The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-01
IS 1T MURDER?

JOHN D. WRIGHT IEGBIBLY CUT BY KNIFE
IN THE HANDS OF HIS rRoTHER ACCIDENT
URGED IN rL,cE or CRIME.
A terrible tragedy has again stirred the people OF
williamsburg. Walter J. Wright, twenty even wears
old cut his brother, John d. Wright. with
jack knife, at their residence. No. ID
SCUM Sixth street, innicting injuries that
are fatal beyond pcradventure Tho array
took place shortly after nine O'Clock on SATURDAY
night. The family kept 1t entirely secret until ono
A. ~ Sunday when tho surgeons declared the inju-
RES fatal Then they reported TO tho police that
John had committed suicide by cutting open his
abdomen. The matter rested thus until early
yesterday morning, when Sergeant Brennan went down
10 No 80 South Sixth street to thoroughly
investigate the matter, and from tho prev aricating
stories told and the manifest desire OF conceament
displayed be suspected that murder had been dons
and, after series OF questions arresed walter y
as the perpetrater OF the crime Coroner Nolan was
notified and hastily enpauelIing jury took tho ante
morton statement OF John in which he claimed
that no ran against knfc 10 the hands Of his brother
THE TRUE STORY
So far as can be asccrtansd the truth 10 that both
of The boys been drinking freely all the aterneos
OF Saturday and we're under the innuanco Of liquor at
tho time OF the difficulty. John reached home first at
eight O'Clock and Walter came in about nine. At
that time their father and mother were sitting on
the front steps John and George Wright (tho latter
a younger brotherl were sitting IN tho front
through the haIi the mack basement In which there
was light burning. He hal been there but moment
when nc 70 sa nav ro n ao na
stop will slap your face.' This LED TO high
s sSras 1 TS.v 'nS met t%0 tn: door, sDs ns
John dropped back, saying, "My God, l am
cutl" HIS aeonlzug cry brought in the father and
mother IRON the stoop TO find John IN horrible con
dit,on. George ram immediately Tor DR.. L. Palmer
ana then Dr. samuel J.. Brady VINO re 70.
had been cut tho navel In upward direction TO
tho tip Of the breast booe which stopped ihc course
Of the KNIFE. Through this wound, winch clearly
incised and over SIX inches in length, almost the
entirc entrails and portion Of the stomach pro
truoed. Tho family were then informed that there
life, and II they had not notified the police they
had better DO 50 a. once. This was done. az
gate The supposed suicide. He gave the following &C.
count OF mis- visit:-- sss Aaa
The house. whioh is IN a good neishborhsod, has
front aud back basement. and when l reached II l
found no trace: OF any.n,ns Of shs k,nd HAWKS 90,
the front room There were no blood stains on
tie carpet spattsss on the wall and none OF the
spoken to one or two Of tho family ana
they gave mo such different statements that
my Suspicious were excited ana these wore
speedily confirmed. For ,nstsnee. they first said
that no had committed suicides next that he had run
ngainst the Knite then that Waiter s,tting cut
him and got cut That way The TACT that one
should be sitting in the front room cutting corns did
not seem to DO out of tho way until they
all agreed that there was no light In that
room, and as didn't see why a man should trim
TO leave till had reached tho truth. Stepping up 10
tho side OF the bed asked Jonu Wno did thisH" He
truth, adding, Suppose you were 10 die" Here hs
interrupted me- asking anxously sit isn't SO bad as
ns ~. YOU sSa Du. S
impossible Tor you 10 got over this Now
can't you tell tho truth about IT," Eyes |
that enough" then stepped in the back room toward
Waller, and Just rs spoko to him John called oai,
HE is taking 10 waiter, my boy" At this John an
griiy exclaimed. didn't tell him done it'myseli;
1 'Ss nouss 70 nny as mo-
me IL my ices, SO pumply put the question 70 Wal
.s. Nov, you know all about mi: cutting who did
sergeant, you don't think had anything to do with
this had no object We didn't have word"
me, and, telling him ! wanted 70 talk to
him about 70 outside, got MIN on tho
and then arrssssd him We conyersed on the matter
on tho way to thc station HOUSE., during which he, As
the expression goes pave himself sway" but 10
for father Captain Jack Wright, and after locking
Waiter up We went togsther to SOC Coroner Nolan.
the ANTEMoRrEM srATsMKNr
Coroner Nolan summoned jury and took the In
jurcd mans nnte mortem statement In this he
stated that he was John D. Wright, thr'yave years
the Empire stores, foot Of Main street, Brooklyn:
previous to that had boon thirteen years IN the
United States service a marine He then gives bis
account OF the cutting stating that hc was IN the back
basement aud after = lew words. all In Joke, he
started 70 into the front room meeting Walter In
the entry, with open knife In bis hand He ran
right the knife not seeing u IN the dark Hc said
he mad no quarrel with Walter. though they
had from time to timo iIdulged In lite petty
sauabbIcs Both he and Walter had boon drinking dur
ing the afternoon. The knife with which the cutting
was zone then described by him as ono belonging
to his ather Wosten holm with three biadee, and Oh
such being shown HIM marked with stains OF
blood on the largest badel no identified u as the
knife The prisoner was next brought before him
and Identified, John d. saying, 'rhat 10 my brother
Walter, in whose hands the knife was that injured
me-" Walter was then committed by the Coroner 10
await the result OF the injuries
Tho family wero industrious In imprcssing every
one with the theory Of suicide, but II nnds little
credit both the young mon being hard drinkers snd
auarrelsome under the Influence OF liquor They have
been seen wranen before more than one occa-
sop but lattery when came IN saloon vheye
the other no would either 60 out again I'M
mediatciy or tho other would leave, and without
speaking or recognizing each other Friends Of tho
family clam that &c Walter did kill .Young Jack" rs
he is called, was done under the influence Of rum,
aud 10 ignorance OF what he was doing-some even
caimin hc is weak OF intellect, and wholly irrc
sponsibie His occupation was clerk 10 his father,
who does a shi pping business in this city,