The Morning herald., 1876-07-15
A HORRIBLE CRIME,
A Nam Cut ~, Wtth an Ac IN the Hands
ofa TUuern Keeper-ShOt and Brutally
TreSted, then Kicked Out to Died. Sup
posed Murdsr-HOckesstn tho Scene of

Of q zNUorn keepeT-ShOt and BrAtaLli
TreSted, then Kicked 0Mt to Died. Sup
| posed Murder-Hockesstn tho Scene e1
Bloodshed. ..xaa
| Yesterday afternoon there waS 9 report
current in this city to the effect that mar
had been murdered in drinking house at
Hockessin, a little village about nine miles
from this place on the W. & W.Railrosd.
To ascertain if there was any truth in the
account, q reporter of The HERALD took
the first train for the place In question,
where he arrived, and although finding the
people reticent upon the subject, he at last
ELECTED the following facts
On last Saturday afternoon about 5
o'clock, some of the inhabitants were in
formed that q man was seen leaning against
the fence which surrounds the house Of one
jeremiah Harrigan, an Irishman, who
keeps drinking house about half mile
northeast from the station, in horribly
bloody condition. The announcement soon
attracted large crowd of men about Mr..
Ways store, and In few moments six or
eight of the leading citizens started up the
Lancaster pike to Harrigan's House.
The report was only to true,
there leaning against the fence, and scarcely
able to sustain his own weight, was poor,
besotted looking human being, presenting
a spectacle that made the beholders shudder.
One of his hands was cut In great gashes,
and there was deep wound two inches in
length acress the top of his head, from
which the blood streamed in profusion.
All the cuts had the appearance of being
made with small axe or Ratchet. His
hair was literally clotted with blood, and
his shirt so soaked with gore as to be
crimson. Upon further examination several
pistol wounds were found on his body. CA
few moments before the occurrence was
made known, three pistol shots had been dis
| tinctly heard, aud the sounds were in the
direction OF Harrigan's.) When the man
vas questioned, the only words he uttered
were "Let me lay down and die. could
stand it pretty well, till he came at me with
TIE axe" These were the only sentences he
articulated distinctly. Upon his name be-
ing asked he articulated something that
sounded like Frank Mc(ion-l-.
The men then left to procure conveyance
and take him to place OF safety. They
were returning, when they met an Irishman,
by the name of Cornelius McCarty, in a
wagon, aud the half-murdered man with
hila. They took their way to McCarty's home
up the road leading to the Hockessin Meet
ing House. The gentlemen followed some
distance, and sIw McCarty turn of and go
toward his home. It was then supposed
that the man was in the hands of friends
and would be vell cared for, and nothing
more was thought of the matter until last
Wednesday, when it occurred that McCarty
YVES a relation of Harrigan's, and quite
intimate with him; and also a man Of bad
resutation. After some consideration OF
tie matter, it was deemed advisable to
further investigate the affair. Accordingly
visit was Immediately made to the farm Of
McCarty in order If possible to ascertain
" hat had become of the unfortunate individ-
ual. The account obtained from the
McCartys was both suspicious and contra-
dieting. Cornelius said, however, tha. 1e
brou INT the man to his home, washed his
clothes, dressed his wounds, and set him on
his way in good spirits, and not a. all badly
hurt. There are various stories af1oat as to
" HON the man is or was, and what became
of him. The supposition seems to be that
McCarty flushed the work begun by his
colleague, and perhaps buried the body.
This is only supposition among the people
but from the additional facts, 1t is not at all
an improbable one 1t is believed
that the victim was laborer in
Hughes lime quarry, near West Grove, on
the P. & B. R. r.; and that work becom-
ing scarce, he was paid off, and discharged
by his employer. He then, in all prObabili-
ty started off on drunk, and finally got
as far as Harrigau's where for aught is
known, he met his death. The day prece-
ding the occurrence a man called at Jasper
Ways store, and tried to get twenty dol
lar bill changed. The opinion Is, that it
was the man who was found the next day
in the condition described. McCarty says
that the man told him that he did not
blame Harrigan, but that it was his own
fault, and that the trouble was caused by
his (the unknown man) getting drunk.
This story is not at all likely. When the
stranger was found, he first called for q
constable, and then justice of the peace,
and vowed that he would prosecute the per-
petrator of the crime. Upon calling at
Harrigan's yesterday, it was ascertained
that he had fled the country, from fear of
prosecution. The facts stated above are
all true, and when the character of Har-
rigan is once known, the reader will not
be surprised at his crime.
Harrigan come to Heckessin about six
years ago, ard opened drinking house,
very near the Pennsylvania line, where ever
since he has kept very disorderly house,
that not untrequently was the scene Of
many brutal outrage. The place became
so notorious that the people at last de-
priyed Harrigan Of his license to sell rum,
notwithstanding which fact he has, in de-
fance OF the law, sold Intoxicating drinks
He at one time worked in DuPont's
mills, this city, where lie bore good name,
bnt since his adventin Hockessin, his ca
reer has been one of continual disturbance.
Brawls have been of frequent oocurance,
and often the tumults have only been
stopped by the use of fire arms, in the
hands of Halrigan. On several occasions
he has even shot at his wife, and treated
her in q shameful manner.
1t is reported that he has made practice