The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-10-03
From the Mexican Miner.
The Murder.
FURTHER PARTICULARS EVIDENCE
BEFORE THE INQUEST, &C.

BEfOhE lNQO UOs
AS we went to press last week dis
patch had just been received by Sheriff
King that Tracy, the suspected muir
derer of Miss Reilly, had been cap
tured at Portville. The Sheriff
for that place with a deputy on the 2
p. M. train, and returned with the
prisoner on the 9 o'clock train, having
persuaded him to come over the State
line without requisition. An angry
and threatening crowd was at the
depot on the arrival of the train, but
by skillful management, for which the
Sheriff deserves great credit, the pris-
oner was smuggled from the train, into
a waiting carriage, and was nearly to
the Jail before the infuriated crowd
were aware that their prey had es-
capped. The party most anxious to get
within the secure enclosure of the Jail
was Tracy.
The manner of his capture was
purely accidental. He was seen and
recognized at Portville by an agent of
Barnes, Bancroft & Co., of Buffalo
who had made his acquaintace in this
place. Securing the aid of a constable,
he had him arrested and telegraphed
to the Sheriff. Hal not this agent for
| tunately been in Poitville at that time
it is probable that Tracy would have
yet been at large.
Below we give the evidence before
the coroner's jury, from which ver-
dict was rendered that Mary Reilly
came to her death at the hands of An
drew Tracy:
S. ID. Freeman, M. D., testified: 1
am practicing physician. Reside in
Smethport, have know deceased Mary
Reilly, all her life. was present at
her decease. 1 was called from the
Court House to see her. I found her
lying on the sidewalk in front of the
house of John Mullin, breathing
slowly and heavily. Both increased
until she ceased to breathe. 1t was
about 9 o'clock in the evening of Sept.
Is, 1878. I could do nothing but ascer-
tain the character of the wound. She
was totally unconscious when l found
her and continued so until she ceased
to breathe. The wound was in the
left temple; the ball passed backward
and slightly upwards, breaking up the
substance of the base of the brain. l
introduced a probe into the track of
the ball very readily. 1 found no other
cause for death. She lived about 40
minutes from the time the shot was
fired. 1 remained with her. Her
death was caused by gunshot wound,
the ball passing into the base of the
brain.
J. 7. Reilley, M. d., testified: I re-
side in New York city. I came to
Smethport on Monday, the 10th inst.
I am a practising physician. 1 was
stopping at the residence of P. Ford
yesterday evening. saw the deceased
yesterday evening. L was informed
that Mary Reilly had been shot, and
came to the place. found her in the
house of John Mullin, lying on the
bed in an unconscious condition,
breathing slowly and rapidly approach
ing dissolution. DR.. Freeman had
made an examination, 1 have exam
ined the wound. 1 concur in Doctor
Freeman's statement. The wound
was sufficient to cause death. She died
in the house in presence of John Null
lin, Isabel Mullin, Secelia Reilly, DR..
S. D. Freeman, Mary Tracy, General
Kane, and some others. She died
about $3.50 in the evening of Sept. Is,
1873.
Belle Mullin testified: I was at the
residence of Mary Tracy in this place
yesterday. 1 went there about p.
M. and left about half past eight. We
were in the store or sitting room all
the time we were there. Mary Reilly
(the deceased) Secelia Tracy and Mary
Tracy were there all the time. Frank
McCabe and Andy Tracy came into
the room several times. Mary Reilly
was playing the piano and singing
ledTly ali llc cFchiiiS. I1Ci SiolSi az
companied her. Andy Tracy appeared
very reticent and moody. When 1
left there about half past eight Mary
Reilly came with me. Mary Tracy's
store is on Main street about four
squares from John Mullins. We came
along the south side of the street until
we came to the store of Haskill & Gift
ford, where we crossed the street to
the north side. When we came to the
blacksmith shop we heard some one
walking after us very fast. He kept
walking close behind us until we came
in front of our house. / was walking
next the street, Mary Reilly on my
right side. i had her arm. My arm
was in her arm. heard a pistol shot.
1 was stunned slightly at the shot. IT
was close to my head. / think the
pistol was at the side of my head.
fell down with the shock. AS 1 was
getting up l saw a man of medium
size running across the street toward
Mr.. B. d. Hamlin's house. noticed
nothing peculiar except that he was
running. / Thought it was an accident
until saw him run, and then 1 knew
it was not. He crossed Main street in
front of Mr.. Hamlin's house, and