The New York herald., 1878-10-29
TRAGEDY IN A CELL.

lRAGED1 In "A CELL.
JOHN CARPENTER, WHO ATTEMPTED TO AssAs-
sINArE M,RY LYONS IN ST. FRANCIS
xAvIER's CHURCH, sTABs HIMsELF IN
PRIsoN-THE STRUGGLE FOR THE KNIFE.
On Sunday morning tnree weeks ngo, II will bc re-
membered, the people at early mass In the basement
OF ST. Francis Xavier's Church, in West sixteenth
street, were Mortified by seeing man come hastily
up the aisle and bury his knife three times In the
body OF a woman VINO kneeling before she altar.
The wouid-be assassin John Carpenter. the woman
was Mary Lyons. He was taken to jefferson Marke
Prison, she TO ST. vinoent's Hospital Last week she
appeared against Carpenter In the Jefferson Market
Police Court, and he held S. 900 bail TO await
the action Of the Grand Jury. Since then he has
been locked up IN q cell the second tier In tho
prlsen with man named laughter. who was COM
mittsd on charge of larceny. Yesterday morning
he attempted to end his troubles by taking his lls
He prevented from killing himself outright. and
in very dangerous condition. sent 70 Bellevue
Hospital fa AhU4fsH N9M
l THE STRUGGLE IN TIE oELL.
According to custom, Warden Finn, Of tho Tombs
went to the Jefferson Market Prison yesterday morn
ing for those criminals VINO be sent down for
trial 70 await the action Of the Grand Jury II
about twenty minutes to nine O'CLOCK and, after 60
ing the books with Keeper La Faye, Warden
Finn proceeded foot OF the stairs leading the
second Tier and shouted, to bc heard all over
that story :--"Dugan, bring down all the oaptives
who 10 60 down town with mel"
SAY. ay, srl" repeated tho keeper addressed, and
after he heard going from cell to cell
moning those whose names were his transfer list
arden Finn and Keeper McDermott remained talk-
Ing At the foot OF Tho stairs and the
echo Of Dugan's steps died away in the dis ance. All
Was quiet Suddenly mans voice, In mortal terror.
rang through the corridors with appalling effect,
shouting -sMur-derI Mur-dcri" Then thore was
the sound of scuie sticd groan and all still.
Quick lightning AcDermott sprang up the stairs,
three steps at time, followed BY Warden Finn, and
darted 10 Carpenters CELL whence tho outcries had
proceeded. When they reached the cato they saw
through the bars Carpenter lying the bed,
tho floor and his oloshina covered with blood and
laughter standing over him pale as death with
bloody knife in hts hand. With trembling fingers the
keeper unlocked the door and with the Warden on.
tered.
t3 Af rHs ATTEMPTED sUIUIDB.
''Great heavsnsl WHAT does tns meanf" cried
Wardon Finn, while McDermoIt dropped on his knees
beside the prostrae man and began TO search Tor tho
wound.
..Jonnny tied to Kill himself, SIR" said Laughter,
who Leaned against the whitswashed wall OF tne cell
as IT # No M were @ gong g 81 FAINT.
tsWi.h this knife" said laughter, holding up
taolc kne, tho blade Of which had been ground
70 be sharp as needle a. the point aud doube.edged
for about an inch ana halt Ineretrom. The Warden
TOOK the blade and hurrying out Of the cell telo-
graphed for an ambulance ana surgeon and also seut
a messenger 10 summon physician irem the ncigh-
borhood. Then Mr.. Fin IN, accompanied by HERALD
reportar returned to the cell where Keeper cher
mott was found binding up wound In Osrpenser's
snow, johnny, toll me why ysu did this3" said the
.Ahl" answered the IN a strong voice. 81 was
tired Of LIVING and saw nothing but misery ahsaa or
awhere did you get this knlfes"
.Irs an old table knife snat somebody lsft In one
" in ss found
II down IKE spas and hid u IN the Inning Of my
@Didu'. laughter know you had i.Y"
La,sassr. = did DID ,ohnuyi Now tell them Inc % truth
"No, no, siri He came here only last weok, and
was alone before that. sos Il before ne came.
thought u would como In handy some Tine"
rwo wouLD-BE sUIcIDEs IN ONE CELL
The reason Tor tnis inquiry on the part Of the
has made Two attempts before 20 xii nn
self. The first time ho throw himself under dummy
sngns 90 Tenth avenue sS ago ana M nsrrowy
desperate effort TO take his own lie when arrested
Tor tho larceny for wncn he Is now hold HIS friends
are very well Of II viii be remembered that Csrpen.
lried Kill himself the morning he stabbed Mary
Lyons 1t vas suspected that the Two men enuour-
aged each other 10 their suicidal mania
..This was tho way OF It, Warden" explained
Laughter. sJohnny's = good fellow couldn'l navo
Well SIR, abou. quarter Of an hour ago Dugan the
keeper, came TO mo cell door and says, Capsnter.
wore stiiDg On the bed, anu he got up into
the corner to pack up his clothes thought, and
looked out the cell alter the Keeper We were
Johnny said l, Pm sorry you're going 10 leave
mo- As spoke I heard duh thnd, and johnny
staggered backward toward me with groan. furn-
ing quickly saw the kniie In him and jumped 10
snatch IL away. II was buried IN the right OF his
stomach, and his hand was on the hiatt. He wanted
hand On the kniie toro away from h,m, naloo-
lug Murder II AS did 60. God knows would have
prevented this IL 1 could" fua .rst.r4
THE suRasoxs OPINION
Just az LaiRh tor concluded his statement German
physician entered, stripped tho patient examined
tho Injury superhcaIly. Tho external hemorrhage
had siopped, but ne could not say as much Tor the
internal. The patient complained Of chill and sui-
locating sensation IN the chest and throat Tho
doctor did to probe Tor the wound, fearful
lest he should remove tho coaguium, which had un-
douotedly arrested the bleeding IL Was impossible
to tell the extent OF the mischie done
CARPRxTnR's STORY.
In response TO the queries oil q HERALD reporter
Carpenter said that be mad made up ms mind not to
live, having no induccment ON eartn 10 bind him to
IT, "rhis my second wife, said ne, s'and she has
caused all the trouble. did not Know that poor girl
wouldn't have hurt her tor the world, God knows
But, you see every thing has gone wrong and going
wrong with me, and l don't want TO ive. havo
been sailor and volunteer fireman and am pretty
we'll known In Tins town. sent Tor many or my
folks aud acquaintanccs, but none OF those want cd
most came. VIII somebody sond FOR my son James,
him badly"
Keepers and prisoners profsssod tho strongest SYM
pathy for Carpenter. Keeper Ii Faye said that
woman had been employed a short time since In
scrapng up grease from lns floors OF tho cells. she
might have forgotten her knne there and Carpenter
might nave concealed IL from every one.
Tho wounded man was taken 10 Bellevue Hospital in
ambulance. Great care nad TO be observed In his
removal Tor tear OF bringing ON hemorrhsge.
FUNERAL CHIMES.