The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-18
" oA>"D =. TRIAL In BROOKLYN
CASE OF TIE NIGHT WATCHMaN
VINO KILLED A CAPTAIN
A Tragedy Resulting from Drinking too Much
Whsskey ON Election NiGht-stinxsns Words
Followed by - Fisht-Theu n Fatal shot.

Followed by Fisht-Theu n Fatal shot.
William Thompson, who was indicted for
murder In the first degree In killing George
Mcbride. canal boat captain la Commerce
street. Brooklyn. on election night. was tried in
the City Court yesterday before Judge McCue.
Tho prisoner. small blue-eyed man. with red
hair and moustache. sat with his wife and four
children by his counsel. Col Robert Johnston
lie held in his arms one OF n pair OF pretty twin
girls. The other played in its mothers lap.
On the night OF the killing Thompson was
watchman on duty at the stores OF Woodruff &
Mclean. In South Brooklyn. Geo. Mcbride.
VINO was large. muscular man. was on his
way to his canal boat. with Michael Doolcy and
no came upon Thompson. who was standing at
Inlay and Commerce streets. talking to John
Welsh. They had been talking about the Alder
manic contest in the Twelfth Ward between
James Donovan and Daniel ORoilly. which had
been bee, & exciting Mcbride came Mp n buster
ing way. talking loudly for OReilly. He was
not acquainted with Thompson. and had never
seen him before. He said to him. with an in
sultinR expression. You are not fit to watch
a cat"
Thompson replied that he was good enough
Mcbride said: You are n North Of ireland
Orange dog. and I'll clear YOU OH of these
He advanced closer to Thompson. and the
enough to do it, started to take @ of the the tRree S
on when Mcbride struck him in the right eye ye
and knocked him into the gutter. He got up.
and Mcbride rS struck him again this time n the
he kicked him. and when Thompson again re-
gained his fee, knocked m him down once more.
| The other said that he had. and picking up his
coats, Of which he had in tho mean time re-
| lieyed himself. he walked up to- the corner.
He was adjusting his clothing when Welsh
came to speak to him again. He pulled out his
pistol: and. showing it to Welsh. said that il he
tag glada s.Nt,11 1ahA afa tnl
behind him. surped and saw IcBrS" 'o',o,v,ns % .
sanir n,ni; RI drew his pistol ana warned him of,
him Mcbride swore at ngr HIM and dg sSrSnS w1Ts
ipward him, Thompson fired, and shot him
4 20. $40 Dal passin through the heart.
| fight Thompson and Mcbride shook hands. and
| that they went away together around the corner
that Thompson went down the street. but soon
| returned to the point whore he shot Mcbride.
The. defence was that Thompson fired tho shot
In self -defencc that when he saw the men ap-
proaching him second time he believed that II
was because they had plotted together to assault
| him again. He had been informed 10y some Of
the Atlantic dock polio that Dooley was good
| man to watch: that he WAS implicated In rob-
| berry Of the stores which he wus watching. 1t
| was held that for this rcnson. alter passing
| whnt DoOley was about.
| Thompson testified that on that night hc wore
| heavy pair Of shoes. two pairs Of pantaloons.
| three vests and three coats. ana that he knew
| he could not escape from the men If he tried.
| He described the assault on him. and. in refer
| cnce TO the shooting. said that when he fired he
| aimed for McBride's eyes thinking that he was
| hiring blank cartridge. He had five cartridges
| n his pistol. Three cartridges We're blanks.
He thought that there was a blank cartridge
under tho hammer and intended to fro the
powder into McBride's face " blind him. 80 as
| 10 escape from him.
Col. Robert Johnstonc. In his summing up.
moved many in The court room " tears. The
wife OF the prisoner gathered close - the pris-
| oner and her children and with fearful eyes
| looked appealngly into the jurors faces. At 4
| o'clock. after an absence Of an hour and quar-
| ter, the jury returned. and the foreman when
ask ked for his verdict replied. Not guilty"
The prisoner Jumped from his scat and EN-
! brared his wife md children. Tlen turning 70
his counsel Col. Johus,ome he grasped his
lhIssh,A Snd m k7Sed ; u oIh3Ysap then shg,8s
verdict. said one Of the jurors:
Thompson, rum has been your ruin. Let
this be a terrible lesson 10 YOU"
Thompson said: " Ii will be-, sir"
| He waH then discharged. and picking up his
| children he walked briskly away.