The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
MOLLY mcguire MURDER TRIAL.
EVIDENCE FoR THE DEFESCR-TEsrIMoNY FOB
THE PROSECUTION DIRECTLY CoSTRADrcTED.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

EVIDENCE FoR THE DEFESCR-TEsrINoNY FOB
THE PROSECUTION DIRECTLY CoNrRADIcrED.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
BLOOMSBURY, Pa, Feb. 20, 1877.
The Molly Mcguire trial Is rrpIete with startling
features that wonder the continues
10 be crowded. Helen Hester, daughter Of tho prom-
nent prisoner. again subjected to the painful or
deal OF being placed Tho witness stand for the de-
fence She Is generally regarded with pity trying
step her father and the black shadow Of the
gaIlows that looms up In tho background Shc
testified that tho woman OF whom hcr mother
was jealous was Mrs O'Bren, who,
Il will DO remembered, Kelly 'the Bum said
no and eight others went TO scalp night at
the nstigation Of Mrs Hester. The witness claimed
that she had the disery which her father kept
In tho woods for making Illicit whiskcy, and which
she said tho Of his running away 10 Illinois;
but upon cross-examnasion sho could not tell what II
looked ike IL seems cruel to place daughter In
such an embarrassing prcdicamcnt Garner Pepper,
who claimed to have been at Hcstcr's house on the
day Of Rcas murder, said be heard tho distiliery
trouble referred TO- aud heard Hester say no would
get AWAY until affair blew over. He admitted after
ward that no tho dstillery, any OF the
whiskcy that came from IT, The witness referred in
cidentay TO the domestic difficulties between Hester
and Mrs Hester, and tho latter, who has been con-
slant attendant at court sitting beside her husoanu
since the trial opened, seemed overcome by emotion
al this point and wept bitterly.
A witness named McKiernan that he would
not believe Kelly under oath that the latter boarded
with him and ordered OF his house by his
wife, and he then drew revolver her. he also stated
that two years prior to tho murder no and Kelly saw
superintendent Rca drag poor woman out OF log hut
tnat stood on his land and thcn tear down the hut
A CONVICT WITNESS.
Al several periods during the trial to-day, especially
during the examination Of witness named Thomas. as
TO his belief IN the existence OF God, genuine sem
sation caused; but tho browning one came In tho
afternoon, when tho notorious Thomas Donohuc, wsC
had been brought from Pottsviic JAIL was taKcn into
court He slightly built Of medium stature, and not
nj all like the desperate no Is SAID TO DO. Onlccr
Parr, in his testimony, said Donohuo was al
lowed into tho cell Of Hester and hcard
the latter confess to tho Rea murder, and
his appearance tho stand looked Tor with nnx-
lcty by tho prisoner and by the audience He sworc
that he admitted into Hcstcrs cell by officer
Parr, and had the conversation with the prs
which the latter testified he never In oil hrs
life said 10 Hester, ut bad SO to kill lsea, nor
did Hester express any regret to him about it, Wit
admitted 10 being imprisoned Tor bong an acces-
sorry In an attempt to kill Bully Bill.
DEFENCR REST.
Ono or two other witnesses sworo to seeing Hester
at Ashland late in tho night before the murder, and,
TO the surprise OF ALL the defence closed thor case.
with the understanding That they DO allowed to intro
duce two witnesses when thcy arrived. Several
witnesses then examined by the Commonw calth
In surrcbuttal, and denied in toto tho testimony Of
some OF tho Witnesses for the defence.