The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-13
A MIDNIGHT MURDER.
THE KILLING OFF JOHN RILEY ON
CANAL STREET LAST NIGHT.
Terrible Effects of Cut i'm the AbdO-
men-A Mans of EntraI1s ON the

Sidewalk.
At midnight last night in Michael Griffin's
barrel house. No. Canal street. q bloody affray
occurred. during which white man named
John Riley, levee laborer. was stabbed In the
left side of the abdomen. and almost Instantly
killed. by James CORY, also laborer on the
levee.
The weapon used was g large French clasp
the wounded man. dropped us soon as tho steel
penetrated his stomach.
gIs MURDERER
had no sooner committed the decd than he at
tempted to mako his escape. but Officers
Schmidt and Ramas put In an Appearance In
atanty and he beDg pointed tut to them us the
man who had done the killing. was made q
As he reached tho ban1uette the knife which
had attempted to conceal by pushing 1t up his
sleeve, dropped to the pavement and was picked
up by he officers, AS soon as the prisoner was
secured Riley. who
WAS srTJL ALIVE
was removed to drug store in the vicinity. but
couldsbe awakened he brehthed his last.
When the reporter reached thescene
THE FMcKER1Ne of MATCH
and the dark forms Of few officers told that
that was the place where the Injured man lay.
It was on the north side Of Canal street, just
beyond Old Levee. near drug store 1t was q
small group around the man, there probably
being not more than seven or eight officers In
" Ii
down the broad avenue. making the shadow of
tho houses tho darker by contrast. The gas
lamps twinkled up street and down as IT to
keep rhythm to the gasping respirations OF the
fast sinking man. The reporter took one Of the
lamps from his cab. and holding it over the
face OF tho
FAsT SINKING MAN,
snw countenance that !, Was rather Of 9 pre-
of death two soft blue eyes, full of expression
looked up at the reporter. neatly cut nose,
beneath WHICH spread SANDY m2usache ,tlst era
was what responded to the cab light. The long
and labored respirations showed that the man
was fast sinking. and when his wound was
Of about q quart of entrails protrudiDg from tho
abdomen about two inches from the median
line. The cut was fully
THREE INCHES IN LENGTH.
and although mono Of the intestines were SOW
cred. internal hemorr hage must have set In.
About five minutes after the reporters arriv val
Riley breathed his last. His head was. resting
and at every gasp it would rise and fall. Even
after he was dead the eyes retained something
Of q lustre beneath the film Of death The OFF,
cers telegraphed ut once on hearing Of the Oc
currence for q charity wagon. and in few
minutes. at full galop. one came in sight.
bounding
OVER THE STREET PAVEMENT
to Canal street not, however. for o. patient for
the hospital hut for tho morgue or statt on
house. The wagon backed up, and the driver
and ass istant put the limp and lank form Of the
dead man in and drove Oft for the Third Pre-
cinct Station.
MICHAEL GRIFFIN.
the proprietor of the barrel house in which the
murder WIGS enacted. was interviewed, ana he
said;
I know both men Tho dead man is named
Riley, and the fellow who gave it to him is
named james CORY. They had been In my
Af er they were both pretty full they quar-
rolled: what about [ don't know. The quarrel
had not lasted
BUT SHORT WHILE
when they clnched. They retreated to the ban
uuette in front of my place. and when they came
back Gerry'e nose was split open. l told them
it was shame for them to be fighting. Al OF q
sudden Gerry rushed toward Riley; The latter
dropped to the floor and exclaimed, Il am cut
by Cd In the belly
time telling my walter to catch that man. He
caught him. and we held him until the police
came. There were several other parties IN the
bar- room, but they skipped as soon as Riley
crien Utt 7Tae etat; thnt'a oil know about it.
The reporter then repaired to the Third Pre-
il q man about six feet in height, rather thin.
yet brawny. with face that il respulslve, and
seems to snow
FAMILIARITY WITH CRIME.
He was evidently under the influence OF
liquor. for it only after repeated calls OF the
reporter that he came to the bare Of his cell;
His uprer lip was sightly cut and his face red
as crima on from his drinking. He took CON
siderable time before the reporter rou A get him
TO res ond to any questions, but after O while
/ lis taciturnity gave way and he stated: -
I am poor weak man behind the bars and I
mug and you will see it. / was with, Riley
u o to o'clock yesterday morning working on
the Chattanooga road.-, We did four hours
work and got a dol lar q IN q snlit man. Some
The reporter here asked. How did ou give
1t to Rile,2" H. replied. I had good cause;
don't know where [ gave It to him; but I gave
it to him hard. I'm weak man. and / an
split / ain't giving ANYTHING away. Idont
know what became Of Riley: he dropped. YOU
bet"
Afer this the accused retired to the rear Of
his cell and the reporter withdrew.