Justice Coleman con-
tinued or the prosecution Charles Everett ident
ncd Bcrdcli's handwriting envelopes containing
the offensive cards, the circulation OF which caused
the tragedy; also ON u list OF names OF parties
whom cards had been or were to be sen iouud Ber
dell when. arrested The cards were offered in evi.
dence aud excluded. Among the addresses on them
were the iolowng:-Widow Parkhurst OF Goshen !;
Counsellor Gedney, Jr. Judge Gedney, Scducer Wis
Murray and wife, Mrs Hon a. Murray.
The prosecution offered in evidence the answer of
Berdeli in the divorce suit, in which he charged Wis
Murray with over 100 diiercnt acts OF adultery
paint in the action brought by Berde against Wis.
ner Murray and Gertrude his wife. Mrs A. ). Murra,
and Mrs. Harriet B Berdell for $780, 600 damages by
the removal from Berdels house OF property belong
ing TO him.
All the documents were excluded by the Justice.
The prosecution here rested.
BERpELL's DEFENcE.
The first witness ior the defence was Hector Moore
OF Msdletown, VINO was formerly ON the New York
police His testimony differed materially from
that of the other reference the position
Of Berdelis body at the time OF The shooting. He
rlQ ,nl huf ~ thn hnlA M frnv knntr
mug, aud thar most OF the whipping had aken place
before Berdcll drew hls pistol That he held all the
while by A. s. Murray, ana that when the whipping be-
gan Berdel mad no pistol in his hand
In the examination this afternoon Thomas Ellen of
Goshen, testified seeing wisner Murray after the
whipping put tho thumb and first finger OF the right
hand In his hip pocket
MugRAy's PISTOL
Elsie Pierce, young lady charge of the lunch
Murray's right hand when about to jump over the
lunch counter The pistol looked like found on the
floor where Murray Tell
Thomas Bailey. Berdells coored coachman saw Ber-
dell whipped by wisner Murray while held by the lat
ters brother. Aiser wisner Murray jumped over the
counter his (Aurrays) right hand moving
raised to the level OF his elbow and no faced Berde
Hugh Dimou, OF Kingston, saw most OF the afray ;
saw unccy Barnard iathcr Of berdes divorced wife,
umbrela to strike BerdelI after shooting wit
old hIn not to strike, and he did not; heard Ber
dell say during the whipping. "For Gods sake don't
Kill me
Isaac Taylor OF Warwick was sworn and testified
and his testimony differed materially from others IN
reference to the position OF the parties at the CON-
mcncsmcnt Spencer Murray Grst scizcd Bcrdels' IN
trout while his brother whipped him from behind ;
atcrward Spencer changed to Berdcs back and faced
him to isncr.
Public sympathy Is still with Bcrdel IN the last
AFFAIR, though the previous cause which led TO his
wiics divorce IS generally condemned Before the
tragedy wsner Murrays father received postal card
purportng TO como from an unmarried woman as king
him TO meet her as per agreement IN New York The
card Bcrdell's handwriting, not disguised This