The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-11
THE KILLING OF ROBERT
HARRIS.
The Investigation Before Judge
Evans.

The case Of the State vs.. Mr. Thomas
Devereaux, charged by Sergeant Chaumette,
from information received, with shooting and
killing ex-Detective Harris, on the evening of
the 1st inst, ct the corner Of Carondelet and
Common streets, was called ct / o'clock yes
terday, before Judge Evans, of the First
Municipal Police Court Messrs. H. G.
Castellanos, William R. Whitaker and Judge
Dooley appeared a. counsel for Mr.. Devereaux.
@. Il. Luxembourg. Esq, appeared for the
prosecution.
Some seventy-fve witnesses were called for
the State, and about one-half answered to
their names. Attachments were issued for
most Of the absent Witnesses. DR.. Cooper,
City Physician. was the first witness called:
Held an autopsy on the deceased, Harris.
Mr. Luxembourg offered in evidence the GER
tificate Of the City Physician and the Cor
oner's papers to show how Robert Harris
came to his death.
There was something the matter with his
shoulder; he was hunchbsoked and had a
glass eye; he came to his death from gun
shot wound in the head.
DR.. Cooper then went on to state all that his
certificate contained as to the cause of death.
Cross Examination By Mr.. Cdstellanos-I held
the autopsy about 6 o'clock in the evening in
the cap-room, Central Station, by gssight;
saw pistol and q clasp-knife taken from his
person at the time OF the autopsy; I think
Mr.. Washington Boylan, Deputy Coroner,
took them from his person.
n. r l., - D.l~.
Harris dead in q carriage at the corner of
Common and Carondelet streets; think it
was the LIST of March, little after o'clock; I
came to the station with the body; was pres
emit when the post-mortem nexamination was
held by Dr.. Cooper; I absIracsed the ball
myself from the head before the City Physi-
clan arrived; he was deformed or hunchback
in one shoulder, and had . glass eye; he was
deformed when first knew him; that was
several years ago; done know what caused it.
A. B. Burmudy-I was going upstairs at
No. 16 Carondelet street, about 8 O'Clock on
the 1st instant don't know anything about
the killing of Robert Harris; heard the re-
port of pistol; was going into Messrs. Hor-
nor Benedict's Office when I heard the re-
port of pistol.
John Farmer-I was on the corner Of Com
mon and Carondelet streets about o'clock
on the LIST inst. heard pistol shot and
saw Harris fall; knew Harris; don't know
who shot; there were fifty people between
where Harris fell and where I was landing;
saw Nh. Devereaux there; saw him in the
crowd; he wore q light coat; I think he
walked down Common street in tho direction
of Caller Court; there were about two hun
dred people around there, and about fifty peo-
pie were around where I was standing; went
over and held Harris up; followed the car
riage and saw Harris taken out and brought
into the station.
Cross Examination. Officer McAlpin got to
where Harris fell before did; Mr.. Dsvereaux
was standing in the crowd about five or six
yards from the body; I saw no pistol in Mr..
Dsvereaux's hand or about his clothes; had
clear view Of him on Common street.
Officer McAlpin-On the LIST sof March,
1876, about o'clock, was staining at the
corner of st. Charles and Gravier "a company
with other officers; boy came q to me and
told me that q man was shot at To corner Of
Carondelet and Common fond Harris
lying on the crossing; picked Him up and
with the help of several other arties put
him in . cab; Mr.. Devereaux cam{ ito the sta
ton shortly after Harris was bright in; he
wore grey suit of clothes.
Cross. Examination by Judge mooley Il
don't remember seeing the last wf31ess on the
stand holding him up; silver Mounted re-
volver and knife was taken from he person
of Harris at the station; it was Eing dirk
knife with four-inch blade; hi3 not seen
Mr.. Devereaux that day until Nv him at
the police station after the body pf the de-
ceased had been brought in.
Capt B. F. Britton-I don't kn6N anything
about the killing of Robert Harris I was in
my Office. ID
Mr.. P. w. Woodleif-I was sitting in the
soda shop, corner Of CarondeletA nd Com
mon streets, on the LIST of Marc, 1876, be-
tween and o'clock p. NJ; hard the re-
port of An arm, . fire-arm, . very mud report.
saw a man lying on the northwest banquette,
few steps from the gutter; I went towards
him; q gold-headed cane was lying near him;
when I got there. three or four prisons were
there. walked on and saw mar in yellow
ish, white suit walk into the Caller Court,
through the Common street Entrance;
walked after him; saw no aru1s. good
many people came in and I retired; did not
recognize him at the time in the court, but
recognized him afterwards as Mr.. Devereaux,
as he was coming up Common street with an
other gentleman; didn't see the shooting; q
young man was behind the counter; there
were only three or four persons scattered
around the street when went out after the
shot was fred.
SS.ELdMaD0teOn-OI my own personal
knowledge don't know who did The shoot
ing; the waiter, myself and friend were the
only parties in the soda shop; the waiter was
behind the bar; left the gentleman and
waiter in the soda shop; saw nothing in the
mans hand and did not see him put anything
in his pocket.
Patrick Burke-I don't know anything
about the case; was away up town at that
hour and day.
Francis Green-Don't know anything about
the case.
Henry Mourer-I work with Mr. Hamilton,
corner Of Carondelet and Common streets;
was behind the bar on the day in question;
about 8 o'clock heard the report Of pistol;
looked up and sawa man with light clothes walk
off with pistol in his hand down Common
street; saw . man fall; the man With light
clothes held his pistol down behind his right
leg; could not identify the man: don't know
whether or not it was Mr.. Devereaux; don't
recognize him as the party; when saw the
man fall The man with . light suit was about
five or six steps off from the man that fell;